Tomatoes are coming into Season

Looks what's coming into season. It will only get better from here. Yum!

Recipe for "Sauteed Veggies and Tempeh Salad"

After going to the farmer's market the other day, I decided to saute the veggies and put it over the fresh lettuce. I topped it off with tempeh and goat cheese. If you haven't had tempeh before, I would suggest giving it a try. It is really good! I was always scared of it and inevitably it would go bad in my fridge before I did anything with it. Now that I have learned how to cook it, it has become a new favorite.

Directions for sauteed veggies: This made more than enough for 2 salads. I saved some for the next day as well.

1 large zucchini cut into strips
1 medium onion sliced
1 cup fresh green beans cut into bite sized pieces
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Heat the oil over medium heat, add the rest of the ingredients and cook until desire tenderness. About 8 - 10 minutes.

Directions for tempeh:

Half bar of tempeh
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Slice tempeh very thin (about 1/4 inch). Heat oil over medium heat. Add tempeh. Cook 'til lightly brown. (Usually about 1.5 minutes) Turn over and brown other side. Turn off heat and set aside.

Directions for the salad:

Add desired amount of lettuce to bowl. Add sauteed veggies, tempeh, and top with a little crumbled goat cheese. *** I am not a huge fan of dressing, but I do love adding some capers and their brine to a salad. It adds tons of flavor and moisture without adding any calories. If you add capers, I would suggest 1 tablespoon.***

My Farmer's Market Purchase =-)

Thinking of things to make....

Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables!

So the challenge this week is to eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables. I am thinking that this sounds easier than having vegetables with every meal. I went to the farmer's market and picked up: blueberries, plums, corn, lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, scallions, & sweet onions. I just had one of the plums and it made me so happy. It is the same type of plums that used to grow in my childhood backyard. The inside is a deep deep deep purple. So juicy that you need to eat it over a sink. I have never been able to find these types of plums. I'm happy....really really really happy =-)

An Unbelievably Good Dinner that is Easy to Make and Doesn't Take Much time to Make

I know I posted a very similar dinner a few weeks ago, but I had to add this one as well. I absolutely love it!

Quinoa (4 pts for 1 cup) This takes 15 minutes to make.

Trader Joe's Mahi Mahi - (I love this stuff) - Depending on the weight, it is usually 6 to 7 pts per person for 2 people.

Fresh spinach steamed - add a pinch of salt

Fresh tomatoes - sliced

This dinner tastes like it took forever to make, but it only took 15 minutes total.

Corn is in Season!

Corn is beginning to show up at the farmer's market. It is sweet, succulent, and bursting with flavor. It is incredibly inexpensive and quick to cook. Also, it happens to only be 1 pt for WW. The Joy of Cooking cook book has a great suggestion. It says that the husk should be left on when you drop it in boiling water. It keeps the kernels tender and flavorful. I leave the corn in boiling water for 2 minutes and then run under cold water. YUM!

Recipe for "Garbanzo and Tomato Salad"

This salad is so good! Lately at work, I start to bonk in the afternoon. I find myself running home in search of protein. This salad has really helped sustain me. It comes out to 5 pts for the whole thing.

1 cup canned garbanzo beans - drained and rinsed
1 medium diced tomato
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
juice from 1/8 lemon

Add together all of the ingredients and salt and pepper to taste. This is my new favorite recipe. I love it!

Fresh from the market

Nothing says summer like fresh peaches from the farmer's market!

Recipe for "Eat Gooseberries for Breakfast"

After picking up some gooseberries yesterday at the farmer's market, I'm still not sure how to be really creative with them. So I decided to mix them together with the fresh raspberries and blueberries and combine with yogurt. Makes for a good start to the day, and is only 3 pts for WW.

1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon agave nectar or honey
1 cup combo of gooseberries, raspberries, and blueberries

Recipe for "Chicken and Tomato Pasta"

I was feeling a little lazy this evening and decided to make something pretty easy. I had some leftover chicken and lots of fresh produce from the farmer's market so this is what I came up with. It comes out to 8 pts.

2 oz. dry whole wheat pasta
1 cup tomato pasta sauce
1 medium diced tomato
1 small minced garlic clove
1 cup fresh spinach leaves
3 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

Cook pasta per directions on the box. Put the rest of the ingredients together and cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes (or until tomatoes are soft and spinach has cooked). Pour over pasta. Top with shredded chicken and basil.

*** For 1 pt more, you can add 1/2 ounce of crumbled goat cheese, which will add a nice creaminess and more flavor****

Gooseberries!

I went to WW today and our "challenge of the week" is to try a new fruit of vegetable. After the meeting, I walked over to the farmer's market. (I took some photos that I hope will inspire).

I saw a few different vegetables that I haven't tried before. I considered buying the fennel bulb. I have tried to cook with it in the past and failed miserably at making anything decent. I thought I might try that again. But before I picked it up, I got sidetracked by some pretty berries. "Gooseberries" the sign said. I decided that that was going to be my new fruit! If anyone has any suggestions for how to incorporate it into a dish, please let me know.

Recipe for "Watermelon Cooler" - A Great Alternative to Margaritas!

My friend Denise from California sent this recipe my way. After an unfortunate, albeit tasty, run in with a margarita last night, I am thinking that this drink would be a great alternative. I haven't tried it yet, but as soon as I do, I will let you know.

4 cups watermelon
4 tablespoons lime juice
4 cups ice
*If it needs a little sweetening, add 1 teaspoon of agave nectar or honey*

Directions: Blend together and garnish with lime- very refreshing-- only 1 pt. (without sweetener)

To make this a "Fun" drink, add a shot of vodka. 1 jigger pour adds 2 pts.

My Colorful Snacks

It's Monday, it's early....I'm slightly uninspired. But that's ok. As I am putting my lunch together, I decided to make fruits and veggies my snacks for the day. Great munchies. I got the green beans, blueberries, and peaches from a farmer's market on Saturday. The edamame is from the frozen food section of Costco. My co-workers often poke fun at me saying that I eat rabbit food. I will take that as a compliment =-)

As I was taking pics of my colorful snacks, my husband asked me to take a pic of his breakfast as well. Nonfat yogurt with some lowfat granola. He then added ground flax seed and topped it off with blueberries.

Recipe for "Papaya and Mixed Berry Smoothie"

After working out this morning, I was craving something fresh, fruity, and healthy. I came up with this yummy smoothie. It makes 2 servings and for WW, it comes out to 3.5 points per serving. It is easy to cut this recipe in half if you plan on just making it for yourself.

1 ripe banana
1 cup frozen papaya
1 cup frozen mixed berries
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/2 cup vanilla soymilk (or nonfat milk)
1 tablespoon agave nectar OR honey
1 1/4 cup cold water

Put everything in a blender and combine until smooth. YUM!

Sunday Morning Motivation - Jogging and Swimming

So I motivated myself to go workout today. I have been pushing myself to be active. My husband is training for a triathlon, so I figured that it would be fun to work out with him. I managed to run 2.5 miles this morning. Lately, it has been really difficult to go further than 1 mile, so this was quite a feat for me. It helped that I put on some good dance music to keep me moving. I ran quite slow, but I kept running.

From the track, we headed over to the pool. If you live in the Chicago area, you might be pleasantly surprised with how many pools are available (26 indoor and 51 outdoor) for your use through the Chicago Park District.
http://www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/resources/pool_schedules/
For $22, you can get a pass for the whole summer. It is really worth it. I managed to swim 1000 yards. Once again, I took my time, but I did it!

Recipe for "Asian Potato Salad"

This is a great recipe for anyone on Weight Watchers. It is only 4 points!

6 oz. red potatoes
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon white wine or rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
2 chopped scallions
1 teaspoon finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro OR basil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
juice from 1/8 of a lime

Cook whole potatoes in boiling water until fork tender (about 12-15 minutes). While these are cooking, in a bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients. When potatoes are ready, drop into ice water for 2 minutes. Cut the potatoes in cubes and combine with the mix. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I was wanting a little more green, so I put this over a bed of fresh steamed spinach.

Saturday Morning Farmer's Market

I woke up this morning and headed over to the local Farmer's Market. Today, I was determined to have veggies for breakfast. I wasn't sure what I was going to make, but decided to let the available produce decide for me. I was inspired to create and Asian Potato Salad on a bed of freshly steamed spinach.

Recipe for "Tucson Omelet"

I named this recipe the "Tucson Omelet" because it seems like whenever I go to visit and eat out, somehow sprouts are involved. They love to put sprouts on sandwiches, omelets, and even crepes.

1 egg plus 2 egg whites
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1/4 cup spinach leaves
1/4 cup sprouts
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro or basil
1 oz. goat cheese

Directions: Cook the eggs, add the rest of the ingredients to the middle =-)

Starting My Morning Off Right

This morning I woke up and rode my bike 25 miles. It felt great, but somehow the wind managed to be against me on the trip down the lake and still on me when I rode back up the lake. Go figure. I feel exhilarated though!

When I got home, I made an omelet filled with veggies. I wasn't sure if it was quite "half a plate of veggies, so I added some cucumber along side. Yum!

A "Brown" Kind of Day

I have two types of days. Ones filled with lots of colorful fruits and vegetables and ones filled with lots of brown food. Yesterday, was a brown food day. I woke up and had a Kashi energy bar (brown). I then made a soy latte (brown). I made a chicken sandwich (brown on brown). I finished up the day with Indian food, popcorn, and beer (more brown). Half way through the day, I knew that I needed to at least attempt to get some color into my food. I put together a bowl of fresh organic blueberries and an amazing fresh and juicy Michigan peach (yum!) A little later, I also managed to sneak some carrots, broccoli, and celery into an afternoon snack.

I have not given up hope on this half plate of veggies challenge. Today is a new day and I am about to make an omelet that will be overflowing with color.

Recipe for "Confetti Chicken Salad"

I left work later than usually this evening. It was a beautiful day and I craved sitting on a patio having someone feed me food and serve me some sangria or margaritas. I had to refocus. As soon as I walked into the house, I grabbed my car keys and headed to the local Farmer's Market in Andersonville. I grabbed a fresh head of lettuce and a lovely crisp baguette. From there, I headed to the local market and bought a rotisserie chicken.

I got home and made this salad. My husband ate most of the baguette, but I enjoyed a small bit myself.

Here is the recipe for my "Confetti Chicken Salad"

One head of lettuce chopped
6 oz. shredded chicken meat
lots of corn salsa (see recipe below)
juice of half a lime
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro
salt and pepper

Put together. Makes 2 salads

First Full Day

So, for my first full day of trying to eat "Half my plate with Veggies" at every meal, I came up with a few ideas.

I am not a person that eats breakfast. I am never hungry first thing in the morning. My iced soy latte usually makes me quite happy until about 10 or 11. So, since I was running late to work, I had to think fast. I had picked up some tomatoes at the Farmer's Market the day before. I decided that as soon as I got hungry, I would eat sliced tomatoes topped with the corn salsa (see recipe below).

For lunch, I took a whole wheat tortilla and topped it with a little cream cheese, lots of spinach, sprouts, and cucumbers! Always filling and satisfying.

I filled the day with some snacks (non fat yogurt, popcorn, string cheese, and blueberries).

So far, so good.

Recipe for the Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Several people have asked me for the "Corn and Black Bean Salsa" recipe, so here it is.

For WW, it comes out to 4 points for the entire thing! Also, when possible, I love to buy the ingredients fresh from the Farmer's Market or picked fresh from the garden.

2 husks of corn
1 can black beans
1 large tomato diced
1 jalapeno - seeded and finely diced
1 large clove of garlic - finely chopped
1/4 of large red onion diced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon vinegar (I use white wine vinegar)
juice from half of a lime
salt and pepper

Directions: Boil a pot of water. With husks still on (it keeps the corn tender) put in boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove with tongs and run under cold water. Cut corn off the cob. In large bowl, combine chopped corn, drained and rinsed black beans, diced / chopped (tomatoes, jalapeno, garlic, onion, and cilantro). Add the vinegar and juice from lime. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix thoroughly. Let rest in fridge for at least 1 hour. Tastes even better the next day!

Fill half you plate with veggies.... at every meal

I have been a long time member of WW. I go, I lose some weight, I stop. I gain weight. I return to WW. This past March, I joined again. I feel a little different this time around. A little stronger and more disciplined. I am actually enjoying the challenge of not only trying to lose weight, but more importantly, eating better.

This past week, WW put out a veggie / fruit challenge. Each week is different. This past one involved eating at least 3 different colors of fruits and veggies each week. I was pretty successful with that.

This week is a bit more of a challenge. Fill half you plate with veggies at every meal. Yes, breakfast too. On first thought, it seems quite difficult. I'm still not totally sure what I will do, but I know I will have to be creative. I know that in Poland, they often have salad, with sizzling hot seeds, for breakfast. In Canada and England, tomatoes are served along side the main item. In America, omelets are often filled with onions, mushrooms, and spinach.

After the meeting today, I went to the Farmer's Market and bought green beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, and red onions. I pulled a jalapeno from my garden and voila! I made an amazing salsa to put on top of the tomatoes. Put a little brown rice and mahi mahi on side, and dinner was served.

I am not sure what tomorrow holds in store, but I'm thinking and trying to be creative. I am enjoying this challenge. I hope the rest of the week is as successful and tasty as my dinner tonight. Yum!