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.

Recipe: Quinoa pasta with prosciutto, peas and spinach

Ingredients
1 box (8 oz.) quinoa pasta (You could use whole wheat or regular pasta if you prefer.)
1 bag fresh baby spinach
4 slices prosciutto
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 tbsp. reduced-fat butter (I used I can't believe it's not butter.)
2 tbsp. fat-free half and half (You could use regular milk or cream if that's what you already have on hand.)
2 tbsp. shredded parmesan cheese
Black pepper to taste
A few sprinkles of reduced-fat shredded Italian cheese blend (optional)

Cook the pasta according to package directions. In a nonstick pan, melt the butter over low heat. Tear the prosciutto into bite-sized pieces and add to pan. Add spinach to pan and saute until wilted. Add peas and cook until heated through. Add half and half and parmesan cheese. Sprinkle in however much pepper you like. Bring the mixture to a slight simmer then pour over the pasta and mix. Add 1/4 of mixture to a serving plate/bowl and top with a sprinkle of Italian cheese. Makes four servings.

Weekly weigh-in: Am I losing the battle, but winning the war?

Last week's weight: 172
This week's weight: 175.2
Difference: +3.2
Total weight lost since January 2010: 96.6

Once again, I lost a couple of pounds and then I immediately gained them back. I'd like to blame this week's gain on Thanksgiving, but the trouble started well before Thursday. I faced a lot of mental hurdles this week and I let my emotions dictate what I ate.

When I was eating Cheez Doodles on Sunday and pizza on Wednesday (and other bad stuff in between), I knew I'd regret it. But somehow they made me feel better in that moment. I want to be able to stop myself. I think a lot about why I can't. I wish I could condition myself to do something else every time I want to binge eat.

As you know, this is something I've been dealing with since I first started this journey nearly three years ago. I keep mostly healthy food at my house, but that doesn't stop me from getting in the car and going to the grocery store when I want junk food.Sometimes, I convince myself that I'll just eat a little bit. After all, there's nothing wrong with eating a handful of chips or a slice or two of pizza. But that's never all I eat.

The first year of this journey seemed so easy. I changed my eating habits, started exercising and the weight came off. The second year was more difficult, but I rationalized that other factors in my life impeded my progress and I was content with basically maintaining. Now, a third year has passed and I'm starting to feel like I've wasted so much time. If I had tried harder, I probably could have lost those last 25 pounds already.

Of course, though, I try really hard not to beat myself up and not to be too negative. So I'm focusing on the big picture. It's not always easy to see just how much progress I have made. Maintaining my weight loss for as long as I have is an accomplishment. I know that. I also know that when I'm mentally ready to take on the challenge of losing the last 25 pounds I can do it.

Weekly weigh-in: Old vs. new

Last week's weight: 173.6
This week's weight: 172
Difference: -1.6
Total weight lost since January 2010: 99.8

I've written in the past about the old me versus the new me. For some time now, though, I really haven't seen myself that way. I started this journey almost three years ago and it's been almost two years since I lost the bulk of the weight. That's when my life completely changed and during that first year I transformed into a different person.

But now I am who I am. I may not have completely let go of the person who weighed 271.8 pounds, but I'm trying really hard. And I think it's time for others to try as well. I am not the same person I was three years ago. For the most part, I think I've changed for the better, especially since I can honestly say I'm a happier person.

Part of my motivation throughout this process has been remembering just how difficult life was when I weighed 100 pounds more than I do now. I was a pretty miserable person and a big reason is that I felt bad all the time. I didn't realize it at the time, but now I see it so clearly. The old me doesn't exist anymore and I don't want to be that person anyway. For people who knew me then, that can be difficult to accept. I understand that, but it's time to accept me for who I am now.

I was just thinking recently about how many of my friends didn't know me before I lost the weight. Of course they all now about my journey and they've been super supportive and encouraging. But they didn't know my personality back then. Maybe that makes it easier for them to appreciate the person I am now.

Anyway, the point is that I've changed. I still struggle from time to time, but I'm generally a much more assertive and outgoing person now. Don't get me wrong. I'm still an introvert and value time alone (which is why I'm sitting at home writing my blog on a Friday night). But I genuinely enjoy meeting new people and socializing, which is something  never wanted to do before. For better or worse, the old me is gone.

The new me is the real me. I apologize to those who may have liked the old me better. I'm not ever going to be that person again. I like the new me and being happy with myself is an important step in my journey.

Weekly weigh-in: Some things are unexplainable

Last week's weight: 174.2
This week's weight: 173.6
Difference: -0.6
Total weight lost since January 2010: 98.2

I was surprised, but thrilled, to see the number on the scale this week. On most days, I feel like I made good food choices and I exercised four out of seven days. But there was one day where I ate more than I normally do in a whole week. Seriously, avoiding junk food on Election Day at work is pretty much impossible. So I didn't even try. As a result, I ate five pieces of pizza, a cinnamon bun, a brownie, a pumpkin muffin (at least that was lowfat) and a bunch of mini candy bars. It really wasn't pretty. I felt guilty because I should have at least eaten less of the bad foods. But I can't go back now. I don't understand why I lost weight this week, but I'm happy I did.

Looking forward, I've decided to clean out my closet again. For three years now, I've done this about every six months. On one hand, it feels great to box up clothes that have gotten too big. On the other hand, it can be depressing thinking about how much money I've spent on clothes I'll never wear again.

I began this morning by trying on a vest I've owned for about 15 years. It's a size 22. When I first started my journey, I couldn't button it and it served as the one item of clothing that I would try on from time to time to see if I was losing weight.

Of course the scale tells me I've lost nearly 100 pounds, but it's hard for me to see it when I look in the mirror. I don't remember when the vest actually started to fit again and I haven't worn it during these three years. When I put it on today, it was amazing to see how big it is. I tried to picture how it looked when it was too small and how I looked. I couldn't because what I see in the mirror hasn't really changed. I was frustrated, so I stuffed it in the plastic bin and decided this will be the last time I try it on. It's too big and I don't need it to remind me how big I was. Time to move on and focus on what size I am now.