Miso Soup

Oh yum....

I bought frozen Chicken Wonton, Everything but the bagel seasoning, and Miso/ginger broth at Trader Joe's. This is the second time I've made soup. It just keeps getting better.

This is today's version:
Makes 2 servings
3 WW SP

1/2 box Miso/ginger broth
7 large shrimp
8 frozen Chicken Wontons
2 cups zucchini or summer squash zoodles
1 1/2 cups power salad blend
Squeezes of garlic, ginger, parsley tubes
Everything but the bagel seasoning
Salt, pepper, Mrs. Dash, red pepper flakes
Soy sauce

Heat the broth in 4 qt pan
Saute everything else when hot add several shakes of soy sauce.

Add everything to broth.

Fun Morning

Fun with the boys this morning! Now they are fighting with tubes taped together.

Sweetie Pies

We went to dinner to wish Bon Voyage to Sheala. After having to change flights this morning because of bad weather in Chicago I heard her flight take off at 10:26. It took some insisting from Joanna to have her make her Tokyo connection. After looking at it again the person at the counter found a way.

Sheala is going to stay with Robbie and Alicia in Okinawa. I know they are going to have a great time.

ZOOEUM

I saw a post on Facebook about a camp at the Saginaw Children's Zoo and the Saginaw Children's Museum. I thought it would be perfect for Ayva. I called Caroline and she thought so too. I told her not to tell Ayva until I had her enrolled because it was just four days until the camp started and I wasn't sure there would be an opening.

I went to the zoo and signed her up. I called Caroline and she said she would call Ayva. That sounded like fun so I asked her to do a 3 way call. Jesse got Ayva on the phone and I excitedly told her about the camp.

She said, "That's okay Nana, I don't really want to go to camp."

I replied, "Okay then, I have to go. I'll get a refund. You talk to Grandma Caroline."

Two minutes later Caroline called to apologize. I told her Ayva was just being truthful. She hates new things. So I suggested after work she could tell Ayva she could try it for the first day and then decide if she wanted to continue.

Ayva called Caroline an hour later because she felt bad. Caroline offered the one day idea.

My phone chimed and Ayva asked if I had already asked for a refund. I told her no. She explained 'Grandma Caroline's idea' and asked if that would be okay.

So when we picked Ayva up to go to camp she looked very nervous. I pretended not to notice and chatted all the way to the zoo.

We took this picture, although I told her Grandma Caroline would be worried if I sent a picture without a smile. So she smiled pretty and then put her worried look back on her face.

We went in and I quickly signed her in and left.

When we picked her up she never stopped talking all the way home. She loved it.

Whew.... It takes a village....

Shrimp Alfredo

My fixes worked - this was not only delicious, it looked good too.

I had a manual spiralizer, but I didn't use it very often because it was difficult to use. Yesterday we went to Bed, Bath and Beyond to buy another one that looked easier to use. But when Pat saw the attachment for the Kitchenaid he talked me into spending $100.

It was such a good buy!

Easy to use.

Last night I tried to make Shrimp Alfredo. It was delicious, but it curdled right after I took this picture. So I went to the Internet hoping to find a fix.

So... here is my hopeful fix. Bill, Amy, Jim and Jan are going to be my victims.

Shrimp Alfredo
Serves 6 generous portions
3 Freestyle points
6 Smart points

2# Shrimp
12 small zucchini
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery

3/4 cup grated parmesan
3/4 cup mozzarella
2 containers Greek Yogurt - 1/2 hr out of frig
3 wedges pepper jack Laughing Cow cheese
Juice of 1 lemon
Lemon zest
1 TBS cornstarch
Mrs. Dash, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, garlic and parsley.

Sauce
Mix in serving bowl
Yogurt
Parmesan
Mozzarella
Laughing Cow cheese


Saute shrimp with seasoning. Remove from pan. Combine zest and lemon juice pour over cooked shrimp.

Sprinkle cornstarch over zoodles. Saute with seasoning. Remove from heat add to sauce and combine.

Top with shrimp and combine.

Planning

At the moment Weight Watchers is 90% of my life. I am totally focused on what I am having for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I pretrack as much as I can. I might change that pretracking a couple different times a day, but I need to plan.

So far it's working. 

As my daily points decrease as I lose weight, I work on making every recipe as low as possible without compromising taste. Instead of mayo I substitute nonfat Greek yogurt mixed with 0 point Walden Farms Honey Mustard. I add a ton of vegetables to add 0 point goodness to as many dishes possible. I spray Olive Oil Pam instead of drizzling olive oil. 

So far it's working.

Connect has been a blessing. So many inspirational posts. So many caring comments. I find all your goodness and support to be my much needed morning, afternoon and evening attitude check.

So far it's working. 

I took a class last night on using this Weight Watchers app. I knew there were a couple things I was not getting. My leader, Barb, is not only a great meeting leader, but a great instructor too. I find depending on her helps make this journey possible. I'm meeting people in my class and inviting friends to join.

So far it's working.

I've been going to the sports zone to exercise on and off for the past two years. Mostly off. I go for a few weeks then life happens and I miss a few days then a few weeks. I get remotivated and start and stop. I keep thinking I just have to make the same kind of commitment I've made to Weight Watchers, but I don't want to lose the focus I have on food. I need to work on this.

So far this isn't working. But I will figure this out. My life is changing and I feel good about that.

Blood Work

Went to the doctor for my annual. This was my first visit since starting Weight Watchers on May 22. The tech takes me to the scale and then back to the exam room. She goes to enter my weight in the computer, stands up and rushes back to the scale before anyone else uses it. She comes back in and asks, "Do you know you lost weight?"

I answer her, "Yup, 24.1!"

The doctor walks in and says, "Your blood work looks great."

She looks at the weight posted in the computer, stands up and gives me a high five.

I feel so good making this change in my life.

Class Lunch

We went to the Bancroft today. We had a great lunch.

Front: Elinor, Noreen, Barb, Anne Marie
Middle: Jan  (Elinor' s husband) Tom, Mary Ellen, Kathleen, Carla
Back: Tom (Noreen's husband), Pat (Barb's husband), Clarence, Joe

It was a delightful afternoon. They put us in the bar area which is closed in the afternoon. So we had a quiet place where people got up and walked around to be able to talk to everyone.

Don't get sick of WW posts

I'm trying to get my original recipes posted - so here are a few.

TUNA EGG MELT
Pat and I both love this. This is 2 servings.

2 - 3 pt sandwich rounds
Foil pkg of tuna in water
2 hard boiled eggs
2 wedges laughing cow cheese
2 TBS of chopped celery and onion
Salt, pepper, dill
2 TBS Walden Farms Honey mustard

Open sandwich rounds and put face up on baking sheet. Spread 1/2 a wedge of cheese on each.

Mix rest of ingredients and spread on each.
Broil until edges are brown.

2 rounds - 6 pts

DRAGON FRUIT SALAD

I saw this on Pinterest. It's beautiful. The dragon fruit is sweet and tasteless, but it gives it beauty and character.

Added watermelon,  blueberries, mango and drizzled with Waden Farms Raspberry Vinaigrette. 0 pts

2 Smart Points Potato Salad

When I saw homemade potato salad was 6 points for a half a cup I almost cried. I love potato salad! I started writing out a recipe and knew I could improve it. I knew I would use my new favorite dressing - 0 points. But... it is quite sweet. I needed something to cut through it.  I thought about vinegar or lemon but didn't want those tastes.

Greek Yogurt!

I figured the more free vegetables I put in the salad the more I could eat.

5 Potatoes

3 hard boiled eggs

1 cup celery

1/2 cup onion

1 1/2 cups cucumber 

1/2 cup green pepper

Cut up everything.

Salt, Pepper, Mrs. Dash, Dill over all.

Mix 1 container Greek yogurt and 1/2 cup dressing. Sprinkle in dill. Mix into salad.

It made 8 cups. 2 Freestyle Smart Pts. Per cup. Yum!

Pat loved it too!