A pretty good year

What I'm doing...24 points total.

Black bean soup (panera): 1.5 points
1/2 Tuscan Chicken sandwich (panera): 8 points
Diet coke: 0 points
Oatmeal (3) with walnuts (5) and brown sugar (2): 10 points
Veggie quesadilla: 6? points
1/2 glass of Honig Sav Blanc: 1.5 pt.
2 creme fraiche and caviar thingies, left over from a catering: ???
Gin & tonic: 3 points.

30 total, plus the mystery appetizer.

Am thinking of joining a gym. Eep.

192.6

I haven't really been tracking. Just finished work & am going back to school on Monday, so hopefully can start tracking for real.


194.6/192.6/175 (10% goal)

Modified from a recipe found on epicurious.com

TORTILLA PIE

1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed – 3 pt.
1 (10-oz) package frozen corn kernels, thawed – 5 pt.
1 cup mild tomato salsa – 0 pt.
1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce – 0 pt.
3 oz pepper Jack cheese, coarsely grated (1 cup) – 9 pt.
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro – 0 pt.
2 scallions, thinly sliced – 0 pt.
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin – 0 pt.
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas (burrito-size) – 12 pt.
1 tablespoon olive oil – 3 pt.

Accompaniment: sour cream

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.

Stir together beans, corn, salsa, tomato sauce, cheese, cilantro, scallions, and cumin in a large bowl.

Put 1 tortilla in a well-oiled 15- by 10-inch shallow baking pan, then spread with 1 1/3 cups of filling. Repeat layering twice, then top with remaining tortilla, gently pressing to help layers adhere.

Bake until filling is heated through, about 12 minutes. Transfer with a large metal spatula to a platter, then cut pie into wedges with a serrated knife.

Makes 4 main-course servings; 32 points total, so 8 pts each.

Some shredded chicken would be good added to this; make sure you add points if you do though!

What I'm doing...

Ok. Need to get back into things. Can't count today because I had cake at a wedding shower (silly) but will be counting tomorrow.

25 points total. Starting at 194.6 - goal 140.

From epicurious.com.

CURRIED POTATO, SPINACH AND GARBANZO BEAN SOUP

1 15 1/2-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained - 3 pt.
2 tablespoons olive oil - 4 pt.
1 cup coarsely chopped onion - 0 pt.
2 1/2 teaspoons curry powder - 0 pt.
1/2 pound small red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes - 6 pt.
1 14 1/2-ounce can vegetable broth - 0 pt.
1/2 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk - 7 pt.
1 cup (packed) baby spinach leaves (about 1 1/2 ounces) - 0 pt.

Transfer 1/3 cup garbanzo beans to small plate. Using fork, mash beans to paste.

Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Add curry powder; stir 10 seconds. Add potatoes and stir to coat. Add broth, coconut milk, whole garbanzo beans and mashed garbanzo beans. Bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until potatoes are tender, about 18 minutes. Add spinach; stir until spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

20 points total, + rice for serving. Makes 6 servings.

I have not been so good.

Curt went out of town, so there has been a lot of pizza.

He'll be back this evening, thank god.

What I'm doing...

Coffee/w: 1 pt.
Oatmeal: 2 pt.
Leftover chili: 6 pt.
2 cheese quesadillas: 9 pt.
Grilled tilapia with citrus glaze: 6 pt.
Gin & tonic: 3 pt.

27 points total.

23/35 flex points used up.

What I'm doing...24 points total.

Coffee/w: 1 pt.
Berry oatmeal: 2 pt.
Quesadilla: 5 pt.
BLT wrap: 5 pt.
Turkey & black bean chili: 6 pt.
Miller light: 2 pt.
Black & tan: 3 pt.

24 points total.

Chili is this recipe, with 1 lb of ground turkey (16 pt.) added. And chipotles in adobo instead of the canned chilis.

What I'm doing...24 points total.

Coffee/w: 1 pt.
Oatmeal w/brown sugar: 3 pt.
Big green salad with low fat dressing: 2 pt.
BLT Wrap: 5 pt.
Yakitori: 6 pt.
Rice: 4 pt.
Grilled asparagus: 2 pt.
Some cheapo wine: 6 pt.

29 points total.

BLT wrap is turkey bacon (2 pt.), one tortilla (3 pt.), lettuce (0 pt.), ff mayo (0 pt.), and halved grape tomatos (0 pt.). Tasty.

20/35 flex points used up.

Modified from Bobby Flay's recipe in Food & Wine Magazine, May 2006.

1.5 TB smoked paprika - 0 pt.
1/2 TB chile powder (we use cayenne & chipotle, the recipe recommends ancho) - 0 pt.
1 TB light brown sugar - 1 pt.
1 tsp ground cumin - 0 pt.
1 tsp kosher salt - 0 pt.
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper - 0 pt.
8 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped - 0 pt.
2 lbs shrimp, shelled & deveined (not technicallly peel & eat, because nothing to peel. But I hate peel & eat shrimp because they are goddamn messy.) - 16 pt.
2 TB vegetable oil - 6 pt.
1 TB unsalted butter - 3 pt.
4 scallions, thinly sliced - 0 pt.

Combine paprika, chile powder, sugar, cumin, salt, pepper and garlic in a bowl. Toss the shrimp in to coat in spices.

Heat the oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add shrimp and cook until done throughout, about 4 minutes. Add the butter and scallions to finish the sauce, and serve.

Serves 4 to 6 - 26 points total. 6.5 points each for 4 servings; 4.5 points each for six servings.

We'll serve this with some cheddar/scallion polenta (not quite grits but sort of grit-ish) and roasted asparagus. Yum.

From Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker, with some slight modifications.

1 TB evoo - 3 pt
1 small yellow onion, chopped - 0 pt.
1 carrot, chopped - 0 pt.
1/2 small bell pepper, seeded & chopped - 0 pt.
2 garlic cloves, minced - 0 pt.
1 cup frozen corn kernels - 1 pt.
2 cans pinto beans, drained & rinsed - 6 pt.
1 4-oz can chopped green chilis, drained - 0 pt.
3/4 cup vegetable stock - 0 pt.
1 TB tamari - 0 pt.
1 TB minced cilantro leaves - 0 pt.
salt & pepper - 0 pt.
1 cup cornmeal - 8 pt.
2 tsp baking powder - 0 pt.
1/2 tsp baking soda - 0 pt.
1/2 cup 1% milk - 1 pt.

Spray crock pot with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients up to but not including cornmeal and cook on low for 5 to six hours.

Make the cornbread topping by combining cornbread, baking soda & powder, milk, and oil. Spoon on top of vegetables and spread to cover. Change to high heat, and cook until topping is cooked through, about an hour.

Serves 4. 18 points total, so 4.5 points per serving.

(I am so loving this cookbook; totally worth the used price I paid on Amazon in January.)

What I'm doing...24 points total.

Coffee/w: 1 pt.
Turkey sandwich: 5 pt.
Egg sandwiches with avocado: 9 pt.
Enchilada: 10 pt.
Tortilla chips: 8 pt.
Salsa & bell pepper strips: 0 pt.
2 Fat Tires: 6 pt.

Yes, I had a turkey sandwich for breakfast. Shut up, we're out of... pretty much everything because of finals. No eggs for sure, which is what I really wanted. Sad.

Update: we bought eggs! Yaaaaay! Totally worth the 9 points for 2 open-faced egg sandwiches topped with avocado and lots of smoked sea salt.

Total: 39 points total.

So used up 15/35 flex points.

From here.

Cassoulet:

2 Tbs (30mL) extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 large red potato, diced

6 large cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs (3g) herbes de Provence

1/2 tsp (3g) salt

1/2 tsp (2g) freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

2 15-ounce (425g) cans cannellini beans, drained

1 14 1/2-ounce (415g) can diced tomatoes

2 cups (480mL) vegetable broth

Bread Crumb Topping:

2 Tbs (30mL) extra-virgin olive oil

3 thick slices French bread

2 sprigs parsley

4 cloves garlic, peeled
Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). In a large skillet, sauté onion, carrot and potato in olive oil over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Add garlic, herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper; sauté another minute. Combine vegetables with bay leaf, beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth in a large, lightly oiled casserole dish. Bake uncovered 20 minutes.

To make bread crumb topping, combine olive oil, bread, parsley and garlic in a food processor; puree on high until finely crumbled.

Remove cassoulet from oven and take out bay leaf. Raise oven temperature to 400°F (205°C). Sprinkle half the bread crumbs on top; bake another 15 minutes.

Remove cassoulet from oven; stir bread crumb topping into beans. Top with remaining bread crumbs. Bake another 15 minutes or until topping is lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 serving
Calories: 317
Calories from Fat: 72
Total Fat: 8g

6 points per serving.

What I'm doing...24 points total.

Coffee/w: 1 pt.
Veg omelette: 9 pt.
Hashbrowns: 6 pt.
More coffee: 1 pt.
Diet pepsi: 0 pt.
Oatmeal: 2 pt.
Chicken fajita w/avocado: 12 pt.
Several beers & ciders: untold pt.

31 + untold points total.

What I'm doing...24 points total.

Coffee/w: 1 pt.
Berry oatmeal: 2 pt.
Pulled pork: 6 pt.
1/2 slice of bread: 2 pt.
Small fries: 6 pt.
Shrimp, polenta, & asparagus: 12 pt.
3 miller lights: 6 pt.

35 points total. But I did my oral argument yesterday so we decided we needed tons of shrimp and some beer.

The shrimp was made using Bobby Flay's recipe in the May 2006 issue of Food & Wine, for BBQ Spiced Shrimp. Very tasty but really really spicy.

What I'm doing...24 points total.

Coffee/w: 1 pt.
2 eggs: 4 pt.
Leftover potatoes turned into hashbrowns: 3 pt.
Turkey sandwich: 4 pt.
Grilled flank steak with peppers: 7 pt.
2 ff tortillas: 2 pt.
2 oz lf cheddar/colby mix: 2 pt.
Roasted sweet potato: 3 pt.
Guinness: 9 pt.

35 points total.