Brunch Casserole

Okay, so I took one of my Grandma Hensley's recipes (one of my favorites) and lightened it up a bit. I can't tell you the calories or fat, but I lowered it from 7 WW points a serving to 4 WW points a serving, almost cut in half. The best part...it tastes EXACTLY the same. You will love this if you make it! Here is the recipe.

Grandma's Brunch Casserole

Servings: 12 WW Points: 4

6 slices of fresh bread (I used white sandwich bread)
1 lb. sausage (Here is where I made a change, I used light sausage, it's about half the fat and calories)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used 2% cheese, but I did increase to 1 1/2 cups. I looove cheese)
4 eggs (another change, I used 1 cup of Egg Beaters)
2 cups milk (I used 1%, I bet Skim would taste no different)
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt

Brown and drain sausage. Layer in casserole dish bread (pinched in pieces), cheese, and sausage. Mix eggs, dry mustard, salt, and milk. Pour over casserole and let sit overnight (or all day while at work). Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

That's it! It's SUPER easy and SUPER tasty!!! I could not tell a difference in the full fat version verses the lighter version and neither could Joe. I made some blueberry muffins and was going to make a fruit salad, but the strawberries were so yummy, we just had strawberries.

My Inspiration

Okay, so as we all know Weight Watchers, or any weight loss program for that matter, is a journey. It is a lifestyle change as we have heard a million times. I don't think I truly grasped that until recently. I have struggled with my weight on and off all my life. I have lost and gained so many times, it's not even funny. I have tried this diet and that hoping to find the magic bullet, but of course nothing seemed to work. Then one day out of the blue, I realized I had found the magic bullet, well mine anyway. Was it simply the Weight Watchers program? Well no, not exactly, but that was part of it. It really came down to making up my mind to change. I wish there really was some pill that I could pop that would make me lose everything I need to overnight, but since there isn't, I guess this will do! And you know what? Half the fun of getting to your goal is the journey! When you try on that skirt or top that hasn't fit in ages...what a feeling!!! There really isn't one like it! And, yes, I am biased to Weight Watchers, but when you get recognized in the meeting for some goal you have achieved, that is also such a wonderful feeling.
And while those are definitely great, I have to say my true inspiration lies in the people that are helping me get there. I want to tell you about five people that are my true inspiration, those that encourage me and cheer me on. It's hard really to just choose five people, because I have been blessed with so many wonderful friends, but these five are the heart of my weight loss. Yes, I am doing this for ME and no one else, but I don't know what I would do without these very special ladies God has put in my life. Here we go!

JULIE - MY WEIGHT WATCHERS LEADER

Oh my goodness, what would I do without this lady? She is such an inspiration, I cannot even begin to tell you how much! She is full of energy, a positive attitude, and makes the meetings loads of fun. Plus every week we get a colorful (I love color!!!) email that has tips, recipes, etc. I remember when I was down about my weight loss she made a statement I will never forget! She said, "You may not believe in yourself right now, so I am going to believe for you!" That meant the world to me! I needed her to believe in me until I could believe in myself and I know she really did! Now, even if I have a bad week, I know I'm not going to quit! This is who I am now and I am not looking back! Julie is one of the main reasons I feel this way today! Thanks so much Julie!!!

MY

AUNT MARY - ONE OF MY BIGGEST CHEERLEADERS

This lady can do anything she sets her mind to! When she wants to change something, she does it! She is full of inspiration! The reason I call her one of my biggest cheerleaders is because she truly is! She is constantly leaving encouraging messages on my Facebook page or simply just saying, "Way to go!". I love her dearly and I am thankful she is in my life. I know she is behind me 200% and that means the world to me and then some!

JACKIE - SPEAKER OF ENCOURAGEMENT
Jackie is one of those people I know God placed in my life for a reason. I don't know if I have ever met anyone with more faith or a more positive attitude. She has a gift from God and that is speaking words of encouragement. You haven't heard someone pray until you have heard Jackie pray. Her prayers are just so sincere and heartfelt. She is also doing Weight Watchers and has lost around 40 lbs! She looks great, inside and out, and I honestly don't know what I would do without her in my life!

JENNIFER - MY OTHER HALF...MY SISTER FROM ANOTHER MISTER...MY HEART...MY VERY, VERY BEST FRIEND, ETC.

This girl is the other half of me, I think we were separated at birth...yep, I'm sure of it. She has my heart! I don't know where I would be without her for sure! She knows every detail of my life and loves me despite of it! I can laugh and cry with this girl...all at the same time. She is also on Weight Watchers and doing excellent!!! She has lost around 30 lbs. and I am so proud I could bust! She is one of the main reasons I joined Weight Watchers again! I love her, I love her, I love her!!!

And last but certainly not least (you know they say you save the best for last!)...

MY MOM - MY OTHER VERY BEST FRIEND, MY BIGGEST SUPPORTER

Words cannot begin to describe how much she means to me! I love my mom more than I can even say. She has always been my biggest supporter. She also knows every detail of my life and has seen my through highs and lows, good times and bad. My mom holds my hand through everything I do. I wouldn't be the person I am today without her. I'm not perfect, but I think I owe pretty much all my good traits to her. My mom is also a Weight Watchers member, and although she did have a little bit to lose (and I mean just a little bit) she joined Weight Watchers. Yes, I know she joined to drop a few pounds, but more than anything, she joined to support me. That's just the kind of mom she is! I love her more than words could ever say!

So, I know this was a very long post and I am sorry for that, but I think these ladies deserve some recognition! I want them to all know just how much they mean to me. And when I finally get to my goal weight, I know I will have them standing beside me cheering their heads off!

Subway, Eat Fresh...Even For Breakfast?

Yep, Subway is doing breakfast proud! I visited my local Subway Wednesday (I go there every Wednesday...they know what I want when I walk in! How sad is that??? Haha) and the girl who usually makes my sandwich tells me they have breakfast now. "Very cool," I think to myself, but wonder if it's actually any good? As if she read my mind (Subway girls are good at that) she told me she had tried it and really liked it. Sooo, last Friday I was leaving work (I work 11 p.m. - 7 a.m.), had a few WW points left, and decided to go and try their breakfast. The only thing she told me was not to get it on regular bread (she said it wasn't any good) , but to try it on the flat bread. Okay, no problem! I looked up the nutritional info and found the English muffin breakfast sandwich was by far the lowest in calories and fat (and as we know, that translates into low WW points! Woo-hoo!) so I decided to try one. Let me break it down for you, there are several English muffin sandwiches to choose from...of course, it is Subway, so I'm sure the options are endless. Here are four different ones that are fairly low in points:

Black Forest Ham, Egg White, and Cheese Muffin Melt: Calories 160 Fat 4 Fiber 5 = 2 WW points

Black Forest Ham, Egg, and Cheese Muffin Melt: Calories 180 Fat 7 Fiber 5 = 3 WW points

Double Bacon, Egg White, and Cheese Muffin Melt: Calories 190 Fat 7 Fiber 5 = 4 WW points

Double Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Muffin Melt: Calories 220 Fat 10 Fiber 5 = 4 WW points

Now, don't be fooled into thinking it's all low-fat, low-calories. If you get the same ingredients on a 6" sub, you can end up spending over twice the calories and fat! For example, the 6" Double Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Omelet Sandwich has a whopping 520 calories and 25 grams of fat (12 WW points!!! Yikes!) As always, make sure and know what you are getting ahead of time, better to plan ahead then to be sorry later!

Soooo, how does the sandwich actually taste? Surprisingly very good! The English muffin had kind of a weird smell to it, but it was still very tasty. And of course for you veggie lovers out there, you can add point free items such as peppers and tomatoes. I enjoyed it and would give it 4 out of 5 stars if I had some kind of fancy rating system (how do you get one of those anyway?). Haha!

Okay, well I hope this helps someone make a smarter breakfast decision. Next time I will be brave and try the Egg White Muffin Melt. I mean come on, breakfast for 2 points??? You can't beat that with a stick! :)

5K Love

I have recently discovered something about myself...I love to walk. Now this is quite a revelation! I have hated exercise for so long, that I was afraid to really get out there and try it. A few weeks ago I attended the A2A Marathon/Half Marathon/5K in Ardmore (http://www.a2amarathon.com/) and did the 5K with my sisters. I was scared to death I wouldn't be able to finish it. I mean I walk on the treadmill, but that is so boring I'm always ready to jump off. Well, I finished it and was thrilled! What a rush! I couldn't wait until my next one! The next three days however, I was so very sore! I scheduled my next 5K for May 8th and thought I would have plenty of time to get ready. Then last weekend I was in a local pizza place and noticed a sign for a 5K walk for MS and decided I wanted to do that as well. The problem was it was only a week away. I decided to do it anyway. I started walking in my neighborhood and walked about a mile...and the next day, I walked two. I then decided to throw it all in and walk the track around LaFortune Park (which is exactly the length of a 5K, 3.1 miles) on Thursday morning. I did that too with no problem (Woohoo!!)! The very best part, I haven't been sore all week. So when I woke up yesterday, I was ready for my second official 5K. The weather was perfect, the course was beautiful (lots of gorgeous homes and azaleas everywhere!). There were even several hills and I walked up them with no problem. I wasn't thinking, "When will this torture end???" like in the past, I just listened to my music and took in the scenery. I was actually a little disappointed when it was over. I grabbed my finishers medal at the end and couldn't help but smile. Yes, a new love had been born! I may never run a marathon (who am I kidding, I will NEVER run a marathon, haha!) or even run a 5K, although that is a goal, but walking is something I can and will do! Trust me, I never thought I would actually like exercise! If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone!

Blonde Chili

Okay, so I got a recipe from my mother a couple of weeks ago that she got from a friend. I can't believe I waited so long to make it! This has to be one of the best recipes I have tried! This is truly DELICIOUS! I promise, you will want to try this. It kind of tastes like Chicken Tortilla Soup. Mmmmmmm, it's good. And as always, I have figured out the Weight Watchers Points! :) Here it is:

Blonde Chili

WW Points: 5 per 1c. serving

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 ½ lbs. cooked chicken, cut up
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cans (16 oz each) Great Northern beans, undrained
1 can (14.5 oz) chicken broth
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies, undrained
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder

Monterey Jack Cheese
Tortilla Chips

To start, boil the chicken until thoroughly cooked. Chop and set aside. I used my handy-dandy chopper from Pampered Chef. That thing ROCKS! I also used it for the onion. In soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Heat chicken in oil with salt and pepper. Add onion and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes or until the onion is tender. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 50-60 minutes or until chili thickens. Serve with Jack cheese and Tortilla Chips.


I was able to get 7 - 1 cup servings out of this. That makes it 5 (FIVE!!! Woo-hoo!) WW points per serving! :)

Cheese and chips are, of course, extra. If you don't like baked chips or low-fat cheese, this is the time to try them because you crumble them in your chili (or I do anyway). I used Baked Tostitos Scoops and low-fat Colby Jack Cheese. Baked Tostitos are yummy if you haven't tried them! :)

Fresh Start

I have decided to redo my blog completely and focus on healthy eating (i.e. recipes, product reviews, etc.) and fitness. I am changing me and I want to help others do the same. So, hopefully this will become a place where people can do that. Now, I actually have to get on here and BLOG, I didn't do so well the last time. I think this is much more exciting to me, so here we go! :)