How I Spent My Evening

When I got off work last night, I decided to make some meals for the remainder of the week (kind of like I did the Sunday before last), but this time I thought I’d share some pics.

I first mixed up a batch of one of my favorite go-to *EASY* recipes: Mexican Corn Bake.  I can’t remember where I got the recipe from, but I think someone posted it on the WW message boards once upon a time.  I’ve been making this for a couple of years now.  Click here for the recipe.

Dry ingredients have been mixed and am getting ready to mix in the wet ingredients (don’t you love my green bowl?):

This is what it looks like mixed up and with the added cup of frozen corn (okay, we won’t discuss what it really looks like).  The ring is from my camera flash:

Here, I’ve poured the above mixture into the pan and have scattered the cheese on top.  It calls for 2 1/2 oz of low-fat cheese.  I normally use all fat free cheese, but have started doing about 2/3 fat free cheddar and about 1/3 2% sharp cheddar.

And here’s what it looks like fresh from the oven 43 minutes later (I wish I could use smell-o-vision to share the scent with you):

At this point, according to the recipe, you’re supposed to let it sit on a wire rack for 5 minutes.  I let it sit, but not on a wire rack,  so maybe that’s why mine shrivels, but I don’t care, because …..

It’s still yummy!

While that was baking, I made what I’ve been using as a go-to meal for work lately.  It’s whole wheat couscous from Whole Foods, Salt and Peas (with no salt added), a little bit of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray (which I often leave out), and Southwest Chipotle Mrs. Dash:

In fact, that’s what I’m eating as I write this.  This time I divided it into four HUGE portions for only 5 pts each.

After finishing that, which takes all of maybe 10 minutes (I love that couscous is so quick to make.  Once the water is boiling, it really only takes about two minutes before it’s done), I cut up a Jicama.  I had seriously forgotten how much I love Jicama.  I pass it in the store fairly often, but can’t always find one that looks decent enough for me to spend my money on (hint: go for the smaller ones, they’re sweeter).  I hit the jackpot at the grocery store the other night as they had a huge bin full of them.  I only bought two and I wish I had bought more.

The best part?  It was, the last time I checked, on Weight Watchers’ list of zero point foods.  I do know that a cup of it in my WW online tracker is zero points.  If you’ve never had Jicama, you can read about it more here.  I consider it a cross between an apple and a potato and love to just eat it raw.  Just wash it, peel it, and eat it.

Sorry the picture is kind of crappy – I’ve been having problems with my flash lately.

After cutting up and munching on the Jicama, I washed and cut some strawberries that my mom brought back from Florida.  Unfortunately, they aren’t nearly as good as they were last year – just not very ripe.

So I’m feeling pretty good about what I brought to work tonight for my meals and snacks:

• whole wheat couscous w/ peas and corn (I added some of this chicken)
• a banana
• an orange
• strawberries
• Jicama

And did I mention that I actually got up a little earlier and had breakfast?  I had already made some steel cut oatmeal (thanks, Riley, for finally finding some oatmeal that I can stand!) on Sunday and portioned it out, so I just had to heat it up, add a little milk, a little maple syrup, and a little honey, and yum!

So food-wise, I’m doing pretty great!  I’m actually getting a bit excited about tracking again.