Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey Grilled, Seasoned & Fully Cooked White Meat Chicken Strips

 

I popped into Wal-Mart one evening after work and for some reason ended up in the refrigerator section near the prepared meats (heat and eat bagged chicken, pulled pork/chicken containers, etc.). I wanted something quick and easy to have on hand so I opted to give the Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey Grilled, Seasoned & Fully Cooked White Meat Chicken Strips a shot.

I admit, I’m a big chicken snob. If there’s any fat on it, stringy bits or any hint of a vein my stomach pretty much taps out. Upon opening the package, I was surprised to see the chicken strips inside the package pretty much resembled the picture (you know how food marketing goes). The outside of the strips weren’t as darkly colored as the packaging, but it wasn’t a big deal. I weighed out a 3 ounce serving and wrapped the rest up for another day (which ended up being part of my lunch one day along with a salad).

I have to be honest and say I really liked these – much more than the Purdue Shortcuts. These are flavored well – they are not quite a barbecue, but they have a smoky flavoring to them. They come off as real white meat chicken strips – not chewy like some of the processed stuff can echo. I did find two small pieces of fat on two separate chunks of chicken – but even for my picky stomach that wasn’t a nail in the coffin.

A serving, 3 ounces, is 140 calories or 2 smart points.

 

Jones Golden Brown All Natural Fully Cooked Chicken Sausage

 

Breakfast sausages are one of my favorite breakfast proteins (aside from bacon that is). Unfortunately breakfast sausages typically don't have the best nutrition facts ... that is until I stumbled upon Jones Golden Brown All Natural Fully Cooked Chicken Sausage. What struck me was that these sausages are precooked, frozen and chicken!

I've naturally transitioned from pork sausage, to turkey sausage and finally to chicken sausage. Out of all the options, chicken sausages are undoubtedly my favorite. These Jones chicken sausages are quite tasty. They cook up perfectly either in a skillet, while they're also not bad in the microwave. I will stress, if you're going to be microwaving, keep an eye on them because depending on how your microwave cooks, it can pull some of the moisture out of them and make them a little chewier.

Taste wise they remind me of a milder tasting brown and serve pork sausage. They're satisfying and go perfectly alongside scrambled eggs, hash browns and even pancakes. I enjoyed them quite a bit and will undoubtedly make them a staple in my breakfast (or breakfast for dinner) game.

A serving, 4 links, is 80 calories or 2 points plus values / 2 smart points.

Dannon Oikos Triple Zero Peanut Butter Banana

 

I’ve been hitting the jackpot, or so it seems, when it comes to new Greek yogurt flavors at my local grocery store. Out of the triple zero line up - the banana is my favorite, so when I saw the Dannon Oikos Triple Zero Peanut Butter Banana Greek yogurt, I immediately jumped on it and purchased 2 containers.

Unfortunately after trying the yogurt I’ve come to realize that was a poor decision and I’ll either need to be in a bind before I’d willingly eat the second container. I know … there aren’t many Greek yogurt flavors I don’t like but this one was just truly gross.  I assumed having a love child between two of my favorite flavors: banana and peanut butter, this would be a home run. Sadly, it was anything but.

The flavor is nothing near peanut butter nor anywhere near banana. After looking over the ingredients list, I wasn’t surprised – there’s no mention of peanut butter or banana in the listing, so I’m not entirely sure where the flavor was supposed to come from.  It’s very plain in flavor with an odd background flavor. Nothing I could specifically pinpoint – but I also didn’t have enough interest to have my taste buds endure anymore than I tried to “enjoy”.

Sadly – I’d say, save your money on this one and just stick to a flavor you enjoy from the Dannon Oikos Triple Zero line.

A container is 120 calories or 3 smart points.

 

Dannon Light & Fit Greek Toasted Marshmallow

 

Stopping into my local grocery store this past week I glanced up at the Dannon Light & Fit selection and almost leaped out of my coat – I saw a new flavor! With a quick swift movement I snatched up two containers of the Dannon Light & Fit Greek Toasted Marshmallow before I could even question the purchase.

I had the yogurt today for my snack at work and I have to say … it is absolutely delicious! The yogurt, in a way, reminds me of the toasted coconut vanilla – which is one of my favorites, although it doesn’t have that bold coconut flavor (if that makes any sense). There’s an underlying creamy vanilla aftertaste which is what reminds me so much of the coconut yogurt. Flavor wise – it’s definitely marshmallow. I wouldn’t necessarily say toasted marshmallow, but it’s definitely got a marshmallow flavor to it.

It’s the same consistency in the full range of L&F yogurts, but it’s along the same thickness of the coconut (due to there not being any mix-ins on the bottom). Overall I really enjoyed this and will undoubtedly pick up a few more when they’re re-stocked.

A container is 80 calories or 2 smart points.

 

Aldi - Little Salad Bar - Three Layer Hummus

In recent months I’ve really given Aldi another shot as being one of my go-to grocery stores, especially after news that one of my local grocery store chains is closing.  Since I haven’t had a chance to get to Trader Joe’s, I’ve figured I’d frequent Aldi to kind of lessen all the grocery store blows.

On one of my last trips to Aldi, I spotted and picked up the Little Salad Bar - Three Layer Hummus. This reminded me of a three layer hummus I had tried at Trader Joe’s years ago (you can see that review from 2014 here. This particular hummus layers are: Classic, Jalapeno Cilantro and Supremely Spicy.  There is another version containing roasted red pepper hummus and (if my memory serves me correctly) roasted garlic and classic hummus flavors.

Together the flavors compliment one another well. The classic hummus helps reduce the heat that comes from the supremely spicy (even though it’s on the bottom of the container). The cilantro jalapeno hummus is my favorite out of the lineup – and I find the cilantro really helps bring everything together and tones down the generate heat that can be packed in a bite. The supremely spicy is exactly as you’d imagine – very spicy, sometimes fire if you get a pepper in a bite.  The label doesn’t necessarily break down each hummus flavors ingredients, but based on what is listed – I’d say this has ground up red jalapenos in it. Together this is one incredibly delicious hummus and I really hope it becomes a permanent item in the Aldi hummus selection. Whether it will or will not be permanent, I’ll keep my fingers crossed that the jalapeno cilantro will become a single packaged hummus variety.

I brought the container to work to have as a snack during the week along with baby carrots. The second time I had it (and all subsequent times since then) I have used 2 tbsp as a spread on a deli meat sandwich which is a great alternative to mustard, etc.  I love this hummus so much I purchased another container when I went to Aldi last night.

A serving, 2 tablespoons, is 50 calories or 1 smart point. A 4 tablespoon serving will cost you 100 calories or 3 smart points.

Halo Top Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

 

There's one thing about my taste buds when it comes to ice cream. If I'm given a choice between vanilla and chocolate - I am without a doubt going to go with the vanilla. Don't get me wrong - I love chocolate (cake, candy) but I am not a big fan of chocolate ice cream, shakes, etc. Low and behold when I spotted the Halo Top Vanilla Bean Ice Cream on my grocery store shelf, I picked up a pint without hesitation.

I had read reviews on the ice cream and I recalled reading the ice cream itself was creamy. I knew the consistency of the flavors ranged depending on the flavor/consistency/etc. The strawberry was creamy, the birthday cake wasn't ... so I was quite pleased to find this ice cream is in fact on the creamier side. The ice cream isn't riddled with ice crystals as in the case of most low calorie ice creams.

You may think vanilla ice cream is so boring, but this one isn't. It's a bold, pure vanilla bean flavor. Very vanilla-y and not plain at all. There are little specks of vanilla bean running all throughout the container. It's a healthier alternative on ice cream but it doesn't taste like it's a better-for-you version of ice cream. Tastes like any full fat high quality vanilla bean ice cream.

Overall I quite loved this and it certainly ranks up there with my favorite Halo Top flavors.

A serving, 1/2 cup is 60 calories or 2 smart points. Whereas 1 cup is 4 smart points, 1 1/2 cups is 6 smart points and the whole pint is 8 smart points.

 

Bridgford Original Sweet Baby Ray's Beef Jerky

 

I remember as a kid my mother would make beef jerky for my brother in our dehydrator but I never gave it a try. I think the idea of eating dried meat just weirded me out. As I got into adulthood and began following Weight Watchers I'd heard from the grape vine that it was a great snack substitute that offered a substantial amount of protein.  A savory sort of snack that would take a little time to eat but would pack enough of a protein punch that it wouldn't leave you looking for something else.

I had tried various beef jerky brands but either it was too dry, smelled funny, reminded me of dog treats (I know....I know...) or I just didn't like the flavor. That is until my fiancé and I went on vacation to Tennessee last year and his friend told him he should try out the Brigford Original Sweet Baby Ray's Beef Jerky. I was skeptical at first and didn't have any of the first bag - but when he opted to pick up another bag during the week, I decided to give it a try.

Truthfully I was quite surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did. The jerky is softer in texture, it's chewy, some pieces are slightly tougher than others but for the most part it's a palatable texture.  Flavor wise - it's your classic Sweet Baby Rays barbecue sauce flavor. Smokey, sweet. Together it's a home run. I was glad to find it sold at my local Wal-Mart so now I can pick up a bag to have on hand whenever I am in the mood for a different snack.

There are a few other flavors available - teriyaki, sweet n spicy, honey barbecue and honey chipotle.

A serving, 1 ounce, is 90 calories or 2 smartpoints.

evol. Scramble Cups - Chicken Apple Sausage, Egg White with Potato & Cheese

 

When the new evol products launched I got an email from Hungry Girl giving a heads up on the products availability on Target shelves. Needless to say, when I spotted them I opted to pick up a couple - one of the cups I picked up was the evol. Scramble Cups - Chicken Apple Sausage, Egg White with Potato and Cheese. I brought it to work and popped it in the freezer to have on hand in case I needed a suitable option at work.

That opportunity rolled around one afternoon when I needed something to eat. The packaging describes the dish as a chicken apple sausage scramble with egg white, potato and cheese. I figured it'd be a suitable breakfast alternative. I popped the cup in the microwave, following the directions on the label and it was done in no time.

Peering into the cup, it's a little disappointing (meaning you can make something a little heartier on your own) but for a convenience food it's not bad. It's a mixture of egg whites, potatoes, cheese, sausage crumbles and chives. One thing I noticed when I took it out of the microwave was that it had a very strong chive/onion smell. That smell transformed into a very strong chive/onion flavor as well ... it's almost overwhelmingly so. I felt like the potato, cheese and egg whites were at the forefront, but the chicken apple sausage really had to be sought after. I added some hot sauce and a little ketchup to it and found it to be not so bad but I wouldn't stretch to say I'd definitely pick it up again. It was okay, but not delicious or worth my buck to re-stock the freezer.

A serving (1 container) is 160 calories or 4 points plus values OR 5 smart points.

 

Lean Cuisine Sweet Sriracha Braised Beef

 

I'm not one who is big on frozen dinners, but when I spotted the new Lean Cuisine Marketplace Sweet Sriracha Braised Beef dinner at my local grocery store I decided to pick it up. What sold me off the bat was the use of sriracha and the fact that the meal was lower in points/calories.

One afternoon I was absolutely starving ... so I decided to pop the frozen dinner into the microwave. When it was done, I was quite honestly surprised with how skimpy the meal was. There was maybe half a container of vegetables and a few pieces of beef here and there. Certainly nothing that would be satisfying and filling for a quick little lunch break in the office.

Flavor wise, it wasn't terrible. It had a little bit of spice to it, but not anything that'd burn your taste buds. The sweetness to it diminished some of the chili flavoring that sriracha tends to give off. It reminded me more of a teriyaki flavoring than anything else (for comparison purposes). The beef wasn't terrible - no pieces were chewy or hard. The vegetables were a tad on the overcooked side, but weren't completely mushy. Overall it was okay ... but rather lackluster. It wasn't satisfying enough for me to run out to the grocery store and pick up a few more to have on hand. But like with all items ... you win some, you lose some.

A serving, 1 package, is 170 calories or 6 smart points - or for those following PP: 4 points plus values.

 

Banana Oatmeal Pancakes

I've become completely obsessed with oatmeal. I had been eating my banana oatmeal (which I make in a bowl with the same ingredients) for well over a year and I had hit a wall and just had enough.  After having different breakfasts that just weren't satisfying me the way my oatmeal did ... I decided to take my simple oatmeal recipe (with the elimination of almond milk) and make them into pancakes.  Same stuff, different form - i.e. reverse psychology on my own mind. It's legitimately the same thing, it's just in a pancake form and I add a little fruit and sugar free maple syrup over them.

So far it's been a winner. I've been eating these for a few months now and I absolutely love them. The recipe is really simple to throw together. I actually incorporate these into my meal prep every week.  I whip up 3 batches and store them in ziploc bags and take them out as I need them every morning. A quick 2 minutes in the microwave makes them perfect.

They're not a light and airy pancake. They're dense, filling and pack a substance punch.

Recipe:

Makes 2 servings of pancakes

For Weight Watcher members: 5 smartpoints/points plus per serving

1 cup quick cook oatmeal

¾ c egg whites

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 tbsp vanilla  (adjust to your liking)

2 packets stevia (or whatever sweetener you prefer)

1 tbsp cinnamon (adjust to your liking)

Mash banana in bowl, add in all other ingredients and mix until combined.

Heat a non-stick frying pan, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, over medium-high heat. Use a measuring cup (I prefer 1/4c) and evenly distribute the pancake drops onto the pan, smooth out gently with the bottom of the measuring cup.  Fry the pancakes for roughly 4-5 minutes. Bubbles will not form as in traditional pancake mix. Flip once the bottom is browned and firm enough to flip, then cook evenly on the other side. 

Enjoy!

Halo Top Birthday Cake Ice Cream

After introducing myself to Halo Top - I knew I wanted to try more flavors. Initially my grocery store only had some of their "basic" flavors - so I was intrigued and surprised to see my local grocery store was carrying the Halo Top Birthday Cake Ice Cream. I had heard rave reviews about it online ... and since birthday cake is one of my favorite grocery store ice cream flavors, I had to give it a try.

I noticed when opening the container, the ice cream wasn't as dark in color as the others I had tried. Flavor wise it was quite good - spot on birthday cake. It had all the vanilla cake flavoring without actually putting chunks of cake into the ice cream. The only additive is little bits of sprinkles which are mixed throughout the ice cream. It adds a nice texture difference between the ice cream and the sprinkles.

The one major difference I found in this particular is cream is it had an airy quality to it. It wasn't anywhere near as creamy as the vanilla bean or the strawberry. It almost has a drier texture to it - which is really odd for ice cream. It's not bad, it's just not the consistency I'm "used to" with ice cream. After I had my serving, a few people suggested I let this one sit out at room temperature about 10 minutes to allow it to warm up a bit which they stated gives it that creamy effect. But I guess I don't have enough patience for that because the next time I had it, I ate it straight out of the freezer.

I'd certainly pick this one up again if I was in the mood for birthday cake ice cream, but it's not one of my favorites so far. I'd stick with the vanilla bean, strawberry and the (spoiler alert:) oatmeal cookie.

A serving is 1/2 cup which is 70 calories or 2 smartpoints. 1 cup is 5 smartpoints, 1 1/2 cups is 7 smart points and the whole pint is 10 smartpoints. 

Halo Top Strawberry Ice Cream

 

I recall seeing Halo Top posted all over social media – Facebook, Instagram, YouTube … but I couldn’t get my hands on it for the longest time because no retailer in my area sold it. I had heard wind that Whole Foods sold it – but my local Whole Foods is 20 minutes in a complete opposite direction of anywhere I normally frequent so it seemed like such a drag to go out of my way for a product I may not even find (since I’ve heard how it’s difficult to find because people scoop it up quickly).

If you’re not familiar, Halo Top is a low-calorie, high protein, low sugar ice cream – which is marketed as tasting just like regular ice cream, just without the guilt. One thing I do want to point out is: unlike other companies marketing schemes, Halo Top prints the calories for the entire pint on the front of their labels along with the flavor of the ice cream. No sneaky marketing tactic which makes you think an entire pint is 100 calories, etc.

Low and behold I was shocked to find my local grocery store had brought the ice cream in – so I opted to spend the $4.99 and give it a whirl. There weren’t many flavors available so I opted to go with the Halo Top Strawberry Ice Cream.  It was a toss up between strawberry, chocolate, chocolate mocha chip and vanilla bean. I love vanilla ice cream, but I opted to go with the strawberry for a different flavor (I’m not a big chocolate ice cream fan so that was a no-go).

Upon the first scoop I was completely blown away. The flavor, the creaminess and the amazingly delicious taste. I’ve tried other healthier alternatives to ice cream and this one blew all of them out of the water. The strawberry was a true strawberry flavor, not chemically altered.  The ice cream was amazingly creamy which was surprising considering other brands I’ve tried; they’ve all had an icy quality to them. No iciness to this beauty, just creamy, high quality ice cream flavoring.  Some say to let the ice cream sit out at room temperature to soften up a bit – but I found this to be perfection straight out of the freezer. I don’t quite know how they do it, and I won’t question it much – but I’ve been sold, hook line and sinker since.

A serving, ½ cup is 70 calories or 2 smart points. 1 cup is 5 smart points, 1 ½ cups is 7 smart points and the entire pint is 10 smartpoints.

Banana and Egg White Oatmeal

Banana and Egg White Oatmeal

Long ago (almost a year ago) I was in a breakfast slump and needed something different for breakfast. I was tired of eggs in all forms, cereal never does the trick and I had far exceeded my deli meat sandwiches for breakfast.

I heard about putting egg whites in oatmeal from a friend and was truthfully weirded out. I was paranoid that it'd be like eating lumpy scrambled eggs that you threw oatmeal into. I had put it off for months until I decided to just dive on in and give it a try.

After giving it a good old college try, I truthfully fell in love with it. So much so that I ate it faithfully for breakfast Monday thru Friday for almost a solid year.

The combination of the egg whites, banana and oatmeal give it a bit of a custard vibe. It's smooth, creamy, satisfying and above all filling. I've found it's perfect on its own - while it's also good with fresh fruit on top of it - or even with a little peanut butter (I use powdered & I’ve also used protein powder in it – both come out perfect) stirred into it. Deliciousness!

Serves 1. 5 Smart Points & 5 Points Plus.
Ingredients:

1/2c quick cook oatmeal
1/2c egg whites
1 banana, mashed
1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

1 Truvia/Equal packet (optional)

Add all ingredients into a microwave safe bowl.  Mix until combined.

Add bowl into microwave and microwave for 2 minutes. Remove bowl, stir. Place back into the microwave and cook for an additional minute. Stir. If oatmeal isn’t at your desired consistency add back into the microwave for an additional minute.

When done you can top with fresh fruit. If the oatmeal is a little too thick, add a few tablespoons of water to thin out and stir in.

Enjoy!

Chips Ahoy! Thins - Original

When I saw the new Chips Ahoy! Original Thins posted on a sneak preview Instagram post I knew I had to find them when they were released. Low and behold I found them one random afternoon while grocery shopping with my mother picking up random odds and ends that I needed during the middle of the week. Surprising since my local grocery store isn't always on the up-and-up with new products.

There is also a cinnamon sugar variety available, but since I am not much of a sugar cookie fan I stuck it out with the original chocolate chip (which is one of my favorite cookies - aside from my beloved Oreo's). I fell in love with the Oreo Thins so I had high, high hopes for these. I brought them home and immediately stashed them in the cabinet. Out of sight, out of mind, until I felt like it was time to have a cookie for enjoyment purposes and not just because I was stressed.

I pulled the package out of the cabinet yesterday and decided to treat myself to 3 thins. The cookies are your average Chips Ahoy! size, just thinner. The thinness of the cookie does make them crispy, but they're not so crispy that they're hard. They're reminiscent of the natural crispiness that is a Chips Ahoy! cookie, with an airy quality to them.

Quite frankly, I think these are better than the original. They're crisp, they're sweet, they're satisfying .... and I'd rather have four cookies versus two cookies (even if they're the same net weight, four is still greater than two!). I can't vouch for their dunk-ability because I always eat my Chips Ahoy! straight from the package ... but I'm sure you'd be able to get a slight dunk on these before they crumbled into nothingness.

A serving is 4 cookies, which are 150 calories or if you follow Weight Watchers Smart Points they're 7 Smart Points for a serving.

My Love/Hate Relationship with Weight Watchers SmartPoints

As a Weight Watchers member (6+ years) I have been through a number of program changes. Points, Point Plus and now the newly (as of a few months ago) rolled out Smart Points. Initially with the undertaking of the program I was annoyed because of all the system and app glitches which left me guessing a lot of things. Once the bugs were ironed out, I decided to fully give the plan a go. Initially I liked it because I wanted to nip some sugar in the bud (even though prior to the programs roll out I was trying to get away from substitute sugars by replacing my artificial sweetener with 2 tsp of sugar in my extra large coffee in the morning).

For the first two weeks I was pretty good, avoiding sugar for the most part, weening things out of my day and eating what I wanted/enjoyed. I had snack size M&M's that I had given away because 1 little bag which used to be 2 points plus values, was now 6 points plus values (the equivalent of  a lunch).  Then at work one day, I had a tiny piece of (1/8th) of a donut and it was like the fire was lit within me. I craved, and I mean craved the sugar. That day I ate not one, but TWO whole donuts at work because I had been avoiding having sugary snack/desserts because the points for them was simply insane. I had cleared out my cabinet, giving away some of my snacks I kept on hand for when I needed a little something to be one in the crowd (fiber one bars, granola bars, individual packages of candy, cookies, etc.)

Now don't get me wrong - there are aspects of smart points that I genuinely like:
1) The fact protein is considered lower in points. It makes me more apt to have a few more ounces of chicken or deli meat allowing me to feel more satisfied.
2) I like the fact that weekly points were reestablished. I remember hearing so many people complain that if they ate their weekly points they'd gain weight. I never had such "luck" I would be able to lose eating my weeklies. But I did know that the older I got my body may not respond as it had in the past by eating this weekly points.

3) I like the general idea of smart points being the healthiest Weight Watchers program rolled out

But even with it being the healthiest program doesn't necessarily make it the best lifestyle.

My major downfall with the Smart Points program is the fact that sugar and saturated fat are taxed so heavily. I understand sugar isn't great for you, it shouldn't be consumed in large amounts .... but I think we forget that healthy fat isn't bad for you. Your body needs fats to a certain extent to function properly.

Now, don't get me wrong, with Points Plus, I would easily eliminate my olive oil because I didn't want to "waste" 1-2 sp for a tsp or 2 of EVOO. But on Smart Points even healthy oils are something you truly have to consider adding in or eliminating all together. For instance - 1 tsp of olive oil is 1 smart point, 2 tsp is 3 smart points, 1 tbsp is 4 smart points. If your someone who obsesses over points (as I've become) I think "I could have an 80 calorie Greek yogurt, a string cheese and 2 tbsp of hummus for that" - aka my snacks for the day. It's truly become something that can easily be obsessed over.

With that obsession, it doesn't allow so easily to live a lifestyle. I have to plan my day/week around an event. If I know Friday is going to be a day I need to eat out, then I need to make sure I've got the rest of my week planned to a T. Now, what happens if a monkey wrench is thrown in there and I don't really have points to play around with? This is the dilemma that I find makes smart points so much more difficult to label as a lifestyle verse calling it a diet.

A lifestyle is something that you can live with, you can go with the flow. A diet is something you obsess over. And I don't want to obsess. Since Smart Points rolled out I've been labeling things as "can't have that" which makes the stubbornness in me want to come out and say "well, screw you, I'll eat 10 of them to show you I can!" I mean I had a hissy fit because I made a quick little frozen Chinese food dinner for my fiance and myself. I didn't calculate the points at the store because I've had it before under smart points and it was doable. After putting it in the oven and heating up the rice I found 1 cup of orange chicken was 16 smart points -- yes, 16 smart points (380 calories)!! I was like are you kidding me?! I simply refused to eat dinner - refused. It singled me out and made me feel some type of way.

If I was eating alone and could completely keep all tempting foods out of my house/life, Smart Points wouldn't be all that bad. But when I'm eating with others, who aren't fans of trading out pasta for spaghetti squash, or who don't like adding vegetables into meat to bulk it up - it causes some challenges. I can make multiple side dishes, but at the end of the day it's time consuming. I do the best I can with what I can. But I find having convenience meals a few times a week, or even going out to eat (not so much with fast food places like Wendy's or pizza) I have a harder time.

I'm not a fan of the newly updated app. I find looking up restaurants to be incredibly difficult. It's certainly not as user friendly as it was with Points Plus. Basically, if an item is not on a restaurants website nutrition facts page - then it's a guessing game and the wagers vary from comparable to way off.

I enjoy the structure with Weight Watchers. I enjoy the accountability (stepping on the scale once a week). But I'm finding I'm struggling with the new plan when I have to venture away from the "safe" foods I prepare and eat normally. Sure, would I save myself a headache if I just ate anything I cooked? Yes. But it's not always an option. Life isn't something that can be planned out to the T all the time and the fact I'm obsessing over things is starting to drive me a little crazy.

I'll figure it out eventually, I have to.

Kellogg's Limited Edition Mini Wheats - Pumpkin Spice

With fall upon us it brings all things pumpkin. In true pumpkin lover fashion, this year I decided to pick up a box of the Kellogg's Limited Edition Mini Wheats - Pumpkin Spice. Admittedly, frosted mini wheats are not my favorite cereal but this pumpkin rendition isn't half bad.

Opening the box you're awarded with a classic pumpkin spice aroma. It's nothing artificial but a classic pumpkin spice (think of pumpkin spice seasoning in a jar). The cereal is your classic frosted shredded mini wheat, but instead of the frosting being the signature "vanilla" frosting it's a pumpkin spice-esque flavored frosting. Admittedly, it's not really strong ... to my taste buds, the shredded wheat flavor sort of overpowers the pumpkin flavor. But if you really pay attention, you can find the pumpkin spice flavor because it's undoubtedly there.

It's not a sweet pumpkin spice, it's not overly sugary, processed ... it's your classic pumpkin spice flavoring over a shredded wheat biscuit that provides a touch of sweetness. If you're one who likes overly sweet pumpkin flavored desserts - this probably wouldn't be your forte. But if you enjoy a pumpkin flavored dessert that's not overwhelming in sweetness or spice, this might be very well up your alley.

Personally, I prefer having these dry without any milk. I also prefer to eat these frosting side down so I can taste the pumpkin flavor immediately without searching for it through the clump of shredded wheat.

A serving, 25 biscuits (55g), is 190 calories or 5 points plus values.

Applebee's Cedar Grilled Lemon Chicken

Going on another dinner date to Applebee's with my boyfriend, I opted to try the Applebee's Cedar Grilled Lemon Chicken after my last encounter with their under 600 calorie menu left me in search of water and lots of it. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this meal.

The menus describes the dish as "Cedar grilled chicken garnished with Granny Smith apple relish. Topped with lemon olive oil vinaigrette over a blend of cranberries, rice, honey-glazed pecans & quinoa." When the dish was plated before me I thought it looked appetizing. Once I started to eat it, it really did pack a punch in the filling category.

There were no complaints, the chicken was grilled perfectly, the granny smith apple relish balanced the flavors giving a little crunch and tartness and the quinoa side dish was absolutely scrumptious (so much so that I want to make a variation at home). The quinoa had pecans and cranberries mixed into it, which was a nice twist to throw a twist in the quinoa texture. The vinaigrette tied everything together and was just a complete and balanced meal.

It wasn't overly salty, it wasn't overwhelming and I liked the fact that it was just a great little meal to have out without all the fuss about "what do I eat?" Now I know a dish I enjoy and will order whenever I venture back to Applebee's.

A meal is 570 calories or 15 points plus values.

Emily Bites Bubble Up Chicken Pot Pie Casserole

 With the fall (and truly winter in my area) weather upon us, all I have been wanting to eat are homey cozy meals. I'd been in a pot pie mood (seemingly after cooking a homemade turkey pie I had in the freezer) so I decided to give Emily Bites Bubble Up Chicken Pot Pie Casserole a shot. I had been wanting to make the dish for some time and since I had most of the ingredients on hand I added it to my menu for the week.

Out of all of the bubble up casseroles on the Emily Bites website, I will say this is hands down my favorite one (the pizza casserole being my 2nd favorite). This particular recipe is homey, cozy, delicious, comforting, filling and an overall crowd pleaser.

In classic Shannon fashion, I opted to omit the olive oil and instead of sauteing my carrots to soften them, I used frozen peas and diced carrots I picked up at the local grocery store. I figured it'd make putting the dish together a lot easier since I was trying to get dinner prepped and into the oven in a shorter amount of time. They cooked up perfectly while the dish was in the oven without the need to saute. The chicken I used was chicken breast I had cooked in the crock pot. I will say, in the two instances I've made this, I find cutting the chicken into chunks is a lot better than using shredded. On my second attempt making this, my chicken was too hot when I was cutting it up and most if shredded. The shredded chicken absorbs more of the gravy which leaves the end result a little drier.

I personally find the dish to be filling enough that one slice is all I need. There's no need for a small side salad or even a piece of fruit to go along with the meal. So far, all that have tried it have really enjoyed it as well.

A serving, 1/6th of the recipe, is 318 calories or 8 points plus values.

Recipe: http://www.emilybites.com/2015/02/bubble-chicken-pot-pie-casserole.html

Amy's Light & Lean Spaghetti Italiano

I've always had an interest in Amy's frozen dinners so one day after finding them on sale at my local Target, I decided to pick up the Amy's Light & Lean Spaghetti Italiano. I'm not a vegetarian by any stretch of the imagination but I do enjoy meatless meals every once in a while. Now, I'd say if you're venturing into meatless possibilities ... definitely give this particular dish a try.

The meal comes packaged encased in a plastic casing, which makes for easy microwave heating (or if you want to be fancy, you can opt for the oven method). With the addition of the bowl once done, you can remove the plastic sleeve and have your lunch/dinner already plated up for you. Now you're probably wondering what exactly the dish consists of. Well, the website lists the dish as "Organic semolina spaghetti, meatless meatballs made of of lentils, quinoa and tofu, topped with a sauce of simmered organic vegetables, roasted garlic and seasonings and a side of broccoli florets."

Admittedly, eating the meatball, I wasn't aware that it was made from tofu (I found this out after the fact). I've never actually had tofu before this dish and I was pleasantly surprised. The meatballs were soft, moist and had a meat like (but not spot-on) texture to them. The pasta was perfectly cooked, the sauce was flavorful. The only thing that took a little getting used to was the addition of the diced zucchini and broccoli running throughout the dish. I've never had broccoli with sauce so it took a bite or two before my taste buds and I were on the same page.

I quite enjoyed it and will undoubtedly repurchase in the future. You certainly get a good bang for your buck food wise vs. calorie wise. It doesn't taste like cardboard and a serving should leave you relatively satisfied.  Another positive note was the fact the sodium wasn't sky-high as it normally is with other prepared frozen meals. Two thumbs up, Amy's!

A serving, 1 bowl, is 240 calories or 6 points plus values.

Oreo Thins

Oreo's have forever been one of my all time favorite packaged cookies - more specifically the classic original chocolate cookie, vanilla cream Oreo's have been my number one stunner. So, needless to say when I saw Oreo's came out with a thinner version of their cookies I was on board. Deciding to give it a whirl, I picked up a package of the classic Oreo Thins.

The cookies themselves are truly your classic Oreo ... just thinner. The cookie itself is crispy, chocolatey and just perfect. It's paired along the classic vanilla cream providing a thinner, delicious Oreo exploration. Truthfully ... these are hands down one of my all time new favorite Oreo's. I think I really like these more than the classic Oreo's which have forever had a piece of my heart. Even my mother, who isn't the biggest Oreo fan, prefers the Thins over the original any day of the week.

The crispiness of the cookie, and the fact that you can have 4 (compared to the normal 2) even though these are smaller is a win-win. I've only heard great things about the other two varieties that are available: golden and mint ... so I'll probably dabble in those sooner than later to see what all the fuss is about.

A serving, 4 cookies, is 140 calories or 4 points plus values.