Watering "can"

Thanks so much mom for the inspiration. I asked my mother to bring me a watering can, figuring she had at least one she wasn't using, but alas she didn't. Well, they say that necessity is the "mother" of invention. She brought me an empty plastic container from mayo. I tried it and felt that it didn't spread the water as much as I would have liked it to... so I took an empty yogurt quart, poked holes in the top and voila! I now have a perfectly functional watering "can".

Black raspberries!

     Here is the fruit of our labor. The back corner of our backyard is full of raspberry bushes that are producing like crazy this year. In case you can't see what the scale says we got over half a pound of super yummy raspberries that the kids would have devoured all of if I hadn't taken the bowl away before they finished it off. This fall I am planning on transplanting some of the vines to a more easily accessible location. I have a clothesline outside that I don't use, so I am going to place the vines between the two poles and on either side

of it. I am hoping the middle row will vine up it and the others I can hopefully extend as time goes on. If anyone has knowledge of the best way to get a maximum yield from the berries, let me know!

Snacks galore, eleven zero point snack ideas and more!

Here are a few of my favorite zero point snacks for WW (and remember 0 + 0 does not necessarily equal 0 in WW):

Any veggie with 1/4 cup of fat free salsa to dip it in (or vegetarian re-fried beans for half a point, or go crazy and mix ‘em!) Cucumber slices and thick pepper slices both work great instead of chips to dip and have a very satisfying crunch.

1 cup fat free chicken broth with 2 tablespoons each carrots, onion and celery.

Kosher dill pickles

1/2 cup of Fiber One cereal (to jazz it up for 1 point add two tablespoons of raisins)

Sugar free jello or Popsicle

1/2 cup of sliced strawberries (it’s more than you think it would be) or blackberries or raspberries (if they are tart add a packet of artificial sweetener) OR if you are willing to spend a point top it with 1/3 cup of fat free whipped cream, super yummy!

Baby carrots (about 10)

Small salad with lemon juice and vinegar or fat free Italian dressing

Spinach steamed with garlic, onion and lemon juice

1/2 cup to 1 cup of zucchini chopped into “fries” and coated with 1 egg white, add salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder and onion powder to taste. Bake at 400 degrees for about twenty minutes. 

A cup of coffee with 1 tbs fat free half and half, 1 tablespoon fat free OR sugar free whipped topping allow to melt in and then add artificial sweetener to taste. Also, add cinnamon or other spices to make it more latte like.

There are too many one point snacks for me to list, but others have done it (remember 1+1 does not necessarily equal 2 in WW):

On this site there is a great list of one point snacks: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/weight-watchers/61625-low-point-snacks.html

http://www.counselingseattle.com/ww/1.htm (Also has links to 2, 3 and 4 point snacks.)

The best peanut butter cookies ever! (In my humble opinion.)

     So, Matt and I have been on Weight Watchers, but we are not depriving ourselves. We are just fitting the foods we like into the WW picture. I have been busy altering recipes and trying new things. I searched for a low fat peanut butter cookie recipe and found one I like, but altered it some. Here is my version:

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies   POINTS® Value:    1 Servings:  24 Preparation Time:  15 min Cooking Time:  10 min Level of Difficulty:  Easy Course: desserts Ingredients 1 cup white whole wheat flour    1/2 tsp baking soda    2 egg white(s)    2/3 cup(s) unpacked light brown sugar    1/2 cup(s) Better'n Peanut Butter Low-fat low-sodium peanut spread    1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup(s) quick cooking rolled oats    1 large banana(s)    1/3 cup(s) mini chocolate chips    Instructions Preheat oven to 325. Cream banana and sugar together, add peanut butter. Stir in egg whites and vanilla. Slowly add flour and baking soda. Fold in oats. Cook 10-12 minutes.