Recipe: Baked Italian chicken and pasta

I've made a similar version of this in the past, but this one has more veggies and a few other minor alterations. Plus, throughout my weight loss journey, I've always said that I don't intend to stop eating pasta. I love it too much.

Ingredients
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
12 oz. whole wheat pasta (This typically comes in a 13.25 oz. box. Feel free to use the entire box if you aren't closely counting points like I am.)
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 package fresh sliced mushrooms
1 bag fresh baby spinach (You could use frozen if that's what you already have on hand.)
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I used Bertolli's Tomato and Basil, but you can use whatever you like.)
1/4 cup Italian blend reduced-fat shredded cheese
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 tsp. olive oil
Poultry seasoning
Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken on a baking sheet and sprinkle with poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Bake for 30-45 minutes. Let cool. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Add olive oil, red pepper and mushrooms to a nonstick skillet. Saute until pepper and mushrooms are tender. While this cooks, cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and add to the pan. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Add a sprinkle of Italian seasoning (about a teaspoon) and the jar of sauce. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Coat a large baking dish with cooking spray. Add half of the pasta and half of the sauce and stir to combine. Repeat with remaining pasta and sauce. Top with cheese and bake uncovered until cheese is melted. Makes 6 servings.

Weekly weigh-in: Taking a break

Last week's weight: 173.6
This week's weight: 173.2
Difference: -0.4
Total weight lost since January 2010: 98.6

The next two weeks are guaranteed to be filled with lots of pitfalls, so I've decided that this is my last official weigh-in of 2012. I'll resume weekly weigh-ins on Friday, Jan. 4. I'd like to think that I won't gain any weight between now and then, but that's not realistic, especially since I'll be spending four days in Las Vegas.

Although I still struggle mentally every time I fail to reach a weight-loss goal, I feel good that I'm able to give myself leeway when necessary. I'm so excited about my trip to Vegas and I don't want to go completely crazy with my eating and drinking. But I also don't want to count Weight Watchers points or feel guilty for eating and drinking whatever I want.

That means I'll likely gain between now and the end of the year. I'm trying to accept that and mentally prepare myself that Jan. 4 will be the start of a new weight-loss journey for me. I don't want to think about all the weight I've lost so far and quickly or slowly I lost it. Come Jan. 4, I want to focus on losing 25 pounds from wherever I am at that point.

A quick check of my weight-loss chart shows that I didn't do nearly as well as I'd hoped during 2012. I ended 2011 at 180.4 pounds, which means I lost only 7.2 pounds this year. That's a bit depressing, but also somewhat encouraging. Clearly, I could maintain my current weight forever. I still fear that one day I'll lose complete control and regain all the weight I've lost, but I think this past year shows that I've changed my lifestyle in way that I'm not likely to regain the weight.

So I'm taking a break for the next weeks and plan to restart my journey in the new year. As with any goal, losing the last 25 pounds will take focus, commitment, dedication and determination. If I truly want to achieve my goal, I will.

Weekly weigh-in: Flabby thighs, bulging belly and a turkey neck

Last week's weight: 175.2
This week's weight: 173.6
Difference: -1.6
Total weight lost since January 2010: 98.2

I've been on vacation all week and that's given me a lot of time to focus on my eating and exercise habits. Overall, I did better than I have in the past few weeks. But it was a struggle. I used my daily Weight Watchers points and almost all of my weekly points. The good news is that I did exercise, which meant I gained back half of the weekly points. That's probably what helped me lose this week.

More importantly, since this week was a staycation, I spent time cleaning out my closet. That meant trying on a lot of clothes. I was pleasantly surprised at how some things fit, but mostly I got tired of looking at myself in the mirror. All I could see were the imperfections -- sagging skin and bulges everywhere.

I wish this made me want to work harder at achieving my goal. Instead, it makes me want to eat everything in sight. I didn't do that, but I did allow myself a few splurges. Although I may not have done the best I could this week, I feel good because I did exercise five out of seven days and I tracked everything I ate.

Tracking really helps me recognize my pitfall zones. For example, between 2 and 6 p.m., all I want to do is snack. If I can eat a small snack about 3 p.m. and then eat dinner at 6 p.m., I can make it through an entire day without going over my daily points allotment. What usually happens is that I want a snack at 2 p.m. and then another one at 4 p.m. After dinner is also a challenge. If I eat dinner at 6 p.m., have a snack between 8 and 9 p.m. and go to sleep around 10 p.m., I'm OK. If I have a snack at 8 p.m. and stay awake past 10 p.m., I want to eat again.

Are you seeing the pattern? Apparently, starting around noon, I want to eat every two hours. That would be OK if I ate a piece of fruit or a few nuts or a piece of string cheese. Usually, though, that's not enough. I don't have a solution, but I do find it interesting that I can go all night and then until lunchtime with just eating once. Part of me thinks that maybe I should be eating a bigger breakfast and a lighter dinner. It's just really hard to change my mindset about dinner needing to be the biggest meal of the day.

Naturally, I spent a little time shopping this week. Sometimes, that's a real boost to my ego, especially when i look at something on the rack and think it will never fit. Then it does. I usually end up buying that item. This week's shopping didn't go so well. For one thing, I didn't even find that many things I wanted to try on. The one skirt I loved (and have looked at a million times in J.Crew but refused to even try on because it cost too much) was just a hair too small. I was so disappointed.

Although I'm on a very tight budget right now, I am headed out shopping again today. I'll probably end up at TJMaxx and Marshall's to ensure I don't spend too much. But I know that I would feel better about myself if I could find a new dress that I think looks good on me. I need that confidence boost right now so that I can stop focusing on the imperfections.

Recipe: Christmas cookies

I love the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's filled with shopping, gatherings with friends and food. Of course, the food part can be a problem, especially since I love to cook. I've been experimenting with various lighten-up cookie recipes and I've finally found two that taste just as good as any regular Christmas cookie.

Peppermint clouds
3 large egg whites (at room temperature)
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar (I didn't know what this was at first. It's in the aisle with the spices.)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
Red and green sprinkles

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on high until stiff peaks form. Slowly add sugar while continuing to beat. Add vanilla and peppermint and beat again until stiff peaks form. Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop meringue mixture using a tablespoon. Form circles about two inches wide. Add sprinkles. Bake for about 35 minutes or until cookies are stiff to the touch. Makes about 30 cookies.
(Note: I got the idea for this recipe from a blog, skinnytaste.com, I follow regularly. The recipes are excellent for Weight Watchers followers or anyone trying to eat healthier. Here's the recipe that inspired me: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/12/dark-chocolate-and-mint-chip-clouds.html)

Coconut macaroon kisses
3 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
30 Dark chocolate Hershey's kisses (Of course, you could use whatever kind of kisses you like. Pumpkin would be delicious for Thanksgiving.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix egg whites and sugar until frothy. Add vanilla and coconut. Mix well. Use your hands to form small balls (about a tablespoon per ball) and place about an inch apart on the cookie sheets. Gently press the balls down with a spoon to flatten slightly. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly brown. Remove from oven and place one Hershey kiss in the center of each cookie. Return to oven and continue baking for one minute. Makes 30 cookies.
(Note: I used a Weight Watchers recipe, http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/RecipePage.aspx?recipeid=195411, as inspiration for these cookies.)

Recipe: Chicken crepes

The presentation isn't great, but they taste good. BTW, I changed the recipe slightly from what you see pictured because I initially tried to make a spinach and cream sauce to top the crepe. It came out clumpy, so I don't recommend it. The filling, however, is delicious. This concoction also would be quite tasty mixed with whole-wheat pasta instead of as a filling for a crepe.
 

The finished product

Ingredients
4 crepes (I used prepackaged ones I found in the produce section of the grocery store, but feel free to make your own.)
1 lb. chicken breasts
1 bag fresh baby spinach
1 package sliced mushrooms
1 fresh red pepper, sliced into thin strips
1 tbsp. fat-free half and half
2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
Poultry seasoning
Salt and pepper

The filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken breasts on baking sheet or in a glass baking dish. Sprinkle with poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Bake until cooked through -- about 45 minutes. (You may need to adjust baking time depending on the thickness. If you use thin-cut breasts, reduce time to about 30 minutes.) While the chicken cools, place red pepper strips and mushrooms into a nonstick pan coated with cooking spray. Saute until almost tender. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Add half and half and parmesan cheese. Remove from heat. Shred chicken breasts and add to spinach mixture. Place one crepe on a plate and microwave for about 10 seconds ... until it's warm. Add 1/4 of the chicken and fold over (like an omelet). I served mine with a side of green beans roasted with Trader Joe's 21 Seasonings, but broccoli or brussels sprouts would also go well. Makes four servings.

Weekly weigh-in: Looking for inspiration

Last week's weight: 175.2
This week's weight: 175.2
Difference: 0
Total weight lost since January 2010: 96.6

I thought I made better choices this week, but the scale didn't show it. In hindsight, I can see that I fell victim to a few pitfalls this past week. I avoided the binge eating that has plagued me for a couple of weeks, but I didn't avoid the foods that cause me to gain weight.

I also can see that when I ate junk food this week, it wasn't because I was hungry. Instead, I ate because of stress and anxiety. Naturally, I turned to carbs and sugar. And I exercised only two days.

Today is the first day of a weeklong staycation and I'm hoping to use this time to de-stress and to refocus. Sometimes, I crave time at home alone, but that's also when I find it hardest to avoid mindless snacking.

The first step to success this week will be planning what I'm going to eat and when. This always makes a difference and almost always results in weight loss.

Second on my list is to read "Weight Loss Boss," written by the president and CEO of Weight Watchers. I'm hoping the book gives me the inspiration I need to stay motivated and move past the plateau I've been in for months now.

Finally, I'm going to take time to truly clean out my closet and dresser. I still can't bring myself to part with the clothes that are too big, but I want them in boxes and out of reach. If I gain a couple of pounds, I'm going to have to wear the clothes that feel too tight or I'm going to have to lose weight.

I've been suffering from very low self-esteem and poor body image lately, so I hope these steps help. Throughout my journey, I've struggled to see how different I look now, but the difference in how I felt was very evident. Lots of stress in the past year has weighed me mentally and made the journey more challenging. The good news is that while a week ago all I could think about was giving up, as of today, I'm feeling more positive and at least I'm looking for ways to stay motivated. My most successful times during the past three years have come when I had something to inspire my weight loss. I can't fully describe what it was but I always knew it was there.