Mexican Casserole take 2

Ken wanted me to kick it up a notch so I basically remade the Mexican rice casserole recipe with the addition of a couple of slugs of jalepeno Tabasco sauce and reduced the cheddar cheese to 1/2 cup. To borrow from Emeril - BAM!

We're lucky to live next to a Sweetgreen so we picked up a Guacamole Green salad to have on the side.  It's a delicious salad with mixed greens, avocado, grilled chicken, tomatoes, red onions, crumpled tortilla chips and a lime-cilantro vinaigrette (for people like me who cannot come up with tasty salad combinations).

Whoops, I only took a picture of Ken's plate so this has 2 servings on it.

Guacamole Green Salad - 14 points for 2 servings => 7 points / serving

Mexican rice casserole - 21 points for 3 servings => 7 points / serving

NYC - Big Apple-tite

This weekend I went up to NY to celebrate my college roommate's daughter Karis's birthday party.  It was awesome; as part of a Korean tradition Karis had several objects placed in front of her including books (scholar), thread (long life), coins (money).  She chose the coins which signals a wealthy future.  Later she also played with the gavel -- look out NY bar 2036!!! It was wonderful and allowed me to have a mini-reunion with my Wellesley ladies. 

However the weekend was a flurry of mussels drenched in butter and pernod, french bread soaking up the aforementioned butter broth, pieces of pistachio cake and green tea cake, gruyere omelet, and martinis.  It was quite the weekend.


The Aftermath


Then I came home and logged my meals.  I know I wasn't trying to stay within my points but with a sinking feeling I realized I was over my weekly allowance by 108 points.  Sigh.  After being down another 3 lbs by Saturday, by Monday morning I'd gained back 4.  But I will not be discouraged!

And...

Today is Valentines Day and I cooked up a healthful meal to get back on the right track!!!  Enjoyed it with a wonderful glass of cabernet sauvignon (a well-worth-it 4 points).

Salmon and black bean tostadas
(Adapted from eatingwell.com)

6 corn tortillas = 6 points

8 oz of salmon = 8 points

2 tsp of olive oil = 2 points

1 c shredded cabbage and carrots = 0 points

2 Tbsp jalepeno brine = 0 points

2 Tbsp pickled jalapeno = 0 points

1 c black beans rinsed = 4 points

3 Tbsp salsa = 0 points

3 Tbsp lowfat greek yogurt = 1 point

1/2 avocado cubed = 4 points

lime wedges = 0 points

1 tsp of cumin

1 pinch of cayenne

3 servings = 25 points

1 serving = 9 points

Directions: Place cabbage mixture in a bowl and stir in brine and chopped jalapenos.  Let rest.

Use 1 teaspoon of olive oil to brush each side of the tortillas and bake in 375 degree oven for 12 min (turn over after 6 min).  Use other teaspoon of olive oil to brush top of salmon, place it skin down on a baking sheet and broil for 7 min (or until it just starts flaking).  Let rest for 5 min.  

Take the 3 tablespoons of salsa and greek yogurt in a food processor with the rinsed black beans.  Puree with cumin and cayenne.  Put into microwave safe bowl and heat for 1 min.

Spread the black bean mixture on the crisped tortillas.  Top with some salmon and avocado, and finally with the cabbage mixture.  Serve with lime wedges!

Tip: For even quicker prep, sub canned salmon in here.  Or forego salmon entirely and top with some 3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese (which means + 9 points for cheese and -9 points for broiled salmon and olive oil) so still 9 points per serving.

Also I could totally just eat the black bean mixture on its own - so good!

 

Broccoli Soup and Mediterranean Fish Pockets

I had fun with tonight's dinner.  We had a starter course of broccoli and spinach soup.  Credits to my fearless leader Carla who gave me the recipe.  It's easy too!  Take a head of broccoli and boil it in water, blend, and top with goat cheese.  

Pre-immersion blender.  If you don't let the spinach hang out too long you get a nice bright green.

I tasted it after blending and decided that I could add lemon for a little brightness.  Before tasting it, I toyed with the idea of skipping the goat cheese but decided that adding it made it super decadent (and at 2 points per ounce, I figured it was a deal!)

Extremely flattering picture of me immersion blender-ing.  Credit to Ken Brevoort.

Tilapia or bust!

To me, the easiest way to prepare fish is to steam it in a foil packet with some veggies and olive oil.  Then it hit me (other people have already figured this out I'm sure, but I thought I was a genius!) when I realized that I could save on points if I didn't put oil in the packet.  Rather, I just let the fish hang out on a pile of lemon and veggies.  So the lemon would infuse throughout the entire thing, and let off juices to keep things nice and tender.

My bed of vegetables and lemon to insulate the fish from the baking sheet.  Also creates nice steam to keep the fish tender.

Broccoli and Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

1 head of broccoli - 0 points 

2 c spinach - 0 points

Enough water to cover the broccoli - 0 points

6 oz goat cheese - 6 points

Spritz of lemon - 0 points

6 points / 3 servings

2 points / serving

Directions: Put the broccoli in a pot so that it is crowded and pour enough water in to almost cover it.  Heat up water to a boil.  Add in 2 cups of spinach and let it hang out for a min.  Add salt to taste.  Bring in the immersion blender.  Add a spritz of lemon.  Serve with an ounce of goat cheese per serving.

Tips: I actually found an entire ounce of goat cheese to be overpowering, but my boyfriend thought 2 ounces in his soup was delicious.  So just be judicious with the amount you mix in.

Mediterranean Tilapia Fish Packet

Ingredients:

2 6 oz filets of tilapia = 6 points

8 olives cut up = 3 points

4 slices of lemon = 0 points

2 tsp capers = 0 points

2 tsp minced garlic = 0 points

Cut up veggies:

zucchini

tomatoes

Salt and pepper to taste

12 x 14 inches of foil (2 sheets)

9 points / 2 servings

5 points / serving

Directions: Place lemon slices on the foil and top with some heartier vegetables like zucchini.  Place fish on top with the delicate items.  In my case I placed garlic, olives, capers and tomatoes on top.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bring the ends of the foil together and crimp.  Crimp the other ends to make a rectangle.  Place on baking sheet and put in 400 degree oven for 35 min.

Tasty present of tilapia after being unwrapped

For realsies this is tasty: Mexican Rice Casserole

Hooray - I've been doing a good job keeping my points low.  Went out to a Thai restaurant and had 1 serving of rice (1/3 of your fist) and 3/4 cup of green curry for about 10 points.  (Tried to eat most of the white meat chicken and veggies, and was very careful with the oh-so-tasty-coconut based sauce).


I've also discovered that Chipotle is my friend as long as I get the burrito bowl and scoop out rice over the 2 servings (2/3 c).  Those Chipotle people get so generous with the rice, I easily get 4 servings everytime I go there.  And I don't think it is just because I'm cute either -- everyone gets 4 servings!  Anyway, I get the rice, steak, fajitas, corn, and medium salsa and it's a very-worth-it 13 points!  Oh man I love that steak there -- you can totally taste the lime and yummy spices.  Sigh.  I love my steak burrito bowl.


Anyway, I made this Mexican Rice Casserole for dinner tonight!  This recipe is adapted (like all of the ones on this blog) from ones given to me by friends (credit Melissa N and Marci).  


It's really simple.  I admit I find it annoying to measure things, so I tried to keep it simple.  


Tips: I totally didn't measure out the cumin, cayenne pepper and chili pepper -- I just put some measurements out for people who like to have direction.  1 c of black beans is very close to the entire 15 oz can of drained black beans so I think it is not worth getting your 1-cup measure dirty.  Yes, I used regular fat cheddar cheese - to me, it is so worth it.  I made the brown rice but one of the hints that I got with the original recipe is to go to your local Chinese takeout place and just buy some cooked brown rice -- I bet it's like $1 or something.


Ingredients:
1.5 c cooked brown rice - 8 points

3/4 c salsa - 0 points

1 c black beans - 4 points

4 oz - green chile peppers - 0 points

1 box of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry - 0 points

3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese - 9 points

1 tsp cumin

pinch cayenne pepper

1 tsp chili pepper

= 24 points / 3 servings 

= 8 points / serving

Directions: Preheat the oven 400 degrees.  Combine the rice and salsa with some cumin.  Put 2/3 of the rice mixture in the bottom of the square 12x12 inch baking pan.  Then mix the black beans and green chilis with some chili powder and put that on top of the rice in the baking pan.  Next spread the spinach out on top of the black beans.  Make the next layer the remaining rice, then finally the cheese.

Bake 20 min. 

Mayday mayday! Day 3 of WW

Okay, all you people who are trying to lose weight while eating out all the time (and for whatever reason reading my perhaps misguided blog), I totally feel your pain!  Ugh!  Two days after I managed to end the day under my daily allowance, I messed up big time at happy hour on day 3.

So, we were supposed to go to a burger joint, and I had been prepared to have a half-hamburger - but we ended up at Chili's when the original place was packed.  We split the chips, spinach and artichoke dip, boneless buffalo wings, regular buffalo wings, fried cheese sticks, and southwestern egg rolls.  Unfortunately I kept on snacking on the chips through the night, but in general I was trying to be moderate.  (e.g., 1 buffalo wing, 1 boneless wing, 1 mozzarella stick, 1 southwestern roll).  Imagine my dismay when I calculated the points and it came out to 52!  I knew I was pretty hungry when I headed out.  I really should've had a piece of fruit before I left.

I think the thing to do is to remain positive.  I'll try to pick up where I left off, and come in under my daily allowance.  So over 3 days I should've taken 26*3 = 78 points, and with this little detour, I'm at 91.  Not a total disaster; I basically have to make up 13 points which means I just need to come under 3 or 4 points per day for the next four days.  It's hard because I have dinner and lunches out planned with my friends -- wish me luck!  Will keep you posted.

I am posting a picture of the app that I deem my biggest mistake -- clocking in at 44 points is the Spinach Artichoke Dip!  Dude, and that is 44 points without the delivery vehicle (bottomless chips).  

About me, my path to Weight Watchers, and garden veggie soup

I love food!  But I've been overdoing it lately.  During the past 5 years my weight took on an unfortunate trajectory; I packed on an average of 5 lbs per year!  It wasn't really that hard to do either.  Think about it - there is about 3500 calories per pound, so if I gained 5 pounds in a year it means I had an 50 extra calories per day.  Which is equivalent to coming home and cracking open a lite beer at the end of the day!  

I'm single, young, and go out with friends a lot.  This means that I eat out at restaurants almost every night of the week.  It's not always bad or fast food per se, but the portions at restaurants tend to be big and my willpower to stop when full tends to be rather small.

A couple of lovely ladies at work joined Weight Watchers (WW) with fabulous results.  It didn't look too hard (I mean, watching what one eats is hard but I'm saying it looked doable) so I decided to join to get some accountability.  

Here's day 1 of trying healthier recipes and cooking at home.  

I went with a recipe with a low barrier to entry, a garden vegetable soup.  Lots of preshredded stuff from the grocery.  All I had to do was dice an onion, zucchini, and mince some garlic.  No problem!  The italian herbs really brought out the savoriness of the vegetable broth - almost forgot I was eating something vegan!  The cayenne added nice heat to the back of the throat, and a teaspoon of olive oil made the soup rich.  Only criticism I'd make is that I need to run the knife through the carrots to make them a little easier to eat.  Otherwise, success on day 1!

Recipe:

1 tsp of olive oil = 1 point
2 c vegetable broth = 1 point

Diced onions

Minced garlic

Assorted veggies: this soup included

2 handfuls of shredded carrot

1 diced zucchini

Diced tomato

1 handful of shredded cabbage

Italian seasoning 

Cayenne pepper

Heat olive oil and saute onions and garlic until soft.  Add in rest of the veggies, tsp of salt, italian seasoning and saute until soft.  Pour in vegetable broth and add pinch of cayenne. Simmer for 10-15 min. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy!