Hi guys!!  Thanks for your supportive comments on my last post.  I know many of you could relate to the holiday food struggle.  I was a little harder on myself than I have been in a while.  I have learned so much and moved forward in dealing with emotional eating in many ways that it was defeating to take such a big step backward. 

The difference this time is that I didn’t stay in that negative place for too long.  I have collected a strong arsenal of tools the past few months to help pull me back together and back on track of eating mindfully.  I’m using those tools and, in some areas, starting at the beginning to familiarize myself with the processes again.  I’m calling it a “reboot”!

Starting my day off with a good breakfast is the first step in a reboot!  Boy, for a few days there, cookies were becoming my breakfast of choice.   I’m happy to say that all cookies have left the building.  Sayonara! 

And eggs and veggies have reappeared …

Scrambled egg whites, baby spinach and sauteed mushrooms topped with lite mozzarella along with a slice of Ezekiel toast …

Breakfast of champs.

I wasn’t much in the mood for exercise today.  I normally take the weekend off from formal exercise, but decided I could use a dose of sweating.  I headed to the basement and did an easy 25 minutes on the elliptical with a few crunches thrown in at the end.  Workouts are often hard to start, but I’m always glad to get them done.  You never regret a workout!

After getting worked up at big daughter’s basketball game, I came home for lunch.  The fridge and pantry were in need of a restock, but I managed to put together a decent lunch.  Turkey, hummus and baby spinach on an Ezekiel sesame bun  …

Along with carrots and a beautiful red pear …

Reacquainting with my hunger cues has been really hard the past few days.  It’s amazing how quickly I got back into being snacky in the afternoon.  I have to constantly check in with myself to discern whether I’m experiencing true hunger or just having  food thoughts.  Today was one of those food thought days, so I worked myself out of those and focused on other tasks that needed to get done.

Before I knew it, it was time for dinner!  I’ve been feeling like I’m coming down with a cold or something for the past few days.  I keep downing Vitamin C tablets, B12 and doing the neti pot to try to outrun it.  A big bowl of soup couldn’t hurt either, right?

Chicken soup is supposed to be good for the soul, but I think  Lentil Pastina Soup is even better!  I made a big vat of it on New Years’ Day;  swapping out the pastina for a hearty whole wheat elbow pasta for this batch.  So hearty and nourishing!

Served with roasted sweet potatoes for a little extra Vitamin C and beta carotene …

Do your work Vitamins and give this cold the boot!

Have a great day, everyone!

What is your favorite remedy for warding off a cold?  I’m a big fan of the neti pot!  If I hit it at the right time, it often kicks my cold to the curb or at least, shortens the duration of it!

Ah, today was a nice low-key day!  The daughters and I stuck to the homestead all day getting some much needed cleaning and organizing done.  They love me for that.  Hey, it can’t be all fun and games every minute now, can it?

MY fun started off with a 3 mile run on the treadmill in the basement!  I got going with my warm-up before realizing that I forgot my GYMBOSS!  Embarrassingly enough, I was too lazy to run upstairs and get it, so I went on without it.  I know…kinda contradictory, right? 

I must admit, halfway through I was missing it dearly.  I have learned to rely on it to take me through the intervals without having to watch the time .  It is complete torture without it.  I stare at the time display watching every second tick by, but when I wear the GYMBOSS, I don’t pay attention to time at all.  Which stands still when you’re  watching it, in case you were wondering.

We will call this experiment in laziness – “Lesson Learned” with “Never Again” as a subtitle.

Breakfast made everything better – scrambled eggs (one egg and 3 whites) with hot sauce (‘cause I know Biz would ask where it was! LOL!) (4 PP)…

Along with a side of Ezekiel toast with buttah (4 PP)…

I loved this breakfast!  It’s nothing special, but there is something so satisfying about eggs, toast and butter! 

Lunch was more toasty bread!  An open-faced hummus sandwich – 1/4 cup hummus, sliced cucumber, red onion and mixed greens on lightly toasted Ezekiel sesame bread (8 PP)…

With handfuls of carrots and cherries to round out the meal …

Afternoon snack was a sweet peach and string cheese (1 PP)…

Just loving summer fruits right now!

Even though it was hot as Hades, I braved the outdoors to fire up the grill for dinner.  I cooked up thin sliced chicken breasts seasoned with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and dried thyme.  It’s my go-to seasoning for chicken and the family loves it!

I took help from Trader Joe’s for a quick side …

These potatoes are really tasty, although lacking in the beans and mushrooms!

Not a bad in the stats dept. …

A nice 11 PP dinner…

Including more bread with goat cheese!  Yep, bread and potatoes make a meal.  It’s on page 29 of your Weight Watchers guide.

The carb coma has commenced!  Off to dreamland!

Have a great day, everyone!

What is your favorite type of bread?  I LOVE a good rustic Italian bread – crispy crust with a dense inside.  A thick, chewy whole wheat is my second fave!

Happy Summer!!!!  I love it so much, don’t you?!  Even though the daughters have already started…

Okay, again it’s really not that bad   They actually love hanging out together despite their 5 year age difference, but sometimes too much togetherness brings out the string of “Ouch…quit it…she’s touching MEEEEE …get out of my room!!!!”

Good times, I tell ya.

So, day 2 of summer vacation got us up and at ‘em early due to dentist visits for the daughters.  I made a quick breakfast before we left … open-faced omelet using egg whites, baby spinach, 1/3 cup turkey sausage crumbles and lite mozzarella (4 PP)…

The daughters got the cavity-free thumbs up from the dentist and we headed home.  I threw on my running shoes and made my way to the treadmill.  Getting in my workouts are going to be a little trickier since the daughters are off from school.  The treadmill is becoming my new best friend!

I finished up 3.05 miles using 3:1 intervals …

Lunch was a big Turkey BLT – 2 oz. turkey, 2 slices center cut bacon, 1 tbsp. reduced fat mayo, lettuce and tomato on Ezekiel bread (7 PP)…

With a side of Tomato and White Bean Salad (2 PP) …

The afternoon was spent at Borders picking up the necessary summer reading materials.  I got a few reads for myself, too …

Looking forward to planting my butt in a beach chair and digging into these guys!

I planned freezer leftovers for the family tonight, but felt like whipping up a fresh meal for me!  I’ve been craving beans and chickpeas lately.  I came across the recipe for Quick Chickpea Curry that I tried a while back and remembered I liked it!  I changed it up a bit this time to add my own spin on it.

Chickpea Curry
adapted from EveryDay Food

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 large Vidalia onion, diced small
• 3 small garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• dash ground cloves
• 2 cans (15 oz. each) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp. salt + 1/4 tsp. pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan.  Add onion and cook until softened and beginning to brown.  Add garlic, curry, cinnamon, cloves and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds.  Add chickpeas, carrots and tomato paste.  Stir until paste is dissolved.  Add water, salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil;  reduce to a simmer and cook 20-25 minutes until sauce is slightly reduced.  Top with cilantro and serve.

Makes 4 (1 cup) servings for 7 PointsPlus .

If you’re scared of curries, give this one a try!  It is very mild;  just a bit of heat and a nice smoky cinnamon flavor.  You can add more curry powder for a stronger flavor, but I like it “beginner –style”

Naan would have went beautifully with this meal, however, I had cornbread on the brain!

Cornbread

• 1 3/4 cup cornmeal
• 3/4 cup oat flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1/3 cup liquid egg whites

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Add milk, applesauce and egg whites.  Stir until fully combined.  Coat a nonstick 8×8 pan with cooking spray;  spread batter evenly in pan.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 18-20 minutes.

Makes 6 large squares for 6 PointsPlus.

One awesome dinner!

Off to watch The Voice ( I have a ridiculous crush on Adam Levine)!

Have a great day, everyone!

What is on your summer reading list ?