The Menu:

• Wedge Salads with homemade blue cheese dressing, toasted pecans and blue cheese
• Shrimp Scampi Pasta
• Banana Cream Pie

First, the wedge salads.  We love love love a wedge salad.  I was first introduced to a wedge salad at Sullivan’s (a fancy restaurant in downtown Raleigh).  Now they are at Outback and everywhere else.  They are amazing.  Downfall: probably a million calories at the restaurants.  I mean, you know it’s full fat blue cheese dressing, with tons of blue cheese and other fattening goodness.  So I made it lighter.  My wedge salad has 3 points and is super yummy!

First rinse and cut your head of iceberg lettuce in quarters.

Then add homemade blue cheese dressing.  I got this recipe from the Weight Watchers cookbook.  It is only 1 point!!!   Oh yeah! 

What you will need:

1/2 cup reduced fat buttermilk

2 tablespoons light mayo

2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

a pinch of cayenne (I didn’t use any and it made no difference!)

2 teaspoons minced fresh chives

In a blender pulse all ingredients until almost smooth.  Sprinkle in chives.  Cover and refrigerate for atleast a 1/2 before serving.  It makes 6 servings and you can store it up to 2 days.*

Then take a tablespoon of blue cheese and sprinkle it on each salad. (1 point)

Take some toasted pecans (1/8th of a cup) and sprinkle over salads. (1 point)

And there is your 3 point salad

*Disclaimer:  I did not come up with the salad dressing recipe.  It is from “Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook.”  I do not claim it to be mine and I am not affiliated with WW.  I just count points!  I do not get paid for my WW recipe reviews. *

Onto the shrimp scampi.  Add pasta and boil.  Do not use salt.  I never have.

Mix one bag of frozen, tail off shrimp.  I think it’s a one pound bag.  Anywho,  add a little butter to your pan (just a little) and then add shrimp.  Drizzle some olive oil and then add some wine.  On this meal, I don’t really measure a lot except the amount of pasta.  Each package of whole wheat pasta makes 8 servings.  Each serving is 2 ounces or one cup cooked pasta.  Stick to that!  Don’t add more.  One cup pasta doesn’t seem like a lot, but it really fills you up.  Must be all that fiber

Drain pasta when finished boiling, and pour shrimp mixture in.  Mix well and serve with salt, pepper and parmesan cheese.  (4 points for pasta, 2 points for shrimp, I estimated about 6-7 points per serving).

Now, the banana cream pie.  Okay, okay this ain’t your grandma’s banana cream pie.  It’s from the WW cookbook too and it’s made with lowfat yogurt.  I didn’t tell my guests this and the husband and the father in law looked at each other and laughed when they took a bite.  It wasn’t what they were expecting, but oh well.  It’s only 3 points a slice!!

Here is what you need:

12 low fat honey graham crackers crumbs

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoon water

4 bananas sliced thin

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

1/3 cup sugar

1 and 1/2 cups plain ff yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven t0 350 degrees.  Spread 9in pie pan with non stick cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, mix, crumbs, butter, and water together until combined.  Spread mixture with hands in the bottom of the pie pan and along the sides of the pan.  Bake in oven until firm, about 5 minutes.  Let cool.

Mix bananas and lime juice together.  Reserve one cup.  Spread remaining bananas on pie crust.

Pour gelatin packet over cold water and wait 2 minutes.  Then add sugar and heat over medium high heat stirring constantly until gelatin and sugar dissolve.  Remove from heat, then whisk with yogurt and vanilla.  Pour into pie pan.  Arrange reserved bananas on top of yogurt mixture.  Refrigerate covered with saran wrap for about 2-3 hours before serving.* Read above disclaimer about WW recipe.

We then made 6 point s’mores.  2 sheets low fat honey graham crackers, 2 marshmallows, 2 pieces of Dove dark chocolate.  The husband said that they look like Chef off of South Park.  I laughed so hard.

See where image was found here: http://gbooks.com.au/wsf///index.php?blog=2&cat=60&page=1&paged=2

Sexy right?        

Check it out!

I won

So now, spray your cooking pan lined with aluminum foil with cooking spray.  Spread out the dough on the pan.  Add Trader Joe’s fat free sauce. 

Then chop and add veggies.

Add cheese.

Add 17 slices of turkey pepperoni to each side.  Yeah, I said it.  17 slices is the serving size.  Mmmmmm!

Before:

Bake for 20 minutes.  The package says 10-12 and that means 20 in my oven!

After:

Now.  Calm down.  Breathe.  Walk away.  You have to let the pizza cool before you cut it.  Walk out of the kitchen and wipe your drool.  Wait about 5 minutes.

Then cut and enjoy!

Trader Joe’s pizza dough is only .99 cents.  What a super fun and cheap dinner!  Grab your kids and have them make their own!  Yum!

This summer we’ve been to Charleston, Atlanta, Myrtle Beach, and Wilmington a couple of times.  I went to Wilmington a couple days last week to visit my friends from middle school-Shannon and Jada.  They both have 2 little girls-so weird!! It was fun.  I played with the babies my mom watches and we had some shopping time. 

Then last Thursday my friend Shelby and I went to the outlets in Smithfield.  I got a dress, 3 shirts and three pairs of pants in a size 6.  Yep, that’s right! I said size 6.  I am not 141.2 pounds and a size 6. I was ecstatic!!! Just wait until I’m a 4.  There will be tears kids, tears!

The husband has been out a workshop.  He went last week, came home over the weekend and then was off again last night.  I wish he would have stayed the over the weekend too.  I mean, I love seeing him, but it made me miss him more.  This has been the longest we haven’t seen each other.  So I sleep with the tv on and play with Zoey.  We are doing just fine.

Last night I had a date with this book. 

I am really enjoying it, but it is sad so far! I have always been interested in the Holocaust and things that went on back in the forties, so this book is very interesting to me.  If you ever go to DC, go to the Holocaust museum. Get your tissues ready!

I also got Moe’s for dinner.  I got the kids Moo Moo Mr. Cow.  It’s a little burrito and it comes with tortilla chips and a little drink.  And a cookie! I couldn’t understand a damn thing that woman was saying because she had a strong accent! So when she asked me if I wanted a cookie, I had to get her to repeat herself.  I never turn down a cookie!

I read on our screened in porch with my Honeysuckle Yankee Candle, of course.

I then decided to have a glass of wine.  After working up a sweat I’ve decided our wine opener sucks and I will be getting a new one.  Wine opener: 1 Krista: 0.  And that’s all I have to say about that.

Today we went to Chick fil a for lunch.  I was starving because I only had a granola bar this morning.  I was busy sweeping and mopping today and didn’t have time to eat a bigger breakfast.  I had the chargrilled and fruit salad with berry balsamic vinaigrette.  Yum!

We went to Trader Joe’s (my fave grocery store) to get some snacks for our road trip to Hotlanta this week.  Did I mention how excited I am to gamble at Cherokee?  I love love love the casino! I only play on the penny and nickel machines, but it’s a rush

And then we hit up The Skinny Dip Frozen Yogurt!  It just opened right by TJ’s.  They have the nutritional info and WW points listed on their website.  Ladies and Gentlemen, I was home! I had Strawberry, and York Peppermint Patty.  I could only eat 4 ounces so I ate half of this.  I gotta remember to weigh every little bit.  The husband didn’t mind finishing it off.  Next time, I’m hitting up that toppings bar!

So you grab a cup, fill it with froyo and toppings and then you pay based on weight.  It’s only 39 cents an ounce.  I am in love!! I am beyond stoked about that place.  Guilt free froyo.  mmmm! We will be back again and again!!

I got some yummy snacks for the trip.  Road trips make me nervous because we go out to eat a lot and I don’t know what the points value is for a lot of it.  Thank goodness for guidebooks, weeklies, and eating half of my food! Wish me luck! I am so nervous.  I love vacationing, but I am not the type of person to splurge on vacation.  I still keep myself on track.  I mean, why can’t you still eat what you want, but in smaller quantities?  I don’t ever “splurge” or “go off my diet.” I eat what I want in moderation. On WW you are not on a diet.  It’s a lifestyle.  When you get to goal, you are still on WW, not a diet.  That’s why I love this program-it’s not a quick fix.  It’s for life.  So if I want cake, I’m eating it.  That’s why it works for me. I just plan ahead.  Love it!!

Here is what I’ve been eating today:

I have 10 points an an AP left so I gotta get some more veggies and dairy in! 

1. Zumba
2. Shower
3. Breakfast and get ready
4. Take car in for oil change
5. Lunch
6. Durham Bulls game!

So it’s a busier summer day than usual.  I am going to take my book in to read while getting an oil change, because it is always a long wait. 

Here is my recap from yesterday:

I love earning activity points because I will eat them before I go into any weekly flex points.  I haven’t wanted them though, so that’s good. I’m now more satisfied than calorie counting.  I feel full and happy and that headache is not there anymore.  Go me

Here is a recap of yesterday’s eats:

I am hovering around 145.6 pounds and hope to get to 144 (the 10 pound mark) before we go on our trip next week!

Look we have a tomato from our garden! I picked this baby yesterday!!

And this is what I had for breakfast this morning.

Egg whites and a Hebrew National 97% FF hot dog fried and chopped up with a side of ketchup This idea was from my Hungry Girl cookbook

WW Points: 3

I took engagement pictures of a couple on Monday and I am off to edit some of them and grab a yogurt! Have a good hump day!

Celebrity Diets are insane. You have the “juice fasts,” the “starve yourself 2 weeks before an event” diet, diet pills, lipo… and this one is right up there with them.

The Baby Food Diet – read here how celebrities are eating baby food all day.  We are adults people! And if you are a celebrity, can’t you hire a chef to make you healthy meals? Just sayin…

Snack Girl had a guest post featuring Annabel from Feed Me I’m Cranky.  She went from 280 pounds to 175 pounds! How inspiring! How Annabel lost 150 pounds!

Car Trip Eats Going on a road trip soon?  Need some healthier fast food?  Here are some snack ideas and fast food better choices.

I bought this microwaveable bag at Trader Joe’s.  That’s pretty cool that you can microwave them in the bag for a quick side dish, but I had roasting on the brain.

I preheated the oven to 425 degrees and started to trim the bases off of the sprouts.

And then cut them in half.

I put them on a pan with non stick spray and lots of salt and pepper!

I roasted them for about 20 minutes, tossing once halfway through.

Served with a fajita leftover from dinner last night.

yummy. And super filling!

Points value on sprouts: 2