WW Asparagus Risotto

Keeping with my comfort food theme… I found this recipe on the Weight Watchers site and decided to give it a try last night. It is absolutely DELICIOUS and makes a great side item or small meal for lunch. You can also add in chicken or shrimp to make it a more complete meal for dinner.

Asparagus Risotto


*5 PP per serving

½ tsp table salt

1 lb. asparagus (cut into short bite-size pieces)

Cooking spray

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 small shallots

I cup Arborio rice uncooked (regular rice works too)

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

4 cups of canned chicken broth

1/3 cup parmesan cheese (grated)

Salt & Pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Add asparagus to pot; blanch for 2 minutes. Immediately remove asparagus from pot and place them into ice water (to stop them from cooking and help retain their bright green color); set aside.

Coat a medium pot with cooking spray and set over medium heat; melt butter. Add shallots; cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add rice and toss to coat; cook for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice; cook, until all lemon juice has been absorbed, stirring continuously so rice does not stick to sides of pot, about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, bring broth to a simmer; keep warm.

Add 1/2 cup of hot broth to pot at a time; stir until absorbed. Repeat with remaining broth, making sure each addition of broth is absorbed before adding more. This process takes about 20 minutes.

When rice turns creamy and just done (should be slightly chewy and not mushy), remove pot from heat; add cheese and stir well. Stir in asparagus; season with salt and pepper. Yields 1 scant cup per serving.

Enjoy!

Goal of the Week: Measuring & Portion Control

I’ve decided to include a special weekly update in my “new” blog (Thank you Anna H). Each week I will focus on a new goal and/or challenge and I’m hoping that it will not only hold me accountable, but maybe inspire a reader or Weight Watcher!

With that said this week’s challenge/goal is to have some portion control with my meals and actually measure out how much I’m eating. Not a big deal for a lot of people, but it’s honestly my biggest struggle. It seems like my will power goes right out the window when dinner time rolls around. The worst part is, I know it’s the reason why I’m not losing on the scale, yet I continue to eat MOUNDS of food anyways! But I have found that actually measuring out my portions and only cooking enough to fulfill those portion amounts can be very helpful. For example, measuring out your pasta and ONLY cooking that exact amount (as oppose to cooking the entire box and “eye balling” your portions, guilty on multiple occasions). I was shocked/amazed/depressed over how poor my “eyeballing” skills really are. Apparently 1 cup in my mind is about 2-3 in real life… fail. So this week (or at least what’s left of it before weight in on Monday) I am challenging myself to literally measure out EVERYTHING and stop the “eye balling”. I’m making measuring cups my new best friend and sticking to the plan 100%



A few tips & tricks to keep in mind to keep on track…

*Set utensils down between bites.

*Don't leave leftovers in plain sight, it makes going back for leftovers that much more tempting.

*Snack throughout the day (nuts, fruits, etc.) so that you wont be out of control hungry by dinner time.
*Eat off smaller plates.

*Pre-portion the more tempting treats.

*Drinks lots and lots of water, before and after meals.

*Make sure you're filling up on the right foods (proteins, fiber-rich, etc).

*Visit HERE for a VERY cool interactive portion control plate with wallet and fridge size portion guides!

Wish me luck!

A Comfort Food Time of Year

Fall is my absolute FAVORITE time of year. I love everything from the fall colors, tall boots, football, tailgating, leaves changing, sweaters, and COMFORT FOOD. This past weekend I finally got a chance to satisfy my fall cravings when Charleston’s temps actually dropped below 70 with an added bonus of no humidity! I found this to be the perfect opportunity to make my favorite chili! It’s a super simple and lightened up version that packs a lot of flavor and lasts forever. So if you’re a fall foodie like me, you may want to give it a try!

Weight Watchers Friendly Chili
*About 5 PPs per serving
Amounts can be easily adjusted according to how much you want to make.

1.5lb. lean ground beef (93% lean or ground turkey)

2 Cans of Kidney Beans

1 Can of Garbanzo beans

1 Large can of petite diced tomatoes

1-2 Packets of Dry Chili Seasoning

1-2 Tbsp Cumin

½ tsp chili powder

1 large can tomato puree

1 Large Vidalia Onion

2Tbsp Garlic

1 Cup Sliced Mushrooms


1. In a skillet, brown and drain your meat. Add onion, mushrooms, salt/pepper and stir frequently until onions and mushrooms are slightly cooked down.

2. In a large pot, combine the diced tomatoes and puree and mix. Then add your meat mixture to the pot. Depending on your preference of consistently, you can add water at this step if you think it’s too thick.

3. Add all of your garlic and seasoning and stir entire pot until well blended. Cover and simmer for at least 1 hour before eating.

*This goes great on top of whole wheat pasta or with a dollop of fat-free/part-skim ricotta cheese. Enjoy!

A New Direction

So in order to keep my poor little blog alive, I’ve decided to switch gears and take things in a new direction. My last attempt with “adventures in chucktown” was okay, but the truth is I don’t have that many adventures specifically related to chucktown. Something that I DO have a lot of adventures with, is the battle of the bulge. So yes, this will be another one of “those” weight loss blogs but I’m hoping that it can just maybe be the slightest bit helpful to anyone going through the same trials and tribulations of losing weight. It will mostly revolve around the Weight Watchers Points Plus plan but will also have fun tips, recipes, victories and new ideas!


So without further ado, (I’m already anxious/excited to get started) a little background story to bring things up to date…



Ever since I was a kid, I've always been bigger than all of my peers, had to shop at the "big girl" stores, and dreaded swimsuit season. I feel as though i have basically run the gauntlet when it comes to dieting, from crash diets to pills, shakes, bars, no carbs, etc. I've just about tried them all with little to no success. Until I started Weight Watchers (ahhhh shining golden beams of light), I had never realized that it IS possible to eat and live like a real person while still losing weight. It has opened my eyes so much more to the importance of balance and simply making better choices about what I put in my body. And I am now at the point where I only have the last 20lbs to go before reaching my ultimate goal weight (which i have never met in my adult life)! Good news right? Well, not exactly. Those last several pounds can be the most difficult to lose, especially when you have a post 25 year old metabolism (yea, no one ever warned me about that one, thanks a lot mother nature.) But I am bound and determined to do it this time and I am confident that Weight Watchers is going to get me there!



So here goes (for the millionth time), stay tuned for all things weight loss and the journey to a smaller me!

I'm Still Here...

Don’t worry, I haven’t abandoned the blog again… I’ve just had a very busy (for lack of a better term) schedule this summer. Everything from puppy getting bit by a snake, my mom’s birthday celebration, off and on studying for my state property manager license exam, doggie seizure meds, to joining weight watchers. Needless to say, it’s been a little crazy. So in true Katee fashion, I have put together a random mini recap to get things up to speed and back on track. Here goes!


The Pups


I must say, we have become all too familiar with the Vet’s office these past two months. The first incident was Halsey getting bit by a snake in the backyard which led us to our first experience at the Emergency animal clinic. Thankfully we got him there in time for there to be no major complications, just a very expensive bill and a crazy hair cut for the little guy (which is still growing back). Then our latest experience with Jackson (my child) which turned out to be a potential case of canine epilepsy. I swear these boys are determined to give us gray hair and empty wallets, but I suppose they are worth it.

Backyard Overhaul


One of our biggest accomplishments this summer was cleaning up the backyard. It was quite a feat, but we did it with the help of Scott’s mom and good friend, Chris (who came down for a golf tourney). Between the 4 of us, we were able to tackle 2 years worth of piled leaves, construct a compost pile, start a little veggie garden, and plant some beautiful flowers under the Oak tree. It’s like a whole new backyard!



Before




After



Compost



mini garden



Flowers!

Happy Bday to My Mommy


Last month I had the privilege of hosting my mom’s birthday party here in Charleston. I even got to surprise her with one of her oldest and dearest friends that was able to join us for the bday dinner. It was a short visit but we enjoyed every minute together.

The Test


After months of procrastination, I finally applied with the SC Real Estate Commission to take my State Exam! I have been approved and am now waiting to find out/decide when im going to take THE TEST… dun dun dun.

Weight Watchers




After my first month of going to the gym, I made a big decision to also invest in my diet by joining Weight Watchers. I must say that after 1 full month and 9lbs down, it’s been totally worth the money. It allows me to still eat like a normal person yet lose weight on a consistent and HEALTHY basis. It has completely opened my eyes to how simple it is to make better choices and made me so much more aware of what I put in my body. I seriously recommend the program to anyone wanting to lose more than just a few pounds, it is truly life changing and it works!



WW Friendly Pizza!



Reading back though this, it doesn’t seem like that much going on. But it sure has felt like it! It does remind me that I have a lot to be thankful for. The pups seem to be back to normal, my health (and self esteem) is improving, and I’m embracing the new “hats” of gardener, student, special needs dog mom, health nut, and hostess. Overall, it has been a very good summer and I can’t wait to see what the tail end has in store for us!

I'm shrinking!

Just a quick weight loss update:


Thanks to my new gym, I have officially lost 3lbs!
So… not that great, HOWEVER I have also lost…

3 inches from my waist

1 inch off my arms

2 inches from my abs

.5 from my thighs

.5 from my calves

And lost 1% body fat

Not bad for my first month of working out!

And for the record, Zumba really DOES work!

Mail is gold

I wanted to share this post because I think we all forget how truly important it is to support our troops. This past Friday marked the 1 year anniversary of the death of my dear friend Adam Puckett. It was such a reminder as to why our soldiers need our constant encouragement, while in battle as well as at home. With that said, I have been inspired to take action by sending care packages to my friend Kevin’s battalion (currently in Afghanistan). Care packages, as simple as they seem, mean the world to our troops. As Kevin says, “Mail is gold”. Whether it’s a box of magazines, socks, pictures, or candy, these items make all the difference in the world and remind our soldiers that we CARE.


I encourage anyone who reads this to consider sending one of these tokens of appreciation. Even if you don’t personally know who receives it, you’re making a difference and bringing a smile from home to a far away soldier.

Here is the information to get you started!

The recommended box to use is the Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat Rate Box from USPS. More information and details can be found HERE
 
Recommended items to send

Personal Care Items
Baby Wipes
Socks
Chapstick/Blistex
Foot Powder
Batteries (AAA, AA, C)
Eye Drops
Tissues (pocket size)
Vaseline
Gift Items
Bibles (pocket size)
Puzzle Books
New Magazines
Travel Games
Paperback Books
Playing Cards
Candy
Hard Candy
Lifesavers
Gum
Snack Items
(pocket-sized snacks)
Crackers
Sunflower Seeds
Cookies
Trail Mix
Beef Jerky
Slim Jims
Snack Bars - any type Pop Tarts
Cards
*Buy a box of cards and write a short personal note of thanks to our troops
*Write personal letters to be included in our packages
*Make handmade cards.


After picking out your items and making sure they fit, it is recommended that you complete the final steps at the post office to make sure everything is packed and addressed according to the guidelines. Keep in mind that all boxes going overseas to our military will need a customs form. These forms can be picked up at the USPS or ordered online at their website. They are free. You can usually find a postal clerk that will be able to help you fill the form out properly if you have any questions.


If you would like to join me in sending care packages to Kevin’s Battalion, please contact me via email for the full address and a Marine’s name. I assure you that your gift will be greatly appreciated and make a difference in a soldier's life.

Lexington People Click Here for information on getting involved with Military Missions  

To Read Adam’s Story, click HERE