Grocery List

Whenever I mention grocery shopping it causes Joey to groan. He's not a big fan. To make it as painless as possible I try to be well prepared with a good list. I try to break my list down by how I shop in the store so I don't miss items or get to the cash and realize I've forgotten things.

Produce
Fruit - bananas, apples, oranges, berries, pineapple - basically whatever looks good
Veggies - broccoli, green beans, brussel sprouts, baby spinach, carrots, cucumbers, green onions, small red potatoes, eggplant, mushrooms, red peppers - again whatever looks good and is in season
I try to buy organic when possible, but am realistic in my budget. I also try to shop at our local fruit and veggie markets because they have amazing deals. Pineapples for $1! Strawberries for $1.49! I also try to buy as local as possible whenever I can.

Meat
Skinless, usually boneless chicken breasts
Lean ground pork
Deli meat - usually fat free ham or turkey, lately roast beef
Burgers for the BBQ

Dairy
1% milk
Cheese (usually old cheddar)
Yogurt - I like fat-free Activia or Source
Low fat sour cream
Eggs
Light Becel
Low fat cream cheese

Pantry
WW Bread
Small whole-wheat wraps
Olive oil
Sunflower oil
Whole wheat pasta - linguine, macaroni
Pasta sauce
Salsa
Canned diced tomatoes
Canned corn
Sidekicks
Brown rice
Cereal - cold and hot
Tea
Honey or agave nectar
Fat free/sugar free pudding
94% free popcorn
Granola bars - Kashi or Nature Valley

Freezer
Lean Cuisines or SmartOnes
Frozen fruit

These are the things I like to have on hand. Before I grocery shop I sit down and figure out which recipes I'm going to make during the week and what additional items I will need to make those meals. I'll add to this list from time to time. I think the key to grocery shopping is planning ahead. What are you going to make, and what do you need to make everything. Happy shopping!

Angel Hair Pasta with Eggplant Tomato Sauce

I'm loving the WW recipes as of late. They're very easy to make and tasty!

Made this for our (vegetarian) friend Lori last night and everyone loved it!

Angel Hair Pasta with Eggplant Tomato Sauce

Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 16 min
Cooking Time: 12 min

Ingredients
1 medium eggplant, raw, baby-variety, sliced into 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 medium sweet red pepper(s), cut into 8 strips
1 sprays olive oil cooking spray
3/4 tsp table salt, divided
1 medium garlic clove(s), minced
2 large tomato(es), coarsely chopped
1/4 small tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp basil, fresh, minced
2 Tbsp chives, fresh, minced
1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth
8 oz uncooked angel hair pasta, cooked according to package directions, drained
4 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
Instructions
Preheat grill to medium.*
Place eggplant slices and pepper strips in a grill basket (or place vegetables on a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil with holes poked in it to allow smoke through). Off heat, coat vegetables with cooking spray; season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Place on grill and cook until lightly browned and tender, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Cut vegetables into bite-size pieces; set aside.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over low-medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook until slightly pulpy, about 1 minute more. Stir in vegetables, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, basil, chives and broth; increase heat to medium-high. Cook until broth is slightly reduced and mixture has a sauce consistency, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add pasta and toss to coat. Stir in cheese just before serving. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
Notes
* You can roast the vegetables if you prefer. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place vegetables on prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray; season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Roast, until lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

Let your garden dictate the vegetables for this recipe: sliced zucchini, yellow squash or red onion can be substituted for the eggplant.

Amazing Citrus Basil Salad

This salad is wonderful! I made it last night with some yummy organic baby spinach and carrots and fresh basil from my windowsill. My fiance really enjoyed it too! This recipe comes from the Weight Watchers website.

Ingredients
2 orange(s)
1 small grapefruit
5 cup mixed baby greens, or a 10 oz bag of mesclun
1/3 cup onion(s), red thinly sliced
2 medium carrot(s), julienned
1/4 cup walnut halves, toasted
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp vinegar, raspberry
1/4 cup basil, leaves, shredded
1 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1/4 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Instructions:
Using a serrated knife, remove peel from orange and grapefruit and section fruit over a bowl to collect juices. Reserve 1/3 cup citrus juice.
In a large bowl, combine fruit with greens, onions, carrots and walnuts.
In a separate bowl, whisk olive oil, vinegar, basil, garlic, and salt and pepper with reserved citrus juice until well-blended. Pour over salad. Toss well before serving.

Makes 4 servings

Actunities

In my meeting two weeks ago, I talked about "actunities". Actunities are opportunities for activity. The Weight Watchers program talks about 'Moving More', but doesn't specify what that actually means. There is no by-law that states moving more means joining a gym or taking a class, it can really just be about finding other ways to incorporate more activity into your life.

As with everything I talk to my class about, I try to practise what I preach! I've been trying to take walks at lunch, even if I don't need to go out and get anything. I've also been taking the stairs (three flights) in the morning at work instead of taking the elevator. I am proud to report I've done it every day for two weeks except for this past Monday, and that was only because I had forgotten my pass card and had no way to get in or out of the stairwell!

I challenge you to find your actunities and ramp up the amount of activity in your life!

Success Stories that inspire me

I love reading the Success Stories on the Weight Watchers website. This one was brought to my attention yesterday. This woman lost an incredible 211 lbs on the program and is now maintaining her weight and is employed with Weight Watchers. She looks incredible, and what an inspiring story!

I also love this one because I know her! Lindsay provides me with inspiration, motivation and support all the time. She's lost nearly 100 lbs on program and I was lucky enough to meet her when we trained together to be Leaders. She's an awesome Leader, looks fabulous and is a wonderful person to have in your corner!!!