Week 4 – Something Witty

OK, a few days late on this, and not just because I gained, but perhaps that is part of it.  I haven’t just given up however.  It was a bad week, I knew it was going to be a bad week, I dealt, I moved on.

Current Weight: 267.6

Change: +.2

Total so far: -9.2

My scale was particularly cranky this week, I think perhaps I should suck it up and find another place to put it that is more stable, even if that means temporarily “gaining”.

This week was about surviving without too much backsliding.  It was a week alone, a grill that caught fire (my favorite healthy food options involve grilling), and mothers day.  A day where I refuse to count points because dammit I am getting healthy for my kids, and that day I get to be as bad as I want.

Since I weighed in though, things have been good.  I’ve been out walking and mowing and taking care of things around the house.  Keeping active.  I realized that there is just no way to eat at Don Pablo’s healthfully, and I found some great recipes that make cooking without a grill (getting a new one this weekend) more fun.  At the Minneapolis Farmer’s Market (downtown where I work just outside our office every Thursday so there are no excuses) is Dehn’s.  Dehn’s sell fresh, super fresh, herbs.  They also sell plants at this time of year, but right now I’m all about instant gratification.  Our garden likely won’t be ready until around Memorial Day. This week I got both basil and fresh cilantro from them.  Well, and a giant thing of baby greens that includes edible flowers.  M eats the flowers, she things its fun.

First I made pesto with some of their amazing fresh basil.  I crave green sometimes, and this totally fits.  I used a recipe from WW that replaces most of the olive oil with chicken stock.  It still includes the pine nuts and cheese, so you get the full flavor without the fat.  It was incredibly delicious.  Vibrant and tasty.  We had penne with chicken breasts and pesto.  The points came from the pasta and chicken more than the sauce, just the way it should be.

Second, we had taco salads last night with those great greens, some ground turkey breast, and pinto beans (drained) mixed with canned tomatoes with green chilies.  To top it off, a cilantro, avocado buttermilk dressing.  Recipe basically like this. This was inspired by whatever various recipes I could find for “buttermilk cilantro” dressing.

Generous 1/2 Cup of lowfat buttermilk (mine got a little thick, added just a bit more)

1 whole very ripe avocado (mine was more like 2/3 because of some brown spots)

1 whole bunch of cilantro, leaves only unless it is cute baby stems like I had from Dehns, chopped rough

Juice of 1 Lime

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground ancho chili powder

salt & pepper to taste

Blend that sucker up.  For small batch things like dressings or the pesto, I like my little smoothie blender.   No extra fat other than the avocado needed.  The buttermilk & avocado emulsify perfectly and on the salad it served as both a dressing and a sour cream replacement.  That recipe works out to be 2 pts for a VERY generous serving.  I saved the little I had left over the leftover turkey & beans.  I want to make more just to have around since I like creamy dressings but most are too much fat for the flavor.  This is not.  It would even make a good veggie dip.

So, what do you like to eat when the weather gets hot?