Porky’s Revenge

Around noon yesterday, I put a pork loin in the slow cooker for dinner around 8:30-9pm (we eat late around here because mikey doesn't get off work until then).  The plan?  Slow cooked shredded pork tacos, a fairly regular menu item here since I first made it last year.

Cut to around 3:30pm, when Mike texts me that we were going to see Carrot Top at the Luxor at 8:30pm thanks to some free tickets from his work.  I'm not a big Carrot Top fan, but I figure as long as we have to live in this (I want to say sucky) town, we might as well enjoy the few perks.  I normally wouldn't consider Carrot Top a perk, as I'm not really a fan of prop comedy and his eyebrows upset me, but I am trying to be more spontaneous, so I agreed to go.

So, around 8:15, I knocked the slowcooker back down to "warm" and we hit the Strip for some, admittedly, fairly funny comedy. Not my usual brand, but I can't pretend I didn't laugh. 

When we got home, the house smelled like an abuelita's kitchen. (That's spanish for Grandmother, in case you weren't sure. Also, an excellent instant Mexican hot cocoa mix.)  I made some totally not low-carb or low-fat Tortillaland flour tortillas in the skillet (they're the uncooked/raw tortillas you can get in the chilled Mexican food section of the market), 8 points of totally worth it and 3.5 ounces of the tenderest pork I'd ever made.

Bear in mind, it's been slow cooking for like 10 hours. So this stuff just melts in your mouth. And it was so easy, it's ridiculous. Next time, I'll take pictures -- I'm not sure why I didn't do that.

Ingredients

• 1 pork center-cut loin roast (I used the lemon-garlic Hormel brand because they didn't have regular and it's a concession I will be making again. So good!)
• 1 big yellow onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 cup of water, chicken broth or beer (I prefer beer, but didn't have any, so I used water for this recipe)
• Cumin
• Coriander
• Chili Powder
• Hot Sauce (I used some left over from the local taco shop, but you can use whatever you dig)
• Olive oil

This recipe is perfect for one of those small slow cookers for two, which is what I have. It gives you enough for dinner that night and at least 2 meals of leftovers.

First, I line my slowcooker a brilliant invention: slow cooker liners -- they make clean up SUPER easy.  I do a medium slice on the onion and lay the slices down along the bottom, along with the garlic cloves, which i've peeled and smashed a bit to release the oils and flavor.  I drizzle both with a tablespoon or two of olive oil.

Then, I rub my pork loin (I can't say this without cracking a smile) with a generous amount of the spices, cumin and coriander.  I go less heavy on the chili powder, because it can quickly take over, so I am just sprinkling that on.  Hit it with some salt & pepper and don't forget to get both sides.  Lay it down on top of your onions and garlic, then pour your one cup of liquid (water, beer, whatever) around the outside of it.

I lay it fat side up at first. I do this so it stays moist during the first part of cooking.  Pour some hot sauce over the fat side-up to your liking. I like things spicy, but mike doesn't like it as much, so I just did a enough to coat the top, maybe a couple tablespoons.  Put the lid on, set it to low and off you go.

As it starts to break down, about half way through the cooking time I flip it fat-side down and use the liquid that's started to accumulate in the bottom to baste the top.  You can always trim off that thin layer of fat completely, but I find it adds flavor and keeps the meat moist, so I just leave it on. I'm not eating the fat directly and don't really use the juices in my meal, so I'm not worried too much about additional Points or calories.

My meal was 3.5 ounces of lean pork (4 points), 2 tortillas (8 points), 1/4 cup of lowfat shredded mexican cheese (2 points) for a sizable total of 14 Points.  Now, that might seem like a lot, but I had plenty of points for it so I didn't mind using the real tortillas. But you could easily shave off some points by going with low-carb or low-fat tortillas or none at all and make it a salad.

The "Revenge" part of this post is that this morning, coming down the stairs, I couldn't figure out why I still smelled last night's dinner so intensely.  Turns out, I'd left the crock pot  low (not even warm!) the entire night. I don't know how that happened, but I'm glad I didn't burn the house down.  The slow cooker liner that I love so much was cooked right onto the pot and everything inside was burned. BUT, luckily, the slow cooker liners are awesome, so just a few tugs pulled it right out, I tied it up and threw it away. Easy peasy.  If I hadn't had that in there, it would've taken forever to soak that off.

So, lessons learned here:  Pork is good. Slow cooker liners are awesome.  Leaving it on overnight makes your house smell like a delicious plastic factory.  Note to self.

Give Us This Day, Our Daily Bacon

Bacon is trendy, but I don't like it for it's status. I like bacon because it's not only tasty, it symbolizes joy and happiness and everything dieters think is verboten.  Every day, I eat bacon and every week, I lose weight.

Now, you might ask, but that's ludicrous, how can one eat bacon every day and still lose weight?  Well, it's not a bacon diet, I'll tell you that much. I'm not taking bacon supplements. It's not a topical bacon cream (um... ew).  It's just moderation.

Every morning, I have what I call The Daniel Sandwich. It's named after my friend Daniel who served me something similar for breakfast while I was visiting. I modified it a little in order to make it Weight Watchers friendly and it's not fancy, but it's all the goodness of breakfast, served up in a yummy portable sammich of delight. 

Ingredients

• 1 Nature's Own Whole Grain or Whole Wheat Sandwich Round, 2 Points (The Multigrain and Whitewheat varieties are 3 points)
• 1 egg (2 points) or 1/2 cup of egg whites (1 point)
• 1 wedge of Laughing Cow cheese or 2 tablespoons reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar (1 point)
• 2 slices of Jimmy Dean Fully Cooked Hickory Smoked Bacon Slices (2 points for 3 slices, 1 point for 2 slices)

I use an olive oil mister to fry up an egg. I find it works better, imparts great flavor and doesn't have all the chemicals of Pam and the like, but you can use I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray or whatever turns you on.

I toast my round, then spread my Laughing Cow or sprinkle my cheese on one half. While my egg is cooking, I put 2 slices of the bacon in the microwave for 30 seconds. When it comes out, I break it in half and put i on top of the cheese so it can start the melting process. By this time the egg is done and I slap that on top of the bacon and cheese, top with the other half of the sandwich round and let it sit for a sec while the rest of the cheese melts.

Sometimes I hit it with a few shots of hot sauce, like Tabasco or Cholula for a kick.  This breakfast is usually accompanied by a 2 point low-carb yogurt (I like Kroger brand Carbmasters) and some fruit, like a sliced apple or a banana if I'm still hungry.

My whole breakfast, fruit and yogurt and, most importantly, bacon included...  7 points if I go egg whites, 8 if I go for the yolk action.

I never feel deprived, I feel like I get this awesome breakfast every day and look forward to it.  And I've consistenly lost weight at 1-2 pounds a week, as recommended by Weight Watchers.

Now, do my arteries love it? Maybe not, but I think as long as I keep my cholesterol in check otherwise, there's no harm in a little daily bacon.

(I'm not compensated in any way by Jimmy Dean or any of the companies mentioned in this post. These are simply the items I choose to buy and have found to have the right combo of Points to get the job done.)

Craving: Turkey Patty Melt

Lately, I've been into traditional American comfort foods, like meatloaf and the like. Last week, I was craving a patty melt like you would not believe. I had to have a patty melt.  I couldn't shake the craving, so after a couple days, I finally decided to make a "healthier" version. I put that in quotes because it's not totally slimmed down, but it's better -- and damn tasty!  A friend from Twitter sent me this link to this recipe for Open Face Turkey Patty Melts, which was a great jumping off point, but I made a few changes and thought I'd share my version here.

The Laughing Cow Light Queso Fresco & Chipotle (and a Contest!)

So, I love The Laughing Cow -- don't we all?  Just about anyone who is a Weight Watcher is big on The Laughing Cow line of cheeses. I really love to eat it with apples and put it on sammiches. 

Though it took a while to find them, I was thrilled when they came out with 3 new Light flavors: Blue Cheese, Sundried Tomato and Basil and Queso Fresco and Chipotle.  YUM.  I tried them all at BlogHer and couldn't wait to find them in my store.

Recently, they contacted me about participating in their Bring Snackjoy to Life contest. They sent me a container of my assigned flavor and told me to write a 120-character "personality" for my cheese.  I received the Queso Fresco and Chipotle, which was totally great because I love anything spicy.

I ate it on Triscuits, I had it in an omelette, I even had it with a bit of apple and just about anywhere I loved it.  I was surprised at how good it was on the apple. (I love a sweet n' spicy combo.) The zest is mellow for those who aren't into spicy foods, but the flavor is definitely geared for latin food.

I think my favorite way I've had this new flavor was predictable, but awesome: nachos with grainy tortilla chips. It goes a little like this:

• 2 wedges of cheese, melted for 30 seconds in the microwave (some might take longer, some might take less, just keep an eye on it)
• add a tablespoon or so of fresh salsa (or jar, whatever you have on hand)
• stir it up and pour it over a handful of whole grain or other sort of 'natural' or "healthy" tortilla chips (I'm currently enjoying Food Should Taste Good's Jalapeno tortilla chips -- which are kinda spicy, but I dig 'em! I also love the flaxseed ones from Trader  Joe's.)

If you want more cheese, throw in another wedge -- just wing it, but don't forget to count the Points if you're doing Weight Watchers.

Could it have been spicier? For me, sure.  Definitely. But I think it's a versatile cheese that would be awesome in a Mac n' Cheese or in a Spanish Omelette.  I can see a lot of uses for it and not everyone likes the hot n' spicy like me, so in that case, it's just the right amount. I'm a fan -- now if only I can find it at my local grocery store.

If you're so inclined, VOTE FOR MY ENTRY in the Bring Snackjoy to Life contest! 

I give this 4.5 donuts.

Pumpkin Pie… Brioche

For those of you who know me, this isn't going to come as a suprise; baking with pumpkin is like breathing to me -- something I can not live without. I bake with pumpkin all year round and I fancy myself a pumpkin afficiando. Most of my pumpkin baked goods are in the form of cakes, pastries and pies.  I've only recently started to branch out into breads, because when I think of bread making, it scares me. And if it scares you too, I highly recommend you get Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day.  I know, 5 minutes?

Soup Season is Upon Us, Y’all. Rejoice! (Wendy’s Super Fast 2 Point Chili)

It's nearly Fall, and Fall is always soup and chili season for me.  And, seriously, y'all--I love me some soup. (granted, I live in Alabama and it's frickin' 90 degrees outside right now, but I've decided to just IGNORE SUMMER.  Maybe it'll go away quietly then.)  Soup is filling, it warms my belly when it's chilly outside and it's really, really low in points.

One of my favorite things to do is to take use Weight Watcher's Zero Point Soup recipe as a base for all my other soup recipes.  I mean, hello?  ZERO POINTS.  That's fairly awesome for a bowl of soup in itself, and if you toss in a few extras--like Morningstar Farm recipe crumbles and a bit of chili powder--or curry power (YUM), you've got something totally different and delicious for just a few extra points or calories.

The Big Salad: Apple, Feta, Almond & Spinach

I've been absolutely terrible at this weight loss thing lately.  I've not been gaining, but I feel like hell.  I've eaten with total abandon, not caring that much if it was or wasn't a healthy choice.  I haven't necessarily eaten in volume per se -- relatively normal portions -- just normal portions of crap.  I've dined out a lot, I've indulged a sweet tooth until it kindly asked me to stop, it's... well, it been an epic diet fail, pretty much.

But, like Weight Watchers meetings and every weight loss/fitness magazine around says, "don't focus on your failures", so I'm trying to not beat myself up about it, just change tack. In fact, it's been kind of a blessing -- if I look at one more sweet thing, I may actually be ill. So like I said, I'm trying to not beat myself up about it -- I just look at it as immersion therapy. And I feel an intense need to detox. 

Now, I don't mean one of those trendy Hollywood juice fasts or a weekend at Promises. I'm talking about a good, old fashioned, everyday normal-people detox -- eating healthy food, drinking water and -- gasp! -- exercise.  I know, it's shocking. The very notion!

Have you ever indulged, be it in one sitting or over a few days, to the point that you body is actually begging you for something green and leafy?  Yeah, I'm there.  Mama wants a salad.  Only bigger, with lots of stuff in it. (Thank you, Elaine Benes.)

Pretty much all my salads that I make are The Big Salad -- as long as it's in a big bowl (like big, like popcorn bowl sized), it counts. Any variety I choose to make -- savory, sweet, southwest, caesar -- it's always in a huge bowl and called The Big Salad.  You can go pretty much crazy with the amount of veggies you want (and most fruits), but make sure to measure out your proteins (if you use beans or chicken or tuna or whatever) and your fats (like cheese and most importantly -- the evil dressing!).

This is my favorite Big Salad, and while I do try to change it up since eating salad can get boring -- this is my go-to when I want a Big Salad.

• 1/2 bag of prewashed, pre-cut romaine hearts (I always rinse it again, just in case) (0 Points)
• 1/2 bag baby spinach (rinsed and dried) (0 Points)
• 1/2 Gala apple (or your favorite kind), cubed (0.5 Point)
• 3 oz of grilled chicken, cubed or strips (2.5 Points)
• 1 tbsp of reduced fat feta (I like Athenos), crumbled (0.5)
• 1 slice of red/purple onion, cut about 1/4 inch thick, ringed and then cut in half (0 Points)
• 1 tbsp raw slivered almonds (1 Point)
• 1 tbsp craisins (0.5 Point)
• 2 tbsp Newman's Own Lighten Up Raspberry & Walnut Dressing (2 Points)
• Cracked black pepper

Throw it all in a big bowl, drizzle with dressing (you may need less), then toss thoroughly.  Add cracked pepper (liberally, if you like it -- I do!) and then toss again.  Insert fork.

7 Points for a big salad. Big. Huge. And you could modify it by cutting back on the dressing (I often only need 1 tbsp) or removing a sugary item like Craisins (I often omit them if I don't have them in the pantry).  I'd keep the almonds and the chicken, as the protein in both helps keep me satisfied.

What are your favorite Big Salad combinations?  Any recommendations?

Trader Joe’s Reduced Carb Tortilla

No matter what type of "diet" (excuse me, lifestyle) you follow, be it Weight Watchers, low carb, low calorie, or whatever blows your dress up,  a tortilla will set you back, in all arenas.  How something so flat can contain so many calories, carbs and points, is beyond me.   I know it's a better alternative to a giant kaiser roll (but come on, a kaiser roll is SO good, ahem.  I'm getting ahead of myself), or something else like that.  

I started Weight Watcher's three months or so ago.   This is the second time I've done it, and because I was so determined, I've had much better results.  However, now that I'm closer to goal, I got hit with a loss of a WHOPPING three points, which if you're a WW groupie, you know how much it stings.   I was going along, in my little groove, and then realized, I had to recalculate just about everything in order to make sure I wasn't going over my daily allotted points.   

I happened to hit up Trader Joe's one day, which isn't a normal stop of mine, and I came across their whole wheat, reduced carb tortillas.   I tend to be leary of low carb anything, because it tastes like sand and dust, in my opinion, but I decided to give it a shot, and here's why.   According to the WW calculator, it's ZERO points.  A zero point tortilla?  I'll bite.  

And lo, it was delicious!!  They're soft and chewy, with a great taste.   I can eat one as a snack, with a cheese wedge or make myself a nice little wrap and not have to sacrafice any points, and still feel satisfied.  They are a little on the small side, but this doesn't bother me, because my favorite?  Is the two point egg burrito:

I give this 4 donuts.

The Super Colossal 2 Point Sandwich (a.k.a. The Steve Sammich)

Much like Joey from Friends, I looooove sammiches. If sammiches were a food group, it would be right up there next to vodka.

Kathy's husband turned me on to what we've called The Steve Sammich: a 2 Point (Weight Watchers-style) sammy so big, you won't miss any of the extra points.  They all start with the same basic foundation: 1 Point bread (like Nature's Own slices or Deli Thin Rounds) and Hillshire Farms lunchmeat (or other low-calorie lunchmeat, but we like Hillshire Farms because 6-7 slices is 1 Point). Those two foundation items are where the 2 Points come from.  The modifications are up to you.  Here are a couple of our favorite combos:

Kathy's Sweet n' Cracked Turkey Sandwich

• Nature's Own Light Wheat Bread (2 slices)
• 6-7 slices of Hillshire Farms Cracked Pepper Turkey Breast
• A few slices of Bibb or Boston Lettuce
• Sliced sweet peppers (from the jar, as many as you like)
• Salt n' pepper (go easy on the salt)
• 1 tbsp fat-free Mayo (like Hellman's/Best Foods or Kraft)
• 1 tsp of Dijon mustard (like Grey Poupon)
• A couple "Sandwich Stacker" pickles (licked -- seriously. Kathy likes her pickles with the juice licked off before adding them to her sandwich or else the rest of the sammy gets soggy.)
• Tomato slices to your heart's delight

Assembly:

Untoasted bread. Mayo on the bottom, then the turkey. Add lettuce, pickles, tomato, then the peppers and top with the other half of the bread. It may sound weird that I'm telling you how to assemble a sandwich, but after a few tries, assembly seems to make the difference when keeping the sandwich together and not sliding all over the place, especially if you want to pack it in your lunch for the office.

Let Them Eat (Diet) Cake!

Hungry Girl's email blast this morning was The Great Cake Debate: boxed cake variations involving everything from yogurt to pumpkin to diet soda.  I'm definitely going to try the pumpkin, applesauce and greek yogurt options, but I've been doing the diet soda thing for years and years.

Basically, you take a boxed cake mix you like, mix with 1 unchilled can of your favorite diet soda. Mix, pour into a non-stick pan (hit it with cooking spray first) and then bake at 350° according to the package instructions.  Easy peasy!

While Lisa (Hungry Girl) says the texture is light and fluffy -- and this is true -- it can get a little gummy, depending on the soda or cake mix you choose. I'm not sure why, but I've found that sometimes the top gets a bit tacky/sticky and after a day or so, the whole thing kind of gets dense. So if you plan on making this, I'd suggest serving immediately and, if stored tightly, not keeping it around for more than couple days.  But likely, it'll be polished off before then!

Lisa (Hungry Girl) likes the cream soda/yellow cake mix combo -- and I like that, too, but I think my personal favorite is Devil's Food cake with Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper or Red Velvet cake with Diet Chocolate Fudge Soda by Canfield.

But she brings up a good point -- if you're sensitive to aspartame (I've recently discovered that I am -- and suspect many people are and don't realize it), you might opt for a soda that contains Splenda (sucralose) or Stevia.  I personally loathe Stevia and find it really bitter, but I definitely recommend Hansen's Diet Natural Sodas, sweetened with Splenda.

3 Point Blueberry Yogurt Scones

I've been bombarded lately by all the blueberries at the farmer's market and in the woods (free and plentiful however you might come across a snake or two while harvesting) across from my house. I normally make smoothies with berries; quick and easy. But in an attempt to branch out from eating the same exact food every single day, I decided to try a low-calorie Blueberry Yogurt Scone recipe.  I also tried a whole wheat blueberry bagel recipe but I've got to perfect that one a little more before sharing.

Recipe Makeover: Healthy Banana Bread

As a mother of two little kids, I am always trying to find a way to incorporate as many healthy vitamin packed ingredients into simple dishes.  Let's face it, kids are picky (and if yours aren't I hate you) and while trying to make things healthier, I end up making them lower in fat and calories for me too. Bonus!  I had a bunch of bananas on their last day and decided to make bread instead of throwing them out.  Typically, banana bread isn't too horrible ingredient wise but I like to counter balance the sugar and oil with some healthier enhancements.  This is adapted from a Banana Bread recipe I received at my wedding shower 11 years ago.  Here's my hippie organic enhanced version:

Recipe Makeover: Ina Garten’s Mustard Chicken Salad

Want to hear something perverted? I watch the Food Network while on the treadmill.  It's like allowing a drug addict to watch the movie Blow on repeat.  Anyway, while I was huffing and puffing up mile 3, I was watching Ina Garten work up a chicken salad that looked gorgeous.  Generally, when you think of chicken salad you think of it as a light meal when in reality it can be loaded with fat laden mayo and dressing - especially store bought.  Ina's recipe was made in such a way that with a few simple tweaks it is actually a healthy and calorie friendly meal.  Her original recipe is here and I have to say the photo that accompanies it makes it look awful but I assure you it's quite colorful and attractive with the blanched broccoli and fresh tomatoes.  I changed up the cooking technique and the ingredients a bit to make it low calorie (or POINTS® friendly for those doing WeightWatchers®).

Coconut-Lemon Mini Cupcakes

I've been looking at this May issue of Health Magazine for weeks now (I keep magazines next to my tub for bath-time reading) and every time I flip through and see this recipe, I think of Theresa over at The Craving Chronicles. This seems right up her alley. I've not had a chance to try them  yet, but I know she's the uber baker, so I thought she might give them a whirl and post on her site what she thinks of them.  My friends love it when I volunteer them for things. *cough*

These little cupcakes have two flavors I (and I know Theresa) love: lemon and coconut.  NOM!  According to the magazine, they're also "low-fuss" which is my preferred method of baking... should I actually, you know, bake them myself.  Anyway, here is a re-print of the recipe (with a note from me in italics), with links to the Health Magazine site's original recipe. You can also pick up a hard copy in the May issue of Health Magazine... if you can still find one on the shelf. Library, maybe?

At 3 Points for one teeny cupcake, it doesn't seem like it's very "light", which makes me wonder if replacing the sugar with Splenda or adding some fiber to the recipe wouldn't make it a better choice.  What do you think?  I'm also wondering if the nutrition information includes the Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting or if those calories are in addition to the cake.  Definitely not worth it in that case. I'd rather have a coconut lemon martini... (note to self: look for that recipe!)

Moussaka Quesadillas with a Bechamel Cream Sauce

While we’re on the subject of feta cheese, I came across this recipe for Moussaka Quesadillas with a Bechamel Cream Sauce on Weight Watchers today and man does it sound GOOD!  Unique, definitely not something I would have thought of, but really delicious.  It’s a little steep, points-wise, but it sounds filling.  If you try it, let us know what you think!

Ingredients

• 1 cup fat-free skim milk
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 2 Tbsp non-fat instant dry powdered milk
• 1 Tbsp arrowroot powder
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp fat-free skim milk
• 1 sprays cooking spray
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 medium raw eggplant, peeled and cut into 16 thin slices
• 1 small onion(s), chopped
• 1 medium garlic clove(s), crushed
• 3/4 pound raw extra lean ground beef
• 14 1/2 oz canned stewed tomatoes, or diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 2 Tbsp parsley, fresh, chopped
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 8 medium whole wheat tortilla
• 8 tsp feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

1. To make sauce, combine 1 cup of skim milk, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, salt and pepper in a small saucepan; bring to a boil and cook about 1 minute.

2. Meanwhile, combine dry milk, arrowroot, flour and remaining 2 tablespoons of skim milk in a small measuring cup; stir to form a smooth paste.

3. Add dry milk-paste mixture to boiled milk and stir over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens; cover and set aside.

4. To make filling, coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Add oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat until sizzling. Add eggplant slices and cook until lightly browned, flipping once, about 5 minutes; remove eggplant and set aside.

5. Add onion and garlic to hot skillet; stir-fry for about 5 minutes. Add beef and cook until well-browned, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Drain any excess oil or liquid from skillet and then add tomatoes, wine, parsley and remaining 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg; stir-fry about 3 minutes more.

6. Place tortillas on a large baking sheet (or 2 sheets, if necessary). Place about 2 eggplant slices, 1/4 cup of beef mixture, 2 tablespoons of cream sauce and 1 teaspoon of feta cheese down the center of each tortilla; fold each tortilla over in half.

7. Bake quesadillas until golden brown and cheese melts, about 10 minutes. Yields 2 filled tortillas per serving.

Notes
Add more eggplant slices if you want a thicker quesadilla. And feel free to swap lean ground ham or turkey for the beef.

POINTS® Value | 8
Servings | 4
Preparation Time | 22 min
Cooking Time | 35 min
Level of Difficulty | Moderate