I Tried New Things Today

Beyond the Scale is all about food, fitness, and fulfillment. I honestly tried something new in ALL three categories yesterday. It was Thursday and it was a busy, busy day. The mornings are always nuts with getting Little Man ready for his motor class, or his time to "play". Luckily, I was able to refer to my meal planning menu, make a quick change, and still find success!

I had prepped my breakfast the night before...Cinnamon Apple Muesli. The picture below is what it looked like all prepped and ready to go. Yes, it's in an old spaghetti sauce jar...don't judge.

This is how it looked all dumped out of the jar. Surprisingly, the apples were not brown! They were crisp and fresh, as if I had just cut them!

It was really yummy, quite filling, and cost me a whole 8 smartpoints. Yes, it's a little higher than I normally like to spend, but I was going to have a FULL morning, and so I enjoyed every single bite! Before I give my recipe, I just want to make the clarification that you can use ANY brand of whatever ingredient my recipe calls for. You don't have to stick to what I write, I just put it out there if people are in need of suggestions.

Apple Cinnamon Muesli (8 smartpoints)
1/3 c uncooked rolled oats (I just used Walmart's brand)
1/2 c Blue Diamond Unsweetened, Vanilla Almond Milk
1 T  Fage 0% Total fat-free plain Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup GNC Total Lean 25 French Vanilla protein powder
*1 T Kirkland Signature Extra Fancy unsalted mixed nuts
1 apple

Mix rolled oats, vanilla almond milk, greek yogurt, and protein powder together in a bowl and then pour into a mason jar. Chop your apple into bite size pieces and drop into mason jar. *Take fancy mixed nuts and put them in a nut and seed grinder and then sprinkle on top of apples in mason jar. Close and refrigerate overnight. Enjoy in the morning!

*You can replace the nuts with slivered almonds. I didn't have any slivered almonds on hand, so I made do with the tools and food I already had! So instead of placing them in a nut and seed grinder, you can just sprinkle the slivered almonds on top!

Delicious and very filling!

Because my breakfast was a little higher in points, I found myself eating a delicious Smore's Quest Bar (4 smartpoints) and a banana for my second meal, prepping me for my adventure into Costco.

My third meal was a little scattered because I had some writing to catch up on, and a Little Man that needed some play time. I just cut up some veggies and steamed them, all the while enjoying my fruit dip I had made the day before with an apple and some Cilantro Lime Shrimp. All in all I spent another 4 smartpoints on my meal.

It was helpful that I just had a small meal at that time because I remembered that I needed to make a Blueberry Cheesecake version of my The Devil Done Me In...With No Regrets! I forgot to take a picture of it, but it was SO delicious!

The Devil Done Me In...With No Regrets: Blueberry Cheesecake 
(Makes 2 servings, with 4 smartpoints per serving)

1 container of Dannon Light & Fit Greek Blueberry Flavored Nonfat Yogurt
14 Mini Nilla Wafers
1/3 c fresh blueberries, slightly mashed
2 1/2 T Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Unsweetened Original Almond Milk
8 g Sugar Free Fat Free instant Cheesecake pudding mix

Mix cheesecake powder, yogurt, and almond milk all together. Place 6 Nilla wafers on the bottom of your container and then a layer of yogurt. Spread fresh blueberries on top of yogurt layer, and then spread another layer of yogurt on top of blueberries. Lay 8 cookies and then final layer of yogurt. Store in fridge for at least 5 hours. Enjoy!

I shared with my friend M&M...and she loved it again. After she finished the last bite, she and I started brainstorming OTHER flavors we could try. I think on the list we've got a Key Lime Cheesecake in the works, and even a Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake. We'll see what the future holds!

At work was where I tried something new, tackling both Fitness and Fulfillment. By the time my meeting was over, I still needed to run 30 minutes on my treadmill at home and do my 9 MM...putting me getting to bed, MAYBE around 10:30pm with workout and shower and everything. So? I decided to use the whole hour and 15 minutes M&M and I had left to walk the WW Center and talk. I was able to get my 10k steps after 30 minutes of walking, but the whole time, M&M and I talked! It was a nice stress relief to just chat about life, while getting is some good steps at the same time. After I hit my 10k, we sat enjoyed the Blueberry Cheesecake and just chatted some more.

I changed my mindset about fitness for the day. I decided to walk and get my 10k steps during some down time at work instead of dreading my workout when I got home. If I dread something, I see no point in continuing. So, even though I didn't do my workout, I DID do my 10k steps, and felt accomplished for the day. Flexibility is so important and being consistent. Life keeps going, and it's never to late to pick yourself and go again the next day.

As far as fulfillment, it was so nice to just talk, like I said before. It's a really great thing when you have great co-workers...NEVER a dull moment!

That Blueberry Cheesecake was my 5th meal of the day and it was delicious and so satisfying! Honestly, it tasted BETTER than cheesecake. M&M and I were talking saying how her husband, when she made the Chocolate Strawberry version, said it just tasted like yogurt. M&M and I have found since we have been cutting back on processed sugar, our tastebuds have changed. The idea of us eating REAL cheesecake, kinda made both of us sick. These desserts are so yummy and full of protein...it's really like a fun dessert we share each Thursday!

So, rewind to what we had for dinner. I had put a Jenni-O Applewood Smoked Turkey Tenderloin (I had 4.5 ounces for only 2 smartpoints!) in the crockpot and set it to cook for 8 hours. I had the tenderloin cooking in 2 c low-sodium chicken broth made with FLAVOR FAVE: Better Than Boullion Reduced Sodium Chicken Base, 1/2 c apple cider vinegar, 1 c water, 1 tsp apple pie seasoning, and 1 T of FLAVOR FAVE: Stubb's BBQ Natural Spice Rub. 

I mixed all those ingredients together and had them stewing while I got the tenderloin out of the package and into the crockpot. I poured the liquid mixture right over the top and had it set for 8 hours. The turkey turned out delicious and I served it with Baked Parmesan Sweet Potatoes, 1/2 of a Cara Cara Orange that I split with my husband (something new I tried and loved!), and sauteed mushrooms, green beans, and sweet peppers with a little bit of garlic.

Baked Parmesan Sweet Potatoes (Makes 6 six servings, with 3 smartpoints per serving)
2 medium uncooked sweet potatoes, cut and cubed
2 tsp minced garlic,
1 T olive oil
4 T Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 T of Trader Joe's 21 Seasoning Spice Blend

Place all ingredients in a bag, shake it up, and lay on a cookie sheet. Cook potatoes for 18-22 minutes (depending on your oven...mine turns out perfect after 20 minutes) at 400 degrees.

For this whole beautiful plate you see here, it only cost me 5 smartpoints. It makes me seriously, so happy, when I know I'm feeding my body so much and it is also SO good for me. Smartpoints totally helps me with that because the lower in points you meal, the better it is for you! 

Success.

So, I'm a BIG person on eating your points, and if you are just so full in a day and can't possibly eat more...at least be within 2 smartpoints for your day. 

Well, I had 5 smartpoints left and was totally satisfied. I knew that I needed to be a little closer to my daily smartpoint total, so I knew my safest bet would be to turn to a protein source. I decided to open up my Siggi's Icelandic Yogurt in Blood Orange flavor for 4 smartpoints and have 3 oz of rotisserie chicken breast for 1 smartpoint. The Siggi's Icelandic Yogurt was another food item that I tried for the first time...meh, I wouldn't recommend it. It honestly reminded me of the flavor of cheese, but was addicting at the same time. I got about 1/2 way through it and decided I need to have something else with it, so I decided to dip into my weekly FitPoints and finish the sucker off with a FLAVOR FAVE: Bamboo Lane Crunchy Rice Roller (2 smartpoints per roll)...and I'm so glad I did.

Yeah, not too happy that I had to dip into my FitPoints, but that yogurt was like good but weird at the same time, and so the rice roller made it just perfect. I definitely think I'll stick with Dannon Greek Light & Fit and my Fage 0% Total Greek Yogurt, but you are welcome to try it! M&M loves it, so don't rely just on me :)

Don't be afraid to try new things because you'll never know if you like it or not unless you try,

Camille