Basic Breakfast Smoothie

Basic Breakfast Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 whole banana

1/2 cup low fat plain Silk soymilk

1/2 cup pure carrot juice (organic)

1 tablespoon ground golden flaxseed

8-10 ounces frozen unsweetened fruit (any single or combination of unsweetened frozen fruit such as mixed berry; mango, papaya, and strawberry; peaches; peaches and raspberries; cherries; etc. )

Instructions:
1. In a blender, blend banana, soy milk, carrot juice, and flax seed, until smooth.
2. Add frozen fruit and blend until smooth.
3. Add more soy milk or juice to adjust the consistency.

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 5 minutes


*This is my favorite breakfast smoothie.  yum

HG Banana Split Breakfast Bowl

 

OMG I am in love.  So filling and yum on my tongue.  You have got to try out this recipe from Hungry Girl.

PER SERVING (entire recipe): 257 calories, 4.25g fat, 171mg sodium, 50.5g carbs, 5.75g fiber, 12g sugars, 8g protein -- PointsPlus® value 7*

http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1386 

Great link for even more fabulous Growing Oatmeal bowls by Hungry girl.

http://book.hungry-girl.com/books/8/2/all

Loving my egg mugs

If you haven't tried an egg mug, you have got to check them out.  Absolutely in love with the yummy combinations I can make, and it's sooo easy a must for this night owl in the mornings.

From 2 to 4 weight watchers points plus.  Not a bad deal in my book!

http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/1256

Some yummy favorite recipes of mine

Favorite Recipes that I have found.
Grilled Fuji-n-Chick 'Wich 7 pointsplus
Too-EZ Mac 'n Cheese 6 pointsplus 

Chicken and Apple Panini 8 PointsPlus

This yummy panini was modified to be lower in PointsPlus Values.  Only 8 for this delicious light lunch. Chicken and Apple Panini
INGREDIENTS: 1 Oroweat® 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins® roll 2 oz. chicken breast, skinless and boneless 1 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese 4 slices apple (any variety), thinly sliced 1 tsp. non-fat mayonnaise 1/2 c. baby spinach leaves Serving size: 1 sandwich NUTRITIONAL INFO: (per serving) 374 calories • 7g fiber • 38g protein 31g carbs • 12g fat • 386mg sodium PointsPlus Value:  8	DIRECTIONS: Preheat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium. Grill each side of the chicken breast for 5 to 7 minutes, making sure chicken is thoroughly cooked. Spread one side of the Sandwich Thins® roll with reduced-fat mayonnaise. Assemble the sandwich by layering a slice of cheese, apples, chicken, baby spinach and the remaining slice of cheese. Grill the sandwich about 90 seconds on each side, weighing the sandwich down with a small skillet as it cooks.

Baked Cheese Balls

The following recipe was found at LaaLoosh.  I recommend this website to anyone looking for a healthier alternative to their diet needs.  
When your craving hot fried cheese sticks..... you are going to love this baked version.  Costing only 5 PointsPlus Value, and the whole recipe makes 1 serving.  Yummy!!  

Baked Cheese Balls

Preparation Time: 5 minute(s)

Cooking time: 7 minute(s)PointsPlus Value: 5
Serving: 1

Ingredients

• 2 sticks of light mozzarella string cheese
• 1/2 cup Fiber One cereal (or other high fiber cereal)
• 1/4 cup liquid egg whites
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Optional marinara sauce for dipping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray lightly with non-fat cooking spray or with an olive oil mister.
2. Cut up cheese sticks into bite sized pieces.
3. In a blender or food processer, combine cereal, garlic powder, salt, parsley and oregano until they have a reached a breadcrumb like consistency. Empty into a small bowl or a Ziploc bag.
4. Dip cheese bites into egg whites, shake off excess, and then coat with Fiber One breadcrumb mixture.
5. Place coated cheese balls onto baking sheet and very gently mist with olive oil or non-fat cooking spray.
6. Bake for about 5-7 min, or until cheese begins to soften, but doesn’t melt into a puddle.
7. Let stand one minute and then enjoy!
8. *To avoid your cheese balls from melting into a puddle, watch closely when cooking and remove from oven just when balls are softened, and just starting to ooze. Also, Never Trust a Skinny Cook recommended freezing the cheese balls before baking and/or using fat free string cheese.

PER SERVING: 160 calories; 6g fat; 27g carbohydrates; 14g protein; 14g fiber

Read more: http://www.laaloosh.com/2012/04/23/baked-cheese-balls-recipe/#ixzz1t5henzlb

Online food diaries, which one to use?

Okay gals and gents, it's time to pick an online food diary.  I am on the weight watchers pointsplus plan.  Although I utilize their pointsplus tracker, there are some really good online food diaries.  You may want to check them out before you decide.

Weight Watchers PointsPlus Tracker

http://www.weightwatchers.com/  This is weight watchers very own tracking program.  They offer some excellent etools, recipe builder, weight tracking.  The list goes on and on.  You also have a great variety of resources available to you.  It is a paid site, and you have the options of becoming a meetings member with etools for free, or you can utilize the site only.  It is a great site, but it comes with a price.  

I utilize weight watchers and love it but not everyone can afford the cost of the program.  There is a neat website that allows you to calculate your points and pointsplus values.  Calculate your weight watchers points or points plus values.  It is not endorsed or supported by Weight Watchers, however they have provided an online calculator (due to shortage of the buy your own option).  Currently it is free and separate from the etools for paid members.  You may want to check it out here.

The Daily Plate

This is a robust feature full site.  It empowers members to reach a healthier lifestyle.  Members can search from a library of more than 1,638,900 foods and 1,500 fitness activities.  They offer a free online food diary, in which members are able to track caloric intake and calories burned.  The diet programs are personalized in order to achieve optimum success.  If you need a lot of support to stay on plan, this just might be the site for you.  

Calories Count

Want a printable hard copy of your food journal?  Just not that technically inclined?  Then Calories Count is a good option for you.  The site allows users to enter their food data, and print it out to include in their own notebook, or journal keeping system.  Included is a diet assessment tool, diet meal planner, food calorie calculator, and other expected tools to aid you in your weight loss journey.

FitDay

FitDay tracks more than calories. On a low carb diet?  Watching Fat Grams?  FitDay tracks calories, carbohydrates, protein content, and fat grams.  A comprehensive listing of foods, with complete nutritional content can be found at this site.  One unique feature is the option to track your emotions in your food journal. This feature is often overlooked and plays a big part of weight loss success or failure.

myfitnesspal

Check out myfitnesspal.com.  Incredible database of foods, in fact it has an average 5 star rating with over 80773 ratings in the iPhone store.  Making it the #1 free application under health and nutrition, and yes it is free.  I am giving it a whirl at the moment, and it does appear to be one of the fastest if not the fasted nutrition tracking application in the iPhone store.  They also have applications for iPhone Android, Windows Phone, Blackberry, and iPad as well as the web based tracking tool.   

Missing your favorite, leave a comment posting your favorite online food diaries.  I might find a new favorite myself.  :)