Recipe Corner: Weight Watchers Taco Soup

Weight Watchers Taco Soup

For those of you trying to shed a few pounds or if you are looking for a fun and tasty soup...this soup ROCKS!!! Easily one of my favorite soups of all time!!! Love this stuff!!!!

Serving size 1 cup 2 classic points/ 3 plus points.



1lb lean ground beef/or turkey
1 chopped onion
2 cans of Rotel (use which ever heat desired...I use mild)
2 cans of black beans (drain only)
1 can of whole kernel corn (drain)
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 pkg ranch dip mix
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 cup of water

Cook the meat and onions
Then add everything in a crock pot and simmer on low all day.

Weight Watchers Taco Soup with light sour cream and baked tortillas

You can sprinkle cheese, light sour cream on top for a garnish or serve with chips (points go up based on this)
I buy flat yellow corn tortillas, spray them with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt baked at 365 for 10 minutes...2pp for two and much better than chips!

Recipe Corner: Weight Watchers Crepes

Weight Watchers Crepes
Serves 8
1 classic pt/2 plus points per crepe!

I adore these!!! I love how low in points they are and the nutmeg really gives it a little something extra! =)


Ingredients:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup fat free milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

*Whisk together flour, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl. Beat together milk and eggs in a small bowl. Whisk milk mixture into flour mixture until smooth. Let stand for 15 minutes.

** Spray 8 inch nonstick skillet with non stick spray and set over medium heat until drop of water sizzle in pan. Re-stir batter, pour scant 1/4 cupful of batter into skillet, tilting pan to coat bottom completely. Cook until top is set and underside is golden brown, about 1:30 minutes.

*** With spatula, loosen edge of crepe and turn over. Cook until second side is lightly browned, about 25 seconds. Slide crepe onto plate. Repeat with remaining batter, lightly spraying skillet before adding more batter, making a total of 8 crepes.

Weight Watchers Crepes with light syrup

Per Crepe:
Calories: 62
Fat: 2g
Carb: 8g
Fiber 0g
Protein 3g

Source: The New Complete Cookbook www.weightwachers.com
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Super Star of the Week: Angela Reid!!!!!

I am loving all the weight loss stories! Meet Angela, a 29 year old from California who has gone up and down with her weight over the past few years. She lost 40lbs in 2006,  maintained that for a few years, but slowly put the weight back. In January of 2013 she really made a lifestyle change that turned her from the "fat friend" into the power house that she is today! Check out her amazing story below.

November 2013

When did you start your journey?

July 2012

 "I STARTED Walking on November 28th 2012 and I joined WW again for the third time in January 2013."

What is your favorite exercise routine? 
"I love to run now I used to hate it but I got into it this year and I really enjoy it plus I burn the most calories that way. Also running is very therapeutic for me when I'm feeling upset or mad I want to run!! It makes me feel good and relieves the stress. I follow my runs with some weight lifting! I Love deadlifts!!"

Look at that back progression!!!!

What's on your playlist that gets you pumped? 
"I listen to Pandora the club dance or dance option so its a mixture of fast paced upbeat songs. Without music I feel lost and out of it, a song can get me through parts of my work outs, I've even started dancing around when I run usually its my head and arms moving around, I bet other people laugh at me but that's fine with me I'm burning calories!!"

How much weight have you lost total?
"I started this time around at 194lbs and I got down to 149lbs in June so that's 45 pounds. I've been going up and down since then, currently I'm 164lbs so that's a 30 pound difference. I've also had my body fat done and its currently 20.8 and I'm very proud of that!"

What tips do you have for someone still working towards their goal?
"NEVER EVER EVER GIVE UP!!! It's not an easy road to take but it's a great one and

Aug 2011 to August 2013

the end results are amazing! I've struggled the last couple months but I haven't given up and I wont. I've cried through some of my workouts BUT if I quit what's that saying to myself? That I'm not important enough? I am important and I do believe in myself. I encourage you to believe in yourself and to keep pushing your limits, you will surprise yourself!"

How did you lose the weight/ what plan did you follow?
 "I started with walking and slowly changing my food choices, no soda, and I cut back on alcohol big time. In January 2013 I joined Weight Watchers and I do their plan. I also drink a gallon of water a day and eat lots more fruits and veggies!"

What's your favorite "cheat" meal?
"Something greasy, like tacos de papa, homemade enchiladas or anything with peanut butter."

What is your favorite snacks? 
"Banana, Brussels sprouts, Popcorn, any fruit cut up with lemon and chili powder on top!"

What's your favorite motivational quote or saying?
 "Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve." Also love Nikes "just do it"

Who is your biggest inspiration?
 "My biggest inspiration is me! When I challenge myself and beat those challenges it

FEB 2013 to Jun 2013

inspires me to keep challenging and pushing myself further!" 

How much more weight do you want to lose? 
 "My goal weight is 143lbs, so about 21 more pounds."

Have you always had a weight issue?
 Yes ever since I was 12 I've was the "fat friend." I was very self conscious as a teenager and it continued into adulthood until I decided to make changes."

What made you decide to start losing weight?
"A few reasons, in 2012 I had a lump in my breast and I had to have an ultrasound along with 5 doctor visits in a year. Thankfully it was a healthy mass but it scared me and motivated me to make healthier changes so I can take care of my body. I only get one so I need to care for it. I'm currently in the process of adopting my special needs nephew and I want to be able to play with him without getting out of breath. By me living a healthy and active lifestyle I'm showing him by example, he loves going hiking with me and he comes to the gym with me. He will ask "Did you workout today?"
I was unhappy about my weight and appearance and I felt uncomfortable in my own skin and unhappy with myself but I wasn't willing to make changes based on that. I was my meanest friend I put myself down everyday with negative comments and beat myself up mentally telling myself "YOUR just not GOOD enough", it was not healthy. I'm an emotional eater so when I felt any emotion I would eat, especially if I was upset. In November 2012 I was sad and hurt from a relationship ending that I didn't want to end, I decided to take charge then. I told myself you can be hurt, sad and feed those feelings

Dec 2012 to Jun 2013

with bad unhealthy food which in the end will make me even sadder and unhappy OR you can channel your pain into something positive SO on the day he moved away I started walking. I walked 6 days a week for 2 hours a day. I changed my eating and most important I changed my thought process and I started giving myself compliments everyday (they say for every one negative comment give yourself 5 positive ones so that's what I started doing) When I first started walking it took me 2 hours to walk almost 7 miles and today 11/11/13 I ran 5 miles in 45 mins!! I feel like my weight loss was a great experience for me, I learned to LOVE who I am which is something I don't think I've ever done. I cried the moment I realized that I LOVED myself and that's when I finally felt happy.....I finally felt like ME!!

 

July 2013

Congrats to Angela on her journey.....I know you will reach your final goal and I am so beyond proud to see what positive steps you have taken...both mentally and physically. As an emotional eater myself I know the struggle to overcome that. Changing your thought process is hard but it is one of the biggest keys to success in weight loss. You rock girl!

WOWZA!!!!

Be an inspiration:
I'd love to hear your story! Message me at Facebook.com/irunbecauseiliketoeat and you might be our super star one week!!!

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Recipe Corner: Weight Watchers Spaghetti Pizza

Weight Watchers Spaghetti Pizza

 

Serves 10

6 classic points/ 8 points plus value

Ingredients 2 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray      12 oz uncooked whole wheat pasta, spaghetti      2 large egg white(s)      1 large egg(s)      2/3 cup(s) fat free skim milk    3/4 tsp garlic powder    1/2 tsp table salt    1 1/2 tsp dried oregano    1/4 cup(s) basil, fresh, chopped (plus extra leaves for garnish)    9 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided    32 oz bottled spaghetti sauce    2 oz pepperoni, finely julienned (about 1/2 cup)    Instructions Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat a 9- X 13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. Break spaghetti into 2-inch pieces and cook, al dente, according to directions; drain and cool. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat egg whites and egg until frothy. Stir in milk, garlic powder, salt, oregano, basil and 1/3 of mozzarella; add cooked spaghetti and stir until thoroughly combined. Spread spaghetti mixture evenly in bottom of baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes; remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF. Spread spaghetti sauce over pasta; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Scatter pepperoni evenly over cheese layer. Return to oven and bake until heated through and cheese is bubbly, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes, garnish with basil and then cut into 10 servings. Yields 1 slice per serving. . We found it too difficult to get 10 slices out of it, so we made the slices a little bigger and changes the points value on them. We cut it into 8 slices and changed the points value to 8 classic points/ 10 points plus  I also use turkey pepperoni and put whole slices on it.  Source: www.weightwatchers.com Facebook.com/irunbecauseiliketoeat

Recipe Corner: Weight Watchers Barbecue Pork with Mop Sauce

Weight Watchers Barbecue Pork with Mop Sauce
Makes 6 servings.
4 classic points/ 5 points plus

Dry Rub for Pork:
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne (ground red pepper)
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 pork tenderloins (1 1/2 pounds), trimmed of all visible fat

For the Mop Sauce:
1/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons molasses
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1. Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray; prepare the grill for indirect heating.

2. To prepare the spice rub, combine the brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, cumin, salt, cayenne and pepper in a bowl. Rub half the mixture all over the pork and let stand 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, to prepare the sauce, combine the ketchup, vinegar, molasses, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl.

4. Rub the pork with remaining spice rub. Place over the indirect heat section of the grill. Grill 15 minutes. Turn the pork and grill until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 160°F, 12-15 minutes longer. Remove from the grill, cover loosely with foil, and let stand for 10 minutes before cutting each tenderloin into slices. Serve with the sauce.

WW Barbequed Pork with Mop Sauce (shredded) over 1/2 cup white rice and broccoli

**I mainly use boneless pork chops for this, and I just measure out the pork chops based on the grams per serving according to the recipe. I've also rubbed the pork with the dry rub, placed them in the crockpot, covered them in the mop sauce and cooked them on low all day. Then right before dinner shredded the meat. You can put on a bun or my favorite over spaghetti squash....these variations will change the points value and you'll need to figure out the difference with your calculator.

Per Serving (4 slices pork(120 grams) with about 2 tablespoons sauce):
210 Calories, 5g Fat, 2g Sat Fat, 0g Trans Fat, 72 mg Chol, 630mg Sodium, 15g Carb, 1g Fiber, 26g Protein, 40mg Calcium

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Stay at Home Mom....I prefer CEO and Master Chef of the Chambers Household.

I run this joint. My hubby makes the money which funds our home but let's face it 

My husband Stephen and I July 2013

without me....the house would fall apart. It's a good feeling to be needed and I have always dreamed of being a home maker. To really experience it....it is amazing and every morning when I wake up I am so thankful that my husband supports me in every way. Even

My Son Xander, Daughter Bella and I June 2013

though I find it exhausting and sometimes irritating cleaning up everyone's messes, getting lost in piles of laundry and the constant need to wash the dishes....I love taking care of my family. Being a stay at home mom can come with a certain....laid back affect on your appearance. Honestly the people who see me are walmart employees and occasionally when I take a  trip to a different store their employees.  One of my biggest reasons for taking my weight loss journey this  year

and really making it a lifestyle vs a diet....is my children. My husband has always loved me no matter what my weight and he has always made me feel beautiful. But I never felt that way and I certainly didn't want my children seeing me pig out and be unhealthy so that they could follow in those steps. When I had my son in 2007 I was the largest I had ever been in my life 230lbs at delivery and 215lbs give or take when he was 3 months old.
I forced myself to lose the  weight but my mind was not where it needed to be and as soon as I got it off I was back to the same old routine of doing whatever and not exercising.  I gained 30lbs of the 70lbs I had lost over the course of 3 years and when I got pregnant with my daughter in 2011 I finished it all off and was back at 220lbs at delivery with her. January 4, 2013 I had a wake up call....it smacked me so hard in the face one morning that I literally felt sick to my stomach. In my mind it was one thing for a boy to grow up with an over weight mom but for a girl to do it.... the emotional effect on her I know  would be bad. I could not and would not do that to them.....my children, the reason I wake up every morning were now my reason for being better, healthy and not skinny....but fit.

November 2013 145lbs

I have no desire to have a six pack and I've accepted that no matter my weight I will probably never be comfortable in a bikini again and that is ok. Every day that I wake up and my son sees me go for a run, is a good day. He will ask me on my rest days "When are you going on your run mommy?" I am the role model that I want to be for them and it feels amazing. But what made this time different than the last time? Two big things needed to happen for me to lose this weight and keep it off this time...First I needed to change my thought process, this wasn't a diet to lose weight....it was a lifestyle change, my weight loss journey was my training session on how to live the rest of my life. I didn't need food to feel happy or complete....I needed to feel good in my own skin. To be healthy....not skinny.

Second I needed to cook good and healthy food, I also wanted to make sure that my family were eating better too. Yes it is sad to say that it is way cheaper to eat junk food and it isn't always easy getting a meal on the table every night. But part of weight loss and being healthy is making a commitment and sticking to it. I went to the store and got Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook....even if you don't follow their program I recommend you get this cookbook. Each recipe has it's nutritional value listed and the food....is real food that every store carries and the recipes are amazing.  Teaching yourself how to eat is the key here....anyone can drink a shake or heat up tv dinners in the heat of weight loss but will you do that forever?! Most people don't and a lot of people can't maintain because they never learned how to eat properly in the first place. It wasn't as hard losing the weight this time because the food was new, exciting and oh my goodness....it is delicious!  I know that not everyone stays home and can cook every night, take a few hours on the weekend or your day off and make a few meals....they freeze very well and then you have a healthy meal already prepared all you have to do is heat up! Most of the meals I make we get two dinners out of,  I do a lot of freezing and re heating so I know it works. I recommend soups for lunches...add them with your main dish to help fill you up! There are tons of great soup recipes in the cookbooks I have. You can make this work, you just have to want it bad enough. I have a pinterest account and I find tons of great "skinny" recipes that I pin so even if you can't afford a new cookbook you can find great meals online for free!!! My friend loved her Weight Watchers One Pot cookbook so I picked it up. Tons of fantastic recipes that only take one pot per recipe to make! Talk about easy clean up! 

                                                                                                                                          

I also want to stress that I am not a "cook" I have no training, I enjoy cooking....not the dishes so much.....but it comes down to a simple..."if Staci can do it, you can do it." All I do is just follow the recipes, so give yourself and your family the gift of delicious healthy food. Start cooking, get in that kitchen and whip up some tasty food, you won't feel like you're "eating right" because it tastes so good!!!!!

There are lots of sweet treat recipes in the complete cookbook, so you can enjoy the sweets of life without adding to your waistline too!

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Recipe Corner: Weight Watchers Shepherd's Pie

I just love WW recipes! Even if you don't follow the WW program their recipes are fantastic and they are a great way to eat some yummy food and still make better choices!  Seasoned meat and vegetables are nestled under creamy mashed potatoes and then baked to form a sensational, savory pie. Check out the recipe below!

Weight Watchers Shepherd's Pie (We call this one Meat Pie)


CLASSIC POINTS® Value: 5
POINTS® PLUS Value: 7

Servings:  6



Ingredients

• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream OPTIONAL
• 1 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine
• 1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup onion(s), chopped
• 2 medium carrot(s), diced
• 1 pound uncooked ground turkey breast
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp rosemary, fresh, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 cup canned chicken broth, or beef broth

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400ºF.
• Place potatoes in a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover potatoes. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain potatoes, transfer to a large bowl and add sour cream and margarine; mash until smooth, season to taste with salt and set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Add flour, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper; stir to coat. Add broth and bring to a simmer; simmer until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer turkey mixture to a 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate. Spread mashed potatoes over top and using the back of a spoon, make decorative swirls over the top. Bake until potatoes are golden, about 30 minutes. Slice into 6 pieces and serve.

Chef Tips

• We renovated Shepherd's Pie by:
  • Using naturally lean turkey breast instead of fattier lamb or beef.
  • Swapping nonfat sour cream for most of the butter in the mashed potato topping.
  • Adding reduced-calorie margarine, instead of butter, to the mashed potatoes.
  
  

  

  Weight Watchers Shepherd's Pie with Parmesan Green Beans

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