Celebrate Good Times Come On

I don't know if any of you remember this song title sung by Cool and The Gang. Thought this would be my theme song for this week and I would share it with all of you. If your lucky I will sing it to you at the Thursday meeting or maybe not. :)

I was going to share the trials and tribulations that I have been struggling with these last two weeks. After the meeting this morning I decided to celebrate how far I've come. It's so easy for me to forget that I have lost over 75 lbs. in the last two years. It's  so easy to fall back into old habits and not focus on all the new habits that have ingrained their selves into my everyday life. I want to celebrate with all of you the habits that have gotten me to where I am today. I always eat breakfast. I have learned if I don't my whole day is upside down. My kitchen always has fresh fruits and veggies in it now. I wouldn't think of not going to my WW meetings on Thursday morning. Thursday is the most important day of my week. With the support of Frankie walking with me and encouraging me to join Curves, exercise has become a healthy habit I look forward to everyday. I take a snack with me most days I'm going to be out of the house because without one it's to tempting to go for the easy access (drive- thru). There are so many more new habits I do without even thinking about them that they are just a part of my life now. These are just a few of the healthy habits that have become part of my everyday life since joining WW.

 

Journaling, Eating in front of the TV, Night time binge eating and stress eating (happy, sad, mad, glad) are just a few of the challenges I need to still work on. I've grown so much thorough out this journey  and I'm so proud of how far I've come but I know I will continue to struggle with issues that come up, I also know that they will someday not control me. Sometimes I will make the right choice sometimes I won't but that's ok too. Today I feel strong and in control of my journey and there for I celebrate the successes and look forward to everyday as the new day it is. 

Now on to all the recipes I have to share. Last week I picked out two recipes from WW e-tools. They weren't what I would call my favorites but they weren't awful either. All I can say is everyones tastes are different and they are worth a try. I'm also sharing some candy recipes that Jean shared  ( with samples) in the 8 am meeting. There is also one that I got over Thanksgiving from the Chico meeting I attended. Please let me know if you try any of these and what you think. It's always good to get another perspective on a recipe.

The recipes I tried this week:


Pork Chop Dinner with Apple-Cider Sauce
     Roger, Frankie and I liked this recipe. It will be put in my make occasionally file.

	1 pound(s) uncooked red potato(es), baby-size 3/4 pound(s) uncooked cabbage (all varieties), savoy variety, cut into 3- to 4-inch-wide wedges 2 tsp canola oil 1 pound(s) uncooked lean boneless pork chop(s), four 4 oz chops 2 1/2 Tbsp dill, fresh, chopped, divided (plus extra for garnish) 3/4 tsp table salt, divided 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, divided 1 medium fresh apple(s), Gala suggested, cored and cut into 12 wedges 1 1/4 cup(s) canned, chicken broth 1/2 cup(s) apple cider 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1/4 cup(s) uncooked scallion(s), sliced 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard Instructions Fill a large, deep skillet with a small amount of water; set a steamer basket on top and bring to a boil. Steam potatoes until almost tender, about 6 minutes. Add cabbage wedges and steam until potatoes and cabbage are both tender, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Drain and remove potatoes and cabbage to a serving platter; cover to keep warm. Drain and carefully dry skillet. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with 1 tablespoon dill, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; gently press to adhere seasonings to pork. Add pork to skillet and cook, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes; remove to serving platter. Add apples to skillet; sauté 1 minute. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together broth, cider, flour and remaining 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Add broth mixture to skillet and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Stir in scallions; simmer until sauce is slightly thickened and apples are tender, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; whisk in mustard and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons dill. Lift apples with a slotted spoon onto platter; spoon sauce over top and garnish with remaining chopped dill or dill sprigs. Yields about 1 pork chop, 3 potatoes, 1 cabbage wedge, 3 apple slices and 1/4 cup sauce per serving. Notes Savoy cabbage is a more tender and looser leaf cabbage than regular green cabbage. If you use green cabbage just increase the steaming time by a few minutes. If you can’t find baby red potatoes, simply cut 1 pound of red potatoes into 12 chunks.
	Lemon Chicken with Broccoli
	This recipe was pretty bland. I added some low sodium soy sauce and cilantro to mine. Frankie said she added some Parmesan cheese. I served it over rice noodles. If I make it again I will serve it over brown rice.
	2 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1/2 tsp table salt, divided 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground 12 oz uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s), thinly sliced 2 tsp olive oil 1 1/2 cup(s) fat-free, reduced sodium, chicken broth, divided 2 tsp minced garlic 2 1/2 cup(s) uncooked broccoli, small florets 2 tsp lemon zest, or more to taste* 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, fresh, chopped 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice Instructions On a plate, combine 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper; add chicken and turn to coat. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes; remove to a plate. Put 1 cup of broth and garlic in same skillet; bring to a boil over high heat, scrapping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Add broccoli; cover and cook 1 minute. In a small cup, stir together remaining 1/2 cup of broth, 1/2 tablespoon of flour and 1/4 teaspoon of salt; add to skillet and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cover and cook until broccoli is crisp-tender and sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in chicken and lemon zest; heat through. Remove skillet from heat and stir in parsley and lemon juice; toss to coat. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Jean's recipes:

KAHLUA FUDGE

Depending on how small you cut your pieces these are anywhere from 4 to 7 points plus

1tsp plus 1/4 cup butter
24oz white chocolate
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup chopped nuts (almond or pecans)
1/2 cup Kahlua
Line 9 inch square pan with foil butter with the 1tsp
In double boiler melt chocolate stir constantly add milk, 1/4 cup butter stir until smooth remove from heat stir in nuts and Kahlua ...pour into pan ,cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours till firm ENJOY

                                          ALMOND JOY CANDY = 2 Points Plus
1/2 cup slivered almonds
8oz cream cheese softened
1 lb powder sugar
14 oz coconut
1tsp vanilla
Mix all together shape into small balls( or any size you want) Refrigerate at least 1 hour or more
Melt 12oz chocolate chips and 2 oz paraffin in double boiler dip balls one at a time in chocolate place on wax paper or parchment paper to cool.

The Recipe I got from the Chico meeting:

Cranberry Holiday Salad

1envelope (four servings) cherry-jello
2 Cups boiling water
1 cup cold water
3 small apples, cored and quartered
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (if frozen thaw after measuring)
1 small orange,peeled and sectioned
1 cup each canned crushed pineapple (no sugar added) and chopped celery
Granulated low-calorie sweetener to equal 2 teaspoons sugar

In medium heat proof bowl sprinkle jello over boiling water and stir until dissolved: stir in cold water and set aside.

In work bowl of food processor combine apples, cranberries, and orange sections and process until finely chopped ( do not puree);
add to dissolved jello, Stir in pineapple, celery, and sweetener and pour into 13x9x2 inch pan. Cover and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours.

Makes 8 serving = 0 Points Plus

I hope all of you have a wonderful week. Thought this was a great inspiration piece. I have put it on my computer as my wallpaper.