What defines me?

I've found that it's always the storms of life that end up defining us. It's never the awards we won and certainly nothing that came easy, it's the hard stuff that we made it to the other side of. That can give us hope in THIS journey, too, right? When it feels like it's going too slow, or when we've gained some back and are discouraged, or when we get a case of the "I don't wannas" and every choice is a battle, it's good to know that good can and will come of it, as long as we keep going. That's been my experience, at least, and it's cultivated my faith." - Lisa Cozier

How true, Lisa!  

Thanksgiving Smart Points - What is really worth it?

It helps if I know the standard Smart Points but it is really up to me to look at what I am eating and determine the Smart Points and if it is worth it.



Main Dishes

Turkey

-3oz light meat with skin= 3 sp 
-3oz breast, skinless= 1 sp 
-3oz giblets, white or dark meat, no skin= 2 sp 
-3oz dark meat, with skin= 4 sp 

Ham

-Spiral 3oz= 4sp 
-Honey baked, bone-in, 3 oz= 3 sp

Side Dishes

-Gravy, brown 2 Tbsp= 2 sp 
-Stuffing 1/2 cup bread, from mix, prepared= 6 sp 
-Corn 1/2 cup cooked kernels= 2sp 
-Green bean casserole 1 cup 7 sp It varies a lot by recipe.
-Sweet potatoes 1/2 cup mashed= 5sp
-Cranberry sauce 2Tbsp canned= 3 sp
-Mashed potatoes 1/2 cup= 3 sp 
-Biscuits with butter = Biscuit alone: 4sp, with 1 tbsp butter: 9 sp 
-Corn bread 1 slice, from mix, prepared= 7 sp 
-Corn casserole 1/4 cup= 7 sp 
-Sweet potato casserole 1/2 cup= 9 sp 
-Creamed corn 1/2 cup canned= 3 sp
-Creamed spinach 1/2 cup= 3 sp 
-Scalloped potatoes 1/2 cup= 4 sp 
-Roasted potatoes 1/2 cup= 2 sp 
-Brussel sprouts with bacon 2/3 cup= 3 sp 
-Macaroni and cheese 1/2 cup= 7 sp 
-Sausage stuffing 1/2 cup= 6 sp 

Desserts

-Apple cake 1 slice= 10 sp
-Pumpkin pie 1 slice= 14sp 

2 Tbsp whipped topping= 1sp
-Fruit pie 1 slice= 13 sp
-Fruit salad 1 serving (red and green apples, 2Tbsp dried cranberries, 2Tbsp pecan halves)= 6 sp 
-Cheesecake 1 slice= 18sp with fruit topping= 19 sp
-Pecan pie 1 slice= 21 sp 

Beverages

-Wine 5oz= 4 sp 
-Mixed drinks 5oz vodka cranberry=7 sp 
-Beer 12oz= 5 sp 
-Punch 8oz fruit punch= 7 sp 
-Soda 8oz sweetened= 6sp 
-Iced tea 8oz sweetened= 5 sp 
-Water 8oz= 0

Taco Soup from Bobbie Johnson

A note from Bobbie Johnson:  

It’s a great recipe I got from a Weight Watcher’s meeting several years ago.  It makes a lot of soup and is very filling.  It also freezes well.  It makes about 22 cups and when I got the recipe the ww points were 1-1/2 points per serving. Garnish with low fat cheese and tortilla chips added 2-1/2 points.  Don’t know if the calculated points now would be the same.

This is a great soup with lots of flavor and fiber.

Blueberry Mug Muffin courtesy of Hungry Girl from Debra Ann Yate

Blueberry Mug Muffin courtesy of Hungry Girl
from Debra Ann Yates


Entire recipe: 148 calories, 1g total fat (0g sat fat), 488mg sodium, 28g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 5.5g sugars, 6.5g protein

SmartPoints® value 2*

Prep: 5 minutes 
Cook: 5 minutes

Cool: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. whole-wheat flour

1 tbsp. all-purpose flour

3 no-calorie sweetener packets (like Truvia)

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. unsweetened vanilla almond milk

2 tbsp. egg whites (about 1 egg's worth) or fat-free liquid egg substitute

1 tbsp. unsweetened applesauce

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup blueberries (fresh or thawed from frozen and drained)

Directions:

Spray a large microwave-safe mug with nonstick spray. Add both types of flour, sweetener, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well.

Add all remaining ingredients except blueberries. Stir until uniform.

Gently fold in blueberries.

Microwave for 2 1/2 minutes, or until set.

Immediately run a knife along the edges to help separate the cake from the mug.

Gently shake mug to release muffin, and plate, right side up.

Let cool completely, about 25 minutes. (This step is a must for best texture.)