Smart Ones Chicken Fajitas

I picked up the Smart Ones Chicken Fajitas when I spotted them at the grocery store in the freezer section.  I was intrigued because, even though I don’t eat a lot of Smart One meals, I do have a few favorites and I enjoy trying some of the new items the brand comes out with.  I love fajitas, so at purchase I felt this was a score all around.

The box describes the meal as grilled white chicken with seasoned peppers & onions with a side of rice and beans along with 2 tortillas.  The whole meal is only 7 points plus, which I also felt was quite a steal (particularly for a frozen dish).

I heated this up for a late lunch because I was absolutely starving.  But I felt as though this was simply … just food.  The meal was very bland and rather boring.  There was nearly not enough seasoning in any of it. The rice was bland, the chicken fajita was bland. If I was to ever eat this again, I would need to load it with some hot sauce or salsa – just something to give it flavor.  But with that … I probably will not repurchase this.  I do have the pork variety in the freezer to try out at some point.  But I’ll stick with my homemade fajitas that are less points and far more satisfying (filling and flavor wise).

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of the new Smart One dishes out there?

Pure Protein Shake Frosty Chocolate

Recently, you may have seen me post about the Vanilla Cream Pure Protein Shake.

Well, while at the supermarket I was meandering through the aisles in the health food section and noticed they carried 4-pack screw top bottles of Pure Protein Shake so I picked up the Frosty Chocolate to try.  There was also a Cookies & Cream flavor, which I undoubtedly want to try next.  Although I have since spotted the brand at Walmart (as well a keg of pure protein powder).

There are days and instances where I just need to boost my protein intake.  I admit I don’t like to drink my points, but for a whole can which can give me 23 grams of protein for only 3 points plus values – I’ll take it.  Most protein powders/shakes/drinks are in the 5+ points value range particularly when they get into the higher levels of protein such as this (23g).  Occasionally on days where I’m not really hungry for good for breakfast, I’ll have a shake and it tides me over for a few hours until lunch time.

The Frosty Chocolate isn’t bad, but I think the vanilla is better.  This doesn’t have a solid aftertaste, but it does kind of remind me of a chalky chocolate – but it’s nothing disgusting.  I’ve drank two cans of these already and they just do the job.

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of the Pure Protein Shakes?

Trader Joe’s Cranberry Orange Ricotta Cake

I took my mother on a trip to Trader Joe’s so she could have a first hand experience at how amazing the store is (I think I’m creating a monster!).  She picked up a few things she wanted to try, while a few others that I have shared with her.  This particular cake is one of the things she wanted.  I know some of the cakes can be higher in points than I’d like, so I was skeptical … until I actually had a chance to look at the nutrition facts.

The cake is a smaller bundt style cake.  It’s a pound cake made with ricotta so it’s super moist.  The cake is flavored with orange (which is infused into the ricotta) and generously filled with cranberries.  There are cranberries on top of the cake as well as a sprinkling of chopped up walnuts.  Taste wise it’s absolutely delicious – moist orange ricotta cake (if you’ve ever had ricotta dessert you know the moistness I am talking about), chewy cranberries and crunchy walnuts. Only one word: delicious.  So delicious I’m considering experimenting in the kitchen to come up with my own version of this.

A serving size is 1/8^th of the cake, which gives you a pretty decent size slice.  Points plus wise a serving is only 4 points plus values.  The cake is a little pricey - $6.99, but it’s well worth the price tag, the taste and the points associated with it.

QUESTION:

What is your favorite dessert from Trader Joe’s?

Trader Joe’s Mini Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Wedges

When I spotted these Mini Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Wedges at Trader Joe’s I was immediately intrigued.  Cheesecake in an ice cream form … what? I love cheesecake; I also love ice cream, so by mixing the two together I immediately needed to try these.  Checking the nutritional information I was quite surprised to find they were only 3 points plus each.  I figured they were going to be more points plus value hefty.

The ice creams have the shape and graham cracker “crust” of a cheesecake, although it has more ice cream characteristics than cheesecake.  If you go into eating this wedge expecting it to taste like a hunk of cheesecake on a stick – you are sadly going to be mistaken.  It’s a creamy, hearty ice cream which has a blueberry flavoring “topping” swirled throughout it.  The outside of the wedges are coated in a finely milled graham cracker-like “crust”.

The ice cream wedges are smaller, but they do satisfy that sweet tooth for me.  Everyone that has been over, hat has had one, has enjoyed them because they are yummy but they’re also different from the norm.  Then again, this is the first cheesecake ice cream I have seen sold.

QUESTION:

What is your favorite ice cream?

Quaker Puffed Wheat Cereal

I stumbled upon Quaker Puffed Wheat cereal a few years ago and since that first introduction, it’s been a rather staple box of cereal in my cabinet.  I’m not going to lie and say it’s the most scrumptious cereal I’ve ever eaten.  It’s not. It’s plain and well, a little boring.  Okay, so you’re probably wondering if it’s plain and boring why do you eat it?  Well, I use it as a filler in my cereals because you can get 1 ¼ cups of cereal for only 1 points plus value!

Pre-Weight Watchers days I never knew what a nutrition label was (okay, I did but I never acknowledged they existed), better yet I never knew what a serving size of cereal was.  I was simple a get a gigantic bowl, dump until almost full and then fill with milk kind of girl.  Cereal is one of those foods that psychologically the more the better – maybe because the more you have the sweeter the milk gets? No idea.

I admit when I have cereal and I pour ¾ cup into a bowl, I give it a little face.  It’s really not a whole lot.  To boost it up I typically add in strawberries and banana which give it more body and is pleasing on the eye.

Sometimes I want more cereal in my bowl than just that ¾ cup.  So this is what I do … I cut up my strawberries and banana, pour in my 1 ¼ cup Puffed Wheat.  Depending on the other cereal I am using I may or mot not sprinkle an Equal packet over the top of the puffed wheat.  I then add in a serving size of whatever cereal of my choice and typically 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk.  I’ve used Kix, Berry Kix, Vanilla Chex, Chocolate Fiber One, Lucky Charms, Honey Nut Cheerios, etc.  When mixed with another cereal and fruit, the Puffed Wheat cereal takes on the flavor of the other mixtures and it’s just delicious.

I literally get this BIG honking bowl of cereal for only 5 points plus values.  I am a volume eater and aesthetically it’s pleasing, while it’s also delicious and filling in my stomach.

QUESTION:

Have you tried Quaker Puffed Wheat cereal?

Why I don’t believe in cheat meals

“Cheat meals” is one of those phrases thrown around amongst folks who follow regimented plans (counting calories and only allowing X-amount of calories a day) and even folks who are on Weight Watchers.  I’ve never understood the concept of a cheat meal.  I’ve learned with Weight Watchers food is food and I can have ANYTHING I want as long as it’s in moderation and I correctly (or in the case of not being sure – guestimate [and I usually try to aim higher than lower just to be on the safe side] the points for it) the points plus values for it. I personally know the damage I could do in a day and I know that one day or even one meal of unaccountability would allow me to have multiple days of “ohhh I’ll be 100% good tomorrow.”  It’s just the way my mind works.  I’ll tell myself I’ll do better tomorrow and tomorrow comes, something out of the ordinary will happen and it’ll end up the next day.  The natural born procrastinator and stubborn teenager in me comes out, sticks her and extended fingers in the air and says “neener, neener, neener.”

Why don’t I believe in cheat meals?  Well, I believe in accountability and I know that life happens.  I wouldn’t be able to have a day where I don’t count points all day OR for a single meal and have a good week thereafter.  Life happens, unexpected plans arise and I would hate to be sent into panic mode if my pre-planned dinner of BBQ steak turned into Chinese food with the family.  I could see myself say “but I just ate this, that and the other on Sunday … I just, I can’t go.” Doing that a few times over would essentially make me throw in the towel because it would make portions of life unmanageable and I’d have to face the scale as it crept up and up and up.  I realize that there isn’t a solid meal on the planet that I cannot have.  I can have anything I want, anytime I want it, wherever I want it.  If I can’t find what I want at a restaurant, I can go to the grocery store and buy the ingredients and make it (or as closely to it) at home.

Am I completely 100% strict with my Weight Watchers meals? Of course not. Why? Because this is a lifestyle and there are things that I enjoy and without them I’d be miserable and would simply stomp my feet on the ground and give up (again, stubborn child coming out again).  I am a natural born snacker, always have been and probably always will be but I’m okay with that.  Why? Because I’ve learned that I can eat my favorite snacks, but I’m aware of portion sizes, points plus values and I know what is worth it for me.  It may not be worth it to everyone, but if it’s worth it for me, that makes me happy and makes the plan work for me - as it should for everyone.  For parties and events where I know point values for foods are higher than I’d normally consume, I am allowed 49 weekly points to allow myself to engage and enjoy myself without having any feelings of remorse or guilt.  The points are there and they are built into the plan to be used – but it’s up to each member to have their own system on how to use them, or if they are even going to.

Another reason I don’t believe in cheat meals is because I’ve calculated that in my pre-Weight Watchers life I could very easily eat 114 (more or a little less) points plus values IN A SINGLE DAY.  That 114 only includes breakfast, lunch and dinner and does not include any snacks, or extra goodies I may have consumed while at work or at a family event.  My coffee alone, pre-Weight Watchers was 8 points plus (to be honest, it’s more than 8 but I can’t figure out the exact points because I always ordered a large ice coffee with extra, EXTRA cream and sugar).  A day filled of “cheat” would send me into a literal free-for-all.  Nothing would be off limits. I’d eat things purely just to eat them. Not to enjoy them, but just because “I haven’t had that in a long time.”  That one day would cause me to pay for the rest of my week – needless to say I’d feel sick as a dog for 3-days afterwards.

I do go out to eat and when I know ahead of time I check the company’s website for nutritional information.  If I can’t find any, I look at their menu and try to decide what I want before we even get there.  Once I’ve decided I look up similar meals online, compare them and get the points plus values for that similar meal from a company that does offer nutritional information.  Granted, the ingredients may not always be the same so I do add a few extra points towards it to be on the safe side.  I rather estimate over than estimate under.

Eating out is a treat because I don’t do it very often. I’ve never been a big restaurant person – even pre-WW, so when I do eat at a restaurant it’s nice and it’s different  My “eating out” has typically always been fast food establishments and ordering pizza and sandwiches because it was quick, easy and generally on my way to whatever destination I was heading to.  I admit, being so far into my journey I do sometimes become a points plus value snob.  I look at something and think “I could make that at home for so many less points and I’d have so much more on my plate.”  I love to cook (which is completely a new thing to me because 3+ years ago I could make a pack of Ramen noodles and a frozen pizza and thought I was Chef Shannon).  I love to experiment with new dishes and new flavors, but what I love the most is taking some of my favorite dishes and cutting back on them, making them healthier and making them point friendlier.  All of these allowing me to be accountable and allow me to know exactly what I am putting in my mouth.  I'm not saying in order to be successful you need to cook your own meals, etc., I'm just saying that in order for me to be successful I need to be accountable to myself.  I need to find what works for me and what doesn't and always keep those in mind because old bad habits die hard and they can creep back up on me at any given moment.  I was overweight for 25+ years of my life and that mentality can creep back up on me and I just know the damage I could cause in one single un-tracked meal.  But I also know that once I'm "off plan" it takes about a week to get back on plan.

Needless to say cheat meals aren’t my thing. They never will be because they’ll only get me going in one direction… back peddling.

Rice Ball Casserole

In my area there is an Italian shop that sells Sicilian specialties … the two prominent things on their menu are crispelle (fried dough balls – either “plain” which is coated in sugar, cheese (ricotta) or anchovies).  They also sell fried rice balls which come with or without a side of sauce.  Growing up we’d stop into the shop once in a while to get some crispelle and a few rice balls to bring home.  Rice balls are a delicious treat, but they’re not so forgiving to my thighs.  These particular rice balls were made of large amounts of rice with a hollowed out center where a mixture of meat (chicken, a dash of sauce, spices, cheese and peas were “buried” in the middle).  The ball was then formed together, rolled in bread crumbs and deep fried until cooked. The way I liked them was drowned in homemade Italian sauce.

I’ve learned of ways to have some of my favorite not-so-healthy dishes in ways that become healthier and far more point friendlier.  I haven’t made a rice ball casserole in a while and for some reason, while jotting down my meal plan for the week rice ball casserole popped into my head – so rice ball casserole it was going to be!

This dish is quite possibly one of the easiest dishes to assemble and serve up.  I opted to use my homemade sauce in the casserole, as well as on the side to “garnish” each piece.  I sent a slice to my aunt to try and she sent a message back saying I should begin creating a cookbook.  My boyfriend was in food heaven and my mother raved about

how good of a cook I’ve become.

The slices are pretty large size slices and you could always cut it in half but since I prefer dinner to be my most filling meal, this was perfect.

To see the sauce recipe I used in this casserole, please see here: http://shannonslifestyle.blogspot.com/2013/07/homemade-quick-cook-sauce.html

Rice Ball Casserole.

Serves 8.  8 points plus values/serving.

• 8 cups cooked white rice
• ½ cup liquid egg substitute
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 ½ cups frozen peas
• 3, 13 oz cans of 98% Fat Free Premium Chunk Chicken Breast (after draining it was 585g)
• 2 cups homemade “quick cook” pasta sauce
• 1/3 cup Whole Wheat seasoned bread crumbs
• Non-stick cooking spray

Steam rice beforehand, using whatever method you choose, and let cool for 30-60 minutes.  (I cooked 4 cups of raw rice in my rice cooker and let cool for an hour afterwards.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees,

Measure out 8 cups of rice into a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, pour ½ cup egg substitute over rice and mix well to combine.

Drain canned chicken and measure weight of chicken on a food scale (I used 585 grams).  Shred chicken up into smaller pieces, combine with frozen peas.  Add in sauce ½ cup at a time to ensure all chicken and peas are coated.  You’re not looking for the mixture to be drenched, but you’re looking for it to be coated but not wet.

Spray a 13x9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray, evenly distribute 4 ½ - 5 cups of rice onto the bottom of the pan – add a little extra if there are any noticeable “gaps” in the bottom layer.

Spoon in chicken and pea mixture spreading evenly to cover all of the rice. Spoon remaining rice mixture on top of the chicken and pea mixture making sure to cover the entire area.  The top layer doesn’t have to be as “thick” as the bottom layer.

Sprinkle top of the casserole with bread crumbs and spritz lightly with non-stick cooking spray (to give it a little more golden finish).

Cook in 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes until nicely golden brown.  When done, let cool for at least 25 minutes before cutting.

Serve with additional homemade sauce on top (I recommend it that way; I feel it really brings all flavors together even more).  When I add additional sauce, I give my meal 1 additional points plus value.