Still excited...

The novelty hasn't worn off yet and I'm still excited about my Laptop Lunch. Yesterday comments from my co-workers ranged from "is there a Strawberry Shortcake on the front?" and "are you going on an airplane soon?" to "wow, that looks good!"

Round two includes leftover fajitas with lf sour cream, brown rice salad with an extra lime wedge for tang and half a honey crisp apple. Yum!

My first Laptop Lunch

Okay so I have to tell you about my new obsession that is scaring my fiance - Laptop Lunches. Now I have to say that since joining Weight Watchers, I have developed a passion for food. I love cooking, baking, planning lunches, planning meals, making grocery lists and grocery shopping. It brings me a lot of joy and my fiance really likes it as well!

I usually pack our lunch every day. Sometimes it is exciting (homemade soup or leftovers from the previous night) and sometimes it's pretty mundane (a sandwich).

A few weeks ago I was in a store near my house and I saw these containers called Laptop Lunches. They are reusable lunch containers with various compartments and lids. I stood there looking at the containers, trying to decide if we would use them, if Joey would think it was silly and couldn't make a decision so I left the store. Today a poster on the GDT mentioned them again and I had a look at the site and then started looking at other sites - this whole Bento lunch box phenomenon is HUGE!! You can find pictures on the site or if you search flickr you'll come up with 3,444 pictures of Laptop Lunches. I marched back to the store near my house and purchased two - a pink and a blue - for Joey and I. The set include the box, 5 smaller containers (2 with lids), a fork and a spoon. Everything fits together nicely and I'm also happy that it will be good for the earth as we'll be producing less waste with fewer plastic baggies, forks and spoons.
Here is my first attempt:














Lunch for Joey and I tomorrow includes leftover Shepherd's Pie, some carrots with hummus and two homemade cookies. While I'm not sure I'll take pictures of my lunch every day, I've rediscovered my passion for packing lunches and I'm excited to encorporate some more variety into my daily routine! Joey thinks I've gone off my rocker a little, but I'm sure he'll smile tomorrow around 12:00 and he opens up his fantastic lunch.

Today's Menu & Quote from the Weekend

Breakfast: Tall soy extra hot Tazo Chai, mixed fruit salad
Snack 1: Nature Valley Fiber bar
Lunch: Cauliflower & Leek soup, baby carrots, WW oatmeal cookie
Snack 2: FF hot chocolate
Dinner: Macaroni with tomato sauce & cheese
Snack 3: TBD

Water: 1.5L


Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover.

- Mark Twain

Yummy things in my kitchen last night

1 - Fettuccine Girlfredo for dinner. I need more tofu shirataki noodles!

2 - Another Hungry Girl recipe - Pumpkin Crunchers. Modified with Canadian ingredients, with the Points being still very low!! They are delicious! And a great use for the pumpkin I've been using in my oatmeal

3 - Cauliflower and Leek Soup - a recipe from another WW Leader. It's a favourite in our house

1 tbsp olive oil

2 leeks, sliced

1 head cauliflower (or 2lb bag, frozen), chopped

6 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/2 c. half and half

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Saute leeks in olive oil until leeks are soft.

Add cauliflower and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer until cauliflower is tender.

Remove from heat and add half & half and nutmeg.

Puree until smooth

8 generous servings

1 pt each

Need some inspiration?

Check out this blog

Congratulations Brian!!! You are truly inspiring!

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

How is everyone feeling about this upcoming eating holiday? It's the first of many that are just around the corner, so now is the time to prepare! (and not just the stuffing...)

Last week in the meeting room we talked about the importance of Learning From Experience. What has Thanksgiving been like for you in the past? How have you behaved? What did you eat? Not eat? How did you prepare, if at all? Think back this week and realize what you've done previously and take what you can from the experience. Like I said in the meeting, you need to see it as feedback and not failure.

Turkey and stuffing and gravy - oh my! Not to mention pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes and whatever other goodies your host may prepare. What can you do to help prepare yourself for the food that you will encounter? Are you hosting the meal? If so there are lots of great recipes on the Weight Watchers site as well as in Clean Eating magazine. If you're not hosting, perhaps you can ask the host if you can bring something? Or find out what the menu is in advance.

If you're doing Flex you can budget for the meal(s). Make your weekly allowance last and make great choices throughout the week. If you're doing Core, a lot of Thanksgiving foods can be Core, and don't forget that you always have your weekly Points allowance of 35 to use for those non-Core favourites. Whatever plan you're doing, try to make some time for activity that day. Even if it's a 20 minute walk before or after dinner, those extra AP's will help! Make room for the foods that you're really looking forward to. Maybe it's stuffing or pumpkin pie. Skip on the potatoes, because you can have them year round! Load your plate up with veggies and be mindful of your Comfort Zone.

And just remember, that whatever happens at the table during your Thanksgiving meal, it is only one day. You can track it and move on. Make it an amazing week and be thankful that you are making an amazing change in your life by doing the Weight Watchers program! I know that I am thankful for being on plan this year and for all of my amazing members and friends who keep me inspired and positive. Lots of love to you all xo