Many of us struggle with an issue we've "solved" in the past only to find ourselves in the same predicament again. I've been struggling with a little extra padding that is making me uncomfortable in my clothes. I eat very healthy foods . . . I just eat too much. I know I need to eat less, but over the last few months, every time I've tried to reduce the amount of food I'm eating, I end up ravenous and cranky! I've been very frustrated trying to figure out a plan of attack and then I finally realized that I already knew what to do. In the past, every time I've been successful at losing weight or maintaining it, I've eaten a lot of green salads -- low-calorie, high-volume, nutrient-dense green salads! So my challenge for this week has been to eat a green salad every day. So far it has gone well, even though I have been very busy with my work and the fun summer activities I've been doing with the kids. Eating the salads has helped me reduce the number of Points Plus I'm eating each day to a range that should end up with some weight loss and I have not felt shaky, cranky or homicidal at all!
I made this salad for my lunch the last two days. Both days I knew I was going to be away from home at lunch and my only options were to bring food with me or to eat fast food. The salad was satisfying and kept Points Plus low enough that I could still eat later in the day. Both times people made comments about how delicious it looked :)
I pre-cooked skinless, boneless chicken breasts in the Crock Pot the other night so I'd have them ready (just seasoned with some salt and pepper). I also buy the pre-washed greens for my salads. The same night, I washed, tore and put some fordhook chard from my garden in a bag and cut up the artichoke hearts and tomatoes, storing them in containers in the fridge. When I do this, I can throw a salad together in a matter of minutes. I saw a great idea related to this on pinterest: you use a mason jar and fill it up with the dressing on the bottom, the denser veggies next, then the greens on top. It's a great way to make the salad the night before and transport it safely wherever you're going. Because the dressing is on the bottom, the greens won't get soggy. And it looks so pretty in the jar!
I measured the foods that contribute to the Points Plus values in grams just because I find it easier to enter.
Ingredients:
Baby spinach (about 2 cups)
Spring mix lettuce (about 1 cup)
Fordhook chard (about 1 cup)
87 grams chicken breast
68 grams of raw avocado (sliced or cubed)
a couple of tomatoes
half a can of artichoke hearts (canned in water)
about 1/2 a cup of roasted red peppers from a jar
14 grams of sundried tomatoes from a bag (not in oil)
Dressing:
I happened to have some Fig Balsamic Vinegar and Strawberry Champagne Culinary Sauce in my pantry which were both low in calories and didn't have any weird preservatives in them. I mixed about 1 Tbs of each together and added a little salt and pepper. It wasn't too exciting but it was less than one Point Plus. It "wet" the salad and didn't compete with the flavors of the other ingredients so I was happy. I am going to spend some time researching dressing recipes and experimenting so hopefully I'll have some good ones soon!
The Weight Watchers Points Plus value of this salad came out to 8 PP which is great for such a huge amount of food! The protein from the chicken and the fat from the avocado kept me satisfied for a few hours.
So tell me, what do you put in your salads?
I will be posting a series of main dish salads that are healthy, easy, make-ahead meals using seasonal ingredients. Keep checking back for more!
This is a simple, go-to recipe for me. I like it because it is filling and packed with healthy Omega-3 fatty acids and protein. I've eaten it by itself, on a bed of greens, or mixed with quinoa. It all depends on how hungry I am and what else I have in the fridge ;)
Ingredients:
4 cans (5 oz) of tuna (I use pole caught albacore ~ higher in Omega-3s and more environmentally friendly)
1 + 3/4 cup of chopped celery
1 + 1/2 cup of dill relish
1 cup finely chopped green onions
6 Tbs Reduced Fat Veganaise (you can use any mayo or plain yogurt)
Pickle juice to taste (I use a lot!)
Pepper to taste
Makes 5 cups
1 cup = 8 Weight Watchers Points Plus value
Calories = 302
Carbohydrates = 3
Fat = 18
Protein = 32
Sodium = 1490
Sugar = 1
Enjoy!
This is another favorite in our house. The last time my husband made it, the kids and I ate it all before he had any. He wasn't happy. So I decided to find the recipe, tweak it a bit to reduce the calories, and see if I could create the same magic. The result is cold, crispy, and sweet with just the right vinegar bite. I make enough for an army so the amount here would be perfect to bring to a bbq or to feed a large family. If your family doesn't scarf it down like mine, you could definitely cut everything by half and have enough for a dinner and leftovers.
Ingredients:
1 small head of green cabbage, shredded (12 cups)
1 small head of red cabbage, shredded (12 cups)
1 fennel bulb (3.5cups)
3 granny smith apples, cut into matchsticks (6 cups)
3 pink lady apples, cut into matchsticks (6 cups) -- you can use any sweet, crisp apple
3/4 cup canola oil (I found a non-GMO one at Sprouts)
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup + 1 Tbs no sugar-added apple juice
1/3 cup honey
Cut all the veggies and combine. I used a trick that I learned from my Aunt Kathy who loves to entertain and cook for crowds. I put the veggies in a clean trash bag and shook it all around. Then, I whisked all of the wet ingredients together, poured it over the veggies and shook it again. This can be done in a bowl instead, but then you don't get to dance around the kitchen shaking a trash bag full of cole slaw :)
This is fantastic for anyone with an egg allergy or who is vegan. It is also a safer salad to take on a picnic as the dressing is not mayo based. Plus, it's yummy and healthy!
Serving Size: 1.5 cups
Weight Watchers Points Plus Value: 3
Nutrition Info:
Calories: 114
Carbs: 14
Fat: 6
Protein: 1
Sodium: 24
Sugar: 10
Next time I will probably reduce the oil a bit which will bring the fat and PPV down. I think the nutrition values/PPV are also a little high because if you let the slaw sit in the fridge for a bit, a lot of the dressing settles at the bottom of the container so you're not actually eating it. But, if you're trying to manage your weight, it's usually better to OVERestimate your calorie consumption.
I hope you enjoy it! Please let me know what you think. If you tweak it, please let me know how it comes out :)
This recipe is hearty, delicious, and has a low Weight Watchers Points Plus value. Best of all, Dwayne and the kids liked it! Since I have little time or desire to cook, I made a very big batch so I could have some for the week and freeze some for later. I just put 1/2 cup servings in muffin tins in the freezer so, fingers-crossed they do okay! You could easily cut the recipe if you just want enough for a single family meal.
Ingredients:
3 small heads of Cauliflower
2 packages of cooked Polenta (I bought mine at Trader Joe's, they sort of look like a sausage roll)
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/2 cup fresh rosemary
1 bag of Sundried Tomatoes from Trader Joe's (NOT packed in oil)
1 bag of Vegan Mozzarella cheese (again TJ's; you could replace with part-skim mozzarella if you are not avoiding dairy)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Preparation:
I steamed the cauliflower and then blended it with the polenta in my cuisinart. I put that mixture in a pot and then added the cheese, the garlic, and the finely chopped rosemary, basil and sundried tomatoes. I kept the pot on low heat, stirring frequently until the cheese was melted and the ingredients were thoroughly incorporated. This is a recipe that tastes better the next day because the flavors have a chance to "marry". The way I prepared it, a 1/2 cup serving came out to 3 Weight Watcher Points Plus. One day I stirred in some mushrooms I'd sauteed in a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Delish!
This is a recipe I've made for a few parties and people seem to really enjoy it. It's great as a dip for veggies and would be fantastic as a sandwich spread. I put a TJ next to the ingredients I got at Trader Joes. I'm sure most are easily available at other stores as well. I "cook with love", which is the lazy cook's way of saying, "I don't measure ingredients". You might need to taste as you go and play around with it.
1 -- 15 oz. can Garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed TJ
1 -- 14 oz. can of Artichoke Hearts in water, drained TJ
1 -- 12 oz. jar of Fire Roasted Red and Yellow Peppers, drained TJ
1/2 -- bag of Sun-Dried Tomatoes (in a bag, NOT a jar of oil!) TJ
3 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar (splurge on the good stuff, it's worth it!)
3 Tbs. Olive Oil
Fresh Herbs to taste: Basil, Oregano, Sage
Can add garlic to taste (definitely more yummy, but also more smelly!)
All you do is throw the ingredients into a food processor and whirl away.
The recipe makes about 3 1/2 cups total. For a 1/4 cup serving it is 2 Weight Watchers Points Plus. It has fiber, protein, healthy fat, and above all, it's yummy, yummy, yummy, and easy, easy, easy! Enjoy!
