Touchdown Casserole



Photo credit:  footballbabble.com

Well folks, I know it's a big secret, but I'll spill the beans:  next weekend is the Big Game.  Shocking, I know.  I thought I might offer an interesting twist on the typical pizza you might be planning to serve.  Don't get me wrong, I love-love-love pizza. But perhaps after a whole football season of pizza, you might be interested in something a little different.  Well, this casserole is the one for you!   The toppings are what makes it.  On top of the meaty, cheesy pasta you sprinkle spikey, salty olives, pepperoni, and a little extra cheese to top it all off.  Ah, it's wonderful.  Try this soon. 

Busy Mom's Journal: Commitments

I love January.  I love the New Year.  I'm quite sad that January is almost over.  Over the last few years of losing weight and focusing on healthy eating, I have come to look on the month of January as a celebration of healthy eating and healthy habits.  It's a time of recommitment to living a healthy lifestyle.  It's especially refreshing after the November and December.  Don't get me wrong, I love special holiday foods.  Thanksgiving and Christmas are wonderful times for food.  However, as much as the previous two months are given to celebration and excess, the following month is centered around getting your excess back in check...establishing healthy patterns.  Perhaps for the first time.

January is also special for me because January 2008 is when I decided to start losing the baby weight, and then some.  So it's only fitting that this January I am recommiting myself to being healthy.  I am going to try and make it to the "official" Weight Watchers goal weight, and then see what I think.  I'll be honest, I'm quite pleased with my weight (apart from a few extra holiday pounds).  But there's that little part of me that wonders what would happen if I made it to "goal"?  I don't want to give up on the process, especially right before the finish line.  So I'm back.  I'll see what happens, and assess whether "goal" weight is the right one for me, or something else.   

My other commitment, which is new for me, is to exercise.  I have managed to lose 35 pounds so far without excercise.  But quite frankly, it's time to get my butt in gear.  One of my coworkers gave me a free pass to check out a certain exercise class.  I starts with a "J" and ends with an "azzercise".  Very skeptically I decided to give it a try. I've never been a sporty person. In fact, I've never experienced the excercise-related "high" that people talk about.  The rush of endorphines that comes with expending lots of energy.  Never happened.  But at Jazzercise, I did.  I think it's because I pushed myself further than I would have working out on my own.  So I decided to commit to this for a year, and see where it takes me. 

Those are the two commitments I've made.  How are you doing on yours? Did you make any commitments this year? Comment and discuss. 

Back on Plan (plus Green Veggie Burger Wrap recipe)

So...I changed my mind.  I joined Weight Watchers again.  I just couldn't resist.  And I couldn't be happier.  I was hearing such good things from friends about the new system that I couldn't stay away for long. 

My earlier concerns about having to learn a brand new point system after having come so far with the old system? No worries.  This point system is so much better than the old one.  After following it fully for a week, and steeping myself in the new plan, I see how this PointsPlus program gently nudges me toward choosing veggies, fruits, and lean proteins as my first line of defense against hunger before I go for the empty calories of carbs.  I really appreciate that.  Especially when it comes to snacks, I've always been a big proponent of the power of protein.  Perhaps it's the remnants of the Atkin's days.  In fact, to this day, my mother's cure for everything is, "Take some ibuprofen and eat some protein."  I guess I've taken that to heart.  Well, now I can have a hard-boiled egg and a piece of fruit for a healthy, sustaining, and low points snack that will last me until dinner.  God bless Weight Watchers.  This is the plan I want to use to maintain my weight loss. 

I went to the grocery store with my dad and son over the weekend, and I looked down at the full cart and felt such pride.  In fact, I made my dad stop and appreciate it as well.  The cart was filled with fruits, veggies, a few canned goods, and lean proteins.  There was very little processed junk.  I was so proud of the cart, I actually thought about stopping a stranger to admire.  But I didn't. 

In a later post, I'll discuss my goals for the program.  As for the blog, since I'm back on the Weight Watchers plan I will be including approximate PointsPlus values for each of my recipes.

But wait...there's more! I can't leave without offering a recipe.  Here's a quick and easy lunch option: