My Favorite Lunch

I wanted to share my favorite lunch at the moment. I have this or a variation on it several times a week. It's delicious, satisfying, healthy, and low on Weight Watcher points. I'll demonstrate a tuna wrap, but I make it with leftover chicken or beef or pork or whatever is around.

I use spinach, broccoli slaw, tomato, tuna (1/2 can), fat-free Italian dressing, and a Flatout Flatbread Light Version. Of course you can use whatever you have on hand.


Simply place the flatbread on the counter or plate, put a handful of spinach and a handful of broccoli slaw on it.

Also, chop the tomato, I used half of the one shown, and place on top of the slaw.


Take half the can of tuna and place on top of the tomato. Now, squirt some dressing over all of it (1 Tbsp is probably about what I do).


Roll up the flatbread making sure to tuck the bottom in, so everything stays put and serve with a piece of fruit.


You almost didn't get this picture because I was happily eating it and realized you may want to see inside of it. Just a few more bites and it would have been gone.


This wrap as shown is 3 Weight Watcher points:
Flatbread = 1 point
Tuna = 2 points
Veggies = -0- points
Non-fat Italian dressing = -0- points

Add an apple worth 1 point and that makes a tasty, filling lunch for 4 points. If I am really hungry, I will make two wraps with the same amount of tuna (1/2 can) - this adds 1 point to the meal for the extra flatbread, but you also get more veggies for free.

Monday Menu Mania

Okay, so I wasn't able to run this entire week or really exercise because of my knee. Remember my klutzy alter-ego fell while running last Monday? I stayed within my Weight Watcher point allotment and really hoped that would mean not gaining anything. Still, the scale was scary to even think about this morning. I'm happy to report that I lost 1.4 pounds, bringing my total to 54.8 pounds lost. I have 8.4 pounds to go until my goal.

Here is the menu, which is less than stellar and I will explain why:

Saturday: whatever (probably a wrap or salad) - hubby and the boys are still out camping leaving just me and my dear daughter

Sunday: repeat of yesterday

Monday: Orange chicken, rice, and broccoli (I like making something the boys wouldn't have camping and I know everyone will enjoy on the first night back). Oh by make, I mean open a bag or two of Trader Joe's frozen orange chicken. I don't do that often, so it really is okay.

Tuesday: Slow Cook Tuscan Sausage and bean soup

Wednesday: Spaghetti and a veggie (teen friends coming to dinner - simple with high appeal a must)

Thursday: Meat loaf, herbed brown rice, and green beans

Friday: Roasted chicken, potato, and carrots

So, do you have any frozen meals you make on occasion because everyone loves them and they are easy?

Hearts and Flowers

So Valentine's Day is a little over a week away and I have been seeing blog posts about people making reservations at their favorite restaurant, finding sitters, etc. Hubby and I never do anything fancy for Valentine's Day. Perhaps we are boring, okay we are boring. So, I want to know what you are doing for Valentine's Day - make me jealous, make me want to change our boring ways, or confirm for me that others are just as boring as we are.

W/W-The Amazing Race Hopefuls

Anna and Too Many Hats

All Kinds of Random

Well, my Amazing Race partner, Anna, and I each completed the 13 page application, got our photos together, and our proof we have passports, and got the dvd edited, thanks to our pal-Peggy, and my hubby too. All was packaged up and sent to The Amazing Race Casting Dept. yesterday. So we have done all we can do and now must wait. I think if they are not interested we won't hear anything, but if they want to interview us, my guess is we should hear something by the end of February. The paperwork said that all the finalists from all over the country would be called to Los Angeles sometime in March for up to 12 days of interviews. I figure the initial interview must have to take place the end of February/beginning of March. So there you have it, my first goal of 2010 accomplished!

Oh we won't be able to post the audition dvd as it is the property of the show - lots of legal jargon. Sniff, sniff. Just know it rocked.

My inner klutz came out to play yesterday, not five minutes into my morning run, I tripped and fell. I have no clue what I tripped over other than air or maybe dust, but none-the-less I went flying - BAM into the pavement. It was very graceful, I'm sure, but I was thankful that at 6:15am there are not too many people out to witness my ballet moves. I was able to jump up and did my usual hour run. When I got home I iced my right knee, which seems to have taken the brunt of the impact; however, I had a very busy day on tap and after about 20 minutes of ice was on my way until 9:30pm. As the day progressed my knee was getting stiffer and stiffer. Today, it is definantly swollen, very stiff, and is the reason I am still in my pajamas at 1pm. I never do that, but by not getting dressed, I am reminding myself to just sit on the couch with my knee propped up and iced as much as possible. My sweet son has been a great help today too. I am really hoping that a couple of down days, I am planning a repeat of today tomorrow, will help me get back to normal soon, as in Thursday.

I made Weight Watcher's Minestrone yesterday for the first time and it called for turnips. I know I have never cooked turnips before and I am pretty sure I have never eaten them either. I had to ask the produce guy which one was a turnip - I'm all kinds of food savvy you know. Anyways, it was tasty and made a ton, which you know I like for lunches.

Okay, so I have done nothing today, except catch up on your fabulous blogs, which has been super fun, but certainly not physically exerting, and what do I get for my down time??? I have been hungry all ding-dang day!!! There is something just not right with that equation. I'm not a math major or anything, but I can tell you the way it is now is simply no good. I haven't been raiding the pantry or anything, but it sure would be great to break open a box of Girl Scout peanut butter patties (Tag-Alongs).

I can say that not one single Girl Scout cookie has been consumed by me thus far. That is really saying something people. I should get an award of some sort.

Monday Menu Mania

I stayed on track with my points this week and I ran 30 miles this week. So, what did the scale have to say this morning? Another 2.8 pounds lost! This brings my total lost to 53.4 pounds with 9.8 pounds to go until I reach my goal.

Menu Time:

Saturday: London broil, baked potato, and broccoli

Sunday: Ginger shrimp and green bean stir-fry with rice

Monday: Minestrone

Tuesday: Provencal chicken strips and veggies

Wednesday: Hamburger or turkey burger with fresh fruit

Thursday: El Pollo Loco chicken (fast-food grilled Mexican chicken)

Friday: Not sure. At this point it is just my daughter and I home for dinner, so I am sure we can whip something up on the spur of the moment.

What do you like to make as a spur of the moment, easy dinner? Give me some ideas. I happen to love to open a can of chili and serve over rice with cheddar cheese on top, but that is totally too many points for this Weight Watcher gal.

Time Out For Theta Mom Thursday

Heather at Theta Mom is restarting her Time Out for Theta Mom posts. Go check it out. The premise is to carve out one hour a month to do something just for you without the family. I am blessed to be at a point in parenting where I get much more than an hour a month. But, sometimes I forget to take advantage of my freedom. Yesterday, I got three hours and I want to share that with you.

Do you remember my New Year's Goals for 2010? Well, for those of you that are new, first welcome and I will be visiting you soon, one of my goals is to apply to be on The Amazing Race. My friend, Amy, and I have been talking about it for several years. I feel compelled to apply this year. Sadly, Amy is not in a place where she can take this step. My other friend, Anna, has also been hoping to apply with a different friend. That friend cannot apply, so Anna and I are applying together.

Yesterday, we were to shoot our 3 minute audition dvd. Unfortunately, our camerawoman couldn't make it at the last moment. Anna and I got three hours of chat time. We went over the 13 page application, dreamed a little about what it would be like to get on the show, talked strategy (we aren't getting ahead of ourselves or anything), and discussed the actual dvd audition. It was super fun and exciting.

We know all we can do is apply and the rest will fall into place or not. We plan to have everything all together and ready to mail off by Monday. Neither of us have ever done anything like this. What show would you like to appear on?