Helpful or Hurtful

“There is only one who is perfect!” -Mary Jo

“Even though it hurts – I just do it.  When I wake up and it hurts – I go!   I think of it as a matter of life or death.”  -Sherri

“Are you helpful or hurtful?” -God

This is just what I needed to hear today!  My journey has been far less than perfect recently.  It seems so easy to fall back into old habits.  I can use one excuse after another but the simple fact is – I stopped doing what I know I need to do.  I have been eating things I know are bad for my body (let’s just say – my car thinks if you get in it at night – time to go Brahms’).  , slowed down stopped tracking, stopped walking, not planning for eventful evenings (eating out way too much) – basically – not working the plan.  The result – weight is creeping back on. 

I am not beating myself up – I am doing a self-check, and with ofi’s  (pronounced-  / oh-f-ee-z/   - opportunities for improvement) I also need to look at the positives.  I am still eating minimally processed food free – when I am at home.  I have memorized my bread machine bread recipe (we have not purchaced bread from the store since spring break).  My family is still on board with this lifestyle and loves when I try new recipes – in fact they encourage me to try new ones.  I only drink coffee, water and tea.  I keep junk food out of my house. 

I have looked at the ofi’s, looked at the things I am doing right.  Now it is time for an action plan.  I made a deal with Tammy from my Weight Watchers group.  We are going to hold each other accountable for one thing this week.  She is going to weigh and measure everything; I am going to track everything.  That is a great place to start!  In addition, I am increasing my water intake. 

I started writing this blog entry then needed to start breakfast.  While I was cooking, the words Helpful or Hurtful kept coming into my head. Let’s back up a little.  These are words I use in my classroom.  I read a book this summer that talked about young children not making connections with behavior and choices (good choices/ bad choices).  It was suggested in the book that you ask if their behavior was helpful or hurtful.  It has made a major impact in my class – no one wants to be hurtful.  I need to look at my journey in the same light.  Is what I am doing, not doing, eating, not eating – is it being helpful or hurtful to me?

 WOW! 

It is easy to say I made a bad choice – however, it is HARD to say I am being hurtful to myself.  From now on, I am going to look at my decisions based on – is it helpful or hurtful.  This is going to make me think a lot more about the choices I make. 

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

"This is the best thing I have ever eaten!" Daniel Kirkpatrick.

I have to agree - these are wonderful.  Glad I decided to make them into mini muffins.  These will be a great 2 pp+ snack when I need a chocolate fix.  Next time I may try dark chocolate cocoa. 

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
Serving Size:  1 muffin
Weight Watchers:
If using coconut oil or butter:  4 pp+
Using applesauce as a replacement for butter:  3 pp+
Mini Muffins:  2pp+ for one, 3 pp+ for two (using applesauce)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup melted cocunut oil or butter (applesause is a good replacement)
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (click link to a very easy recipe) I used Enjoy Life, semi sweet chocolate chips that I found at Kroger

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. Stir together dry ingredients.
3. Mix in coconut oil, milk and egg.
4. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Scoop into 9-12 paper lined muffin tins. (or 24 mini muffin tins)  
6. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes.  (15 for mini muffins)

You can also make this into a quick bread…just spread the batter into a buttered loaf pan and bake at 350° for 50 minutes! 

These are so good - I better stick to mini muffins - portion control.

From:  Heavenly Homemakers

Layered Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas

This is by far one of the easiest dishes to make.  Even Scott could do this one.  Everyone loved it and can easily be done at the last minute. 

Layered Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas

Servings: 8
Serving size: 1/8 of dish
Weight Watchers: 6 pp+ (if you dived into 6 = 9 pp+)

Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• sea salt to taste
• 2 cups salsa
• 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese divided I use white cheddar
• 8 whole wheat flour tortillas (or corn tortillas)  I used corn tortillas from Trader Joes

Directions

Add baby carrots, fresh fruit salad and corn
 for a wonderful 8 pp+ meal

1. Brown meat.
2. Stir in salsa and 1/2 cup of cheese.
3. Lay 4 tortillas in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish.
4. Spread half of meat mixture over tortillas.
5. Layer again with the 4 remaining tortillas.
6. Spread remaining meat mixture over tortillas.
7. Top with 1 1/2 cups cheese.
8. Bake uncovered at 350° for 20-25 minutes.
9. Freezing Instructions:
10. Cover dish well and freeze.
11. Thaw and bake as directed above.
12. Or, if the enchiladas are frozen, bake in a 250° oven for one hour, then at 350° for another 30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

Source: heavenlyhomemakers

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Fall is upon us!  With fall comes pumpkin foods.  Today I tried a new pumpkin muffin recipe that has chocolate chips in them.  I used Enjoy Life semi sweet chocolate chips.  They are fabulous and the ingredients are not scarry!  Not only that - I don't have to make them!  I got them at Kroger, but they are a little cheaper on Amazon - so I will buy them there from now on.  I will also watch for sales online and buy in bulk! 

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes 24
Serving size:  1 muffin
Weight Watchers:  4 pp+ per muffin

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour (I used white whole wheat)
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups pureed pumpkin (or one 16 ounce can)
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 cup chocolate chips (I prefer either homemade chocolate chips or soy free chocolate chips)

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, stir together all dry ingredients.
2. Add eggs, pumpkin and oil. Mix well.
3. Fold in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into 24 paper lined muffin cups. Bake in a 400° oven for 16-22 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown.

Adapted from:  Heavenly Homemakers

Dough Recipe

Can be used for poptarts, pigs in a blanket, pizza pockets!

Makes: 12 or 32 (depending on what you are making)
Serving size: 1
Weight Watchers:
if making 32 - 2 pp+
if making 12: - 5 pp+

Source: adapted from Heavenly Homemakers

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour I used white whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 cup plain yogurt (I used greek yogurt)
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce

Directions

1. Mix flour, salt, applesauce, butter and yogurt together.
2. Knead ingredients together on a floured countertop until the dough is ready to be rolled out.
3. Use a floured rolling pen to roll the dough to a 1/8 inch thickness.
4. Use a knife to cut the dough into 12 or 32 rectangles.
5. Add fillings (remember to add points for fillings

Healthier Pigs in a Blanket

Healthier “Pigs in a Blanket”

Makes 32

Serving size: 1Pig in a blanket

Weight Watchers Points: 2 pp+ plus hotdog and cheese, mine came out to be 3 pp+ each

I love the original recipe from Heavenly Homemakers. However, the Weight Watchers point value and total fat was WAY too much. I decided to adapt it. I like my adaption even better! The dough recipe can even be made into pizza pockets and pop tarts! YUMMM!!!

I made these with cheese this time, next time I probably won't. 

These warm up great as leftovers and can be frozen. (I’d bake them first before freezing, then pull them out and rewarm them in the oven for a few minutes.)

 

Source: Heavenly Homemakers

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour I used white whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 cup plain yogurt I used greek yogurt
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 16 beef hotdogs cut in half I buy Applegate Farm Beef Hotdogs from Azure Standard
• 32 small pieces of cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Mix flour, salt, applesauce, butter and yogurt together.
2. Knead ingredients together on a floured countertop until the dough is ready to be rolled out.
3. Use a floured rolling pen to roll the dough to a 1/8 inch thickness.
4. Use a knife to cut the dough into 32 rectangles.
5. Place one piece of cheese (if desired) and one hotdog half on each rectangle
6. Roll it up and place it on a well buttered baking dish.
7. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned.

 

Lemon Muffins

When I made these this morning, I made 12 instead of 20.  I did not read the recipe correctly.  If you make 12 - they are 4 pp+ each.  These rise more than I thought.  Making 20 of them will be the perfect size.

Clean Eating Lemon Muffins

Source: www.thegraciouspantry.com

 

Makes:  20 muffins

Serving Size:  1 muffin

Weight Watchers:  2 pp+

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3/4 cup non-fat milk (use only 1/2 cup if you are adding frozen fruit like blueberries) – Soy milk or almond milk works as well.
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 4 tbsp. fresh lemon zest
• 3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• Note: Remember. If you use fresh fruit don’t make any other adjustments. Just add the fruit. However, if you are using frozen fruit, reduce

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line your muffin tin with cupcake papers or spray the tin with an olive oil mister.
3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together your flour and baking soda.
4. In a large mixing bowl, blend the rest of the ingredients using a whisk.
5. Add the flour to the wet ingredients a little at a time, whisking as you go.
6. Pour into your muffin tin. Fill up the cups only half way.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
8. Note: Remember. If you use fresh fruit, don’t make any other adjustments. Just add the fruit. However, if you are using frozen fruit, reduce the milk by 1/4 cup.

Amount Per Serving

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