Yummy Weight Watcher Meals- try them!

Over the last week I've made some pretty tasty meals and I thought I'd share. 



Turkey Meatball Hero Sandwich

ingredients- I substituted 96% lean ground beef for the turkey though

cooking directions

here's what it should look like.  Made to recipe it's 9 points for each sandwich.  I made Mike's with a white italian Hoagie so that sandwich would have more points.

Italian Ice Grilled Fruit Dessert- enough for 4 people
Mango slices
peach halved and then sliced again for circles (not quarters)
martini glasses
1 cup of italian ice per person

put all fruit down on a grill pan (or outside I guess).  You can coat with a little vegetable oil to get nice marks without burning or drying fruit.  Flip once or twice depending on the color of the fruit.
Scoop italian ice into Martini glasses (you can use bowls but the glasses are prettier).
Each glasses gets 3-4 slices of mango and half a peach
You can make a mint simple syrup to drizzle as well.

Slower cooker Chicken and Rice- serves 7 (5.5 points for a serving)
7 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 3-4 oz each)
2 cans of 98% fat free cream of chicken
1 can of 98% fat free cream of mushroom
1 1/2 cups of brown or wild rice (your choice)
2 large green bell peppers- rough chop
2 cups of low sodium fat free chicken broth or stock
three garlic cloves
1/2 yellow or sweet onion

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil (a tiny amount- a tsp will coat the pan)  Season with salt and pepper (the key to flavor in this dish or rather bland flavors is to season every single layer before they are added)
Only saute until onions are soft.

In a bowl combine, soups, 1 cups of broth, bell peppers and season with salt and pepper
Add onions and garlic and mix.  Last add the rice to the mix and stir.

Trim all excess fat from chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper.  Layer the chicken breasts in the bottom of your slow cooker.  Pour soup and pepper mixture over the top.  Add 1/2 cup of broth and gently mix enough to get the mixture under the chicken.

Set to low for 8 hours or high for 4-6 depending on your slow cooker.  Leave it alone without opening, stirring etc for the first 4 to 5 hours (for low) or 3 hours (for high).  At this point, if the rice has absorbed all liquid, add the last 1/2 cup of broth (or more or less depending on the moisture in your cooker).

Before serving cover with crispy onion stings (adds more points) or chopped scallions (no points)

Smell is the strongest link to memory

I was making breakfast for Mike and I the other morning (Wheat and Honey pancakes, 2 tbsp of lite syrup and 2 pieces of Turkey bacon- 3.5 points) and I my senses were assailed with familiar memories of my grandfather.  For anyone who knew my grandfather, they would agree that he was a man of purpose and accomplishment.  He worked harder than anyone I know and could build something out of nothing without blinking twice.  I can attribute so many of my happy childhood memories to him.  He had this way about him when he cooked breakfast.  "Get out of my kitchen" he would tell us (grandkids).  In one breakfast he would fix bacon, sausage, eggs, flapjacks, biscuits and gravy (especially those) and it all simmered in the leftover bacon grease that lived in the cast iron skillet that was older than me.  Well, when I made breakfast for Mike and me the other morning, I felt like I was back in his kitchen, waiting patiently for breakfast (well, let's not kid- I'm rarely patient). 

Here are a few pictures to capture some moments we spent together:

 Who knows what we were pointing to

That's my teething ring on my head

Every year we carved pumpkins together

The glare is from the sheet protector

It was a sweet memory that came back to me Wednesday morning. 

Marvin the Fawn Pig goes to the vet

Doesn't that just sound like the name of funny kid's book?  Today I took Roxie and Norman to the vet for some vaccines and blood work (nothing's wrong- we assume) and good old fashioned check ups.  Even though we live in the North Valley, we take our pets to Camelwest Animal Hospital in the west valley.  My friend Ryan who I went to college with is my vet there.  Can I just say it's still strange to call him Dr. Ainsworth. 
Anyway, the drive is well worth it because they are just wonderful with my strange pets.  I highly recommend!

Anyway, I captured a few highlights from our visit today

Right after his blood work.  I call this his elvis look because his lip gets stuck in his tooth.

And this is Roxie...she did really well but was scared so she hid behind and under things

she has the annoyed look down really well

Poor little thing.  She wasn't even yelling at me 

All's well that ends well though