You've Got Some Smooth Moves!

So far so good this weekend!  Yesterday I got to leave work early, and I took that as an opportunity to veg out on my couch!
After a good hour of Heath Ledger in A Knight's Tale I decided to hit the gym and actually make something of my Friday evening.  I absolutely love my walk to the gym...it gives me a chance to clear my head, pump myself up, and enjoy the extreme humidity surrounding me on a daily basis.  No but seriously, I get to walk along the Singapore River, which is actually quite beautiful when I'm not listening to jackhammers, and it's a nice experience.

First of all, the girls at the front desk now officially know me.  I walk up, they greet me, they know my name, they know the classes I take, they think I'm sweet.  This makes me feel happy.
Second, I now rock at the elliptical machine.  Freaking sweet!  I upped the level, I went faster, I worked harder.  It was AWESOME!
After dropping too much money in the bookstore (and snagging Avatar on BluRay), I decided to trudge home in the rain.  I shouldn't say this as though it was a bad thing.  Sometimes I like the rain, and living here one can't exactly be shocked when it's pouring on you.

After drying off a bit (a lot), I decided that my stomach deserved a break, and that I should treat it to something new and exciting.  Senegalese Peanut Stew with Spinach and Sweet Potatoes.  It's a recipe from WW online, and I am shocked at it's deliciousness!  I will post the recipe tomorrow, so be on the lookout!

This morning I tried out another new recipe that I adore!  I will be making this on a very regular basis!  Good smoothies are sometimes hard to find, and this one takes the cake!

Strawberry Mango Smoothie
From Weight Watchers Online
Servings: 2
Points per serving: 3

• 8 oz unsweetened frozen strawberries
• 4 oz low fat vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup mango fruit juice
• 1 Tbsp honey

Place everything in a blender or food processor and blend on high until you get it where you want it!  SO EFFING GOOD!

I just got home from a walk in the Botanic Gardens with my friend Meg (it was so great and we got so sweaty!), and tonight I get to splurge at Curry Gardenn (yes, it has two "n"s) with Brian.  Butter Chicken and Paratha here I come!
Till next time...enjoy that smoothie!

Tasty Hummus

This is perfect as a sandwich spread, or a dip for fresh veggies and pita slices.

Anyone who lives in Singapore understands how difficult it is to find good hummus.  Luckily, one of my favorite cookbooks, 1000 Jewish Recipes, has a few to choose from!  I took tidbits from each recipe and adapted them into my own, delicious version.  You can add lemon juice and/or water to achieve your desired consistency, without affecting the points value.  Adding olive oil will increase the total points (1 point per tsp).
You can also sprinkle toasted pine nuts over the hummus - note this will affect the points value.

• 3-4 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 Tbsp tahini (sesame paste, or sometimes called sesame butter), stirred before measuring
• 1/4 cup strained fresh lemon juice (start with this and add more to taste)
• 1/2 cup water
• salt, to taste
• cayenne pepper, to taste
• 2 tsp olive oil

1. Mince garlic in food processor.  Add chickpeas and process to chop.
2. Add tahini to food processor.  Add 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1/4 cup water; puree until finely blended.  Add more lemon juice if desired.  Add more water as necessary so that the hummus has consistency of a smooth spread.
3. Drizzle with olive oil; season with salt and cayenne

Total Points = 30
Don't ask me how, but Weight Watchers online determined the following...
Points per serving (for 10 servings) = 2
Points per serving (for 8 servings) = 3

Mom's Tuna Salad

This is an all-time favorite from my mom's house, and only 2 pts per serving!  I was feeling nostalgic this week, and decided to have a Saturday lunch to make me think of home.  I guessed at ingredients and came up with something pretty close, and very tasty!
There are numerous ways to serve this - in a pita with cucumber slices (as I did today), on whole wheat with some baked lays (Mom and I love it that way!  Actually put the chips on the sandwich to add some crunch!), or even just over a bed of spinach salad.

• 1 package StarKist Chunk Tuna in Water
• 1 1/2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 Tbsp red onion, chopped
• Grated carrots (I didn't have these on-hand, but they are a wonderful addition)
• 1/4 to 1/2 lemon, juice of
• 2 Tbsp reduced-fat mayonnaise
• salt and fresh pepper, to taste

Mix all ingredients together until well-blended.
Yields 3 servings.
2 Points per serving.

Enjoy!

Yum Yum Yum Yum!

I had one hell of a weekend, to say the least.  Aside from the extreme party at the US Embassy on Friday night, hosted by the Marines, with numerous canned Bud Lights (so gross now that I drink Sapporo and Asahi constantly) and a double whammy of Jager Bombs, the weekend could be described as intense.  Saturday night we attended a friend's Fondue Party, only after I hosted pre-drinks and an assortment of dips (including a hummus recipe which I proudly perfected) at my place.  Needless to say I was feeling like a fatty times seven when I woke up on Sunday morning!

I then proceeded to make Egg McSarah's...English muffin, topped with scrambled eggs, a slice of SmartBeat American (if you happen to be lactose intollerant), and one MorningStar Farms "sausage" pattie.  A whopping 7 points and worth every single bite!  Brian got real bacon, but I'm not complaining.

We spent the rest of the afternoon walking and sweating out the previous night's food and drink intake at the Japanese and Chinese Gardens.  I had never been, and it was fabulous!
Me and Brian at the top of the pagoda in the Chinese Gardens

That night I tried out Zucchini Casserole, which was a huge hit!  Brian doesn't usually comment on my food without me prying for his opinion.  That night, mid-bite, he looked over and said, "This stuff is friggin' good, baby!"

We also chowed down on some Cuban Beef Picadillo and a failed attempt at Italian and Greek style tomatoes.  Once I've got those where I want 'em I'll post the recipe for your enjoyment!

This is me slaving in the kitchen (still sweaty from the gardens) to make the picadillo.

And this is the finished product! 

All said and done I managed to maintain 135.5 - despite the weekend extravagance.  And of course this week I have the appetite of a horse and Cold Storage has Reduced Fat Wheat Thins.  Dear God, those are totally my weakness.  Well, that and anything delicious.  I also splurged on the Snack Packs, but went ahead with the Fat Free Chocolate just to be safe.  Ahh hell, I got the Triple Layer Chocolate Caramel ones too.

Keep your fingers crossed for next Tuesday morning's weigh-in.  Only 14 days until Phuket and I'm starting to freak out...mega time!

Sweaty is the New Sexy?

Work has been super stressful for the past couple weeks (like it's turning me into a psycho).  This could definitely be a bad thing, considering Sarah = Stress Eater (maybe now Stress Eating Psycho, but whatever).  But do you know what is so wonderful about my life these days?  I take that stress, and I spin it into something positive.  I use it as motivation to eat healthier, work out harder, and even relax!  If there is anything I can offer from these past weeks at work, and I have spent a hell of a lot of time at work, it's this:  don't let the stress get you down.  Use the stress to motivate, to inspire!

I weighed in on Tuesday morning....dun dun dunnnnnnn

135.5!

Dude, seriously?!  Yes, seriously!  I'm so happy and so proud of myself!  Two pounds down this week, and I even went to Morton's Steakhouse!  I'm sorry, but rib eyes are like the best tasting, fattiest piece of cow on the planet.  Bragging rights?  I think so!

I finally made it to the gym tonight for the first time since body tone last Thursday.  Let's just say spin was ROUGH.  There's no better way to describe it.  I was struggling, panting, dripping with sweat. But now I feel amazing.

So now I want you to imagine what I looked like immediately after class.  Really picture it - drenched, hair all over the place (not to mention stuck to my forehead), purplish reddish splotchy face.  Yeah, so attractive.

The greatest and best compliment I have ever received was tonight, and no one said a single thing to me.

I got checked out at the gym.  Not once, not twice, but three times, by three different men - looking like that!  Shocking.

I realize that this is the braggiest bragging post you have ever read, but if my week could spin around like that, it should help everyone out there alter their perception during times of stress.

Take that stress, and flip it around to something good!  Work it out!

Last but not least, I demand that every single one of you buy two things on your next trip to the grocery store - cake mix and angel food cake mix.  No I'm not joking.

I found this "recipe" on Gina's quick snack ideas page, tried it for the first time tonight, and I'm in HEAVEN!

1 box Angel Food cake mix

1 box any other flavor cake mix

Mix it all together, store it in an air-tight container.  When you want a sweet snack, scoop 1/4 cup into a coffee mug, add 2 Tbsp water, stir it up, and microwave on high for 1 minute.

WHOA!  So freaking good!

1/4 cup with 2 Tbsp water = 2 pts

1/3 cup with 3 Tbsp water = 3 pts

This time I used lemon cake mix - light, fluffy, slightly tart but totally delicious.  I desperately want to try strawberry.  Please send me strawberry cake mix!  Singapore doesn't have any!!!  Gah!

Over and out. 

Green Beans with Tomatoes and Garlic

I make String Beans with Garlic all the time, but I've been looking for a good way to mix things up (and lighten things up a bit).  Then I found something on Plan To Eat that got me thinking!  What about tomatoes???  It's shocking, I know!  Sarah...eating tomatoes?!
Thanks to Brian, I eat 'em!  Definitely not raw - eew.  But cooked, bring it!

Adapted from Gina's Weight Watcher's Recipes - String Beans with Garlic and Oil (see link above)
Servings:  4
Points:  1 per serving

• 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2-4 cloves garlic, slivered (depending on your taste)
• cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (use however many you want!)
• salt and freshly ground pepper

Steam green beans until tender; remove from pot and briefly run under cool water.
Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet; saute garlic and tomatoes.  Shut off flame, add green beans, and toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.

YUM!

Weight Watchers Italian Meatballs

Italian Meatballs
From Weight Watchers
Servings:  8
Points:  3

I know they look wimpy and pathetic, but these are incredibly tasty!  They are perfect by themselves as an appetizer, with some pasta and sauce for dinner, or simply mixed up with a bunch of other options, as I did for dinner on Sunday (with Quinoa and Spinach, and Green Beans with Tomato and Garlic).

• 1.5 tsp butter
• 1.5 tsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 pound raw lean ground beef
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced (or 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning - I did this)
• 1/4 cup beef broth, or chicken broth (I used beef)
• 1/4 cup white wine

In a large skillet, melt butter and oil over medium heat.  Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to caramelize, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove onions to a large mixing bowl and add beef, egg, red pepper flakes, salt and parsley (or Italian seasoning); mix well to combine.
With damp hands, roll forty-eight 1/2-inch meatballs.


Place same skillet over medium-high heat.  Add meatballs, broth and wine; simmer until cooked through, gently turning meatballs once during cooking, about 20 minutes.


Yields 6 meatballs per serving.

Quinoa and Spinach

I just discovered quinoa this weekend when I tried this recipe.  The best word to describe it is unique.  I've never had anything quite like it...and I think it's pretty good!
Lucky for me, quinoa happens to be incredibly healthy, high in fiber, gluten-free, and SO easy to make!

From Weight Watchers
Servings:  8
Points:  1 per serving

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, minced
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (optional - I used them!)
• 4 cups baby spinach, packed, coarsely chopped (I didn't chop it)
• 1/2 tsp salt

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add quinoa to skillet; cook, stirring frequently, until quinoa starts to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.
Add broth, black pepper and red pepper flakes to skillet; bring to a boil.  Cover skillet and reduce heat to low and simmer for 13 minutes; stir in spinach.
Cover skillet and cook until spinach and quinoa are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 3 to 5 minutes; season with salt.

Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.

You Win Some, You Lose Some

I'll start by saying that Bali was amazingly fantastic, and every person on the planet should make it there at least once in their life.  But I'll also say that the quantity of booze and delectable food is hard core and it would be tough for even the most committed of weight watchers to follow the plan while vacationing in this lovely part of Indonesia.

Photo courtesy of my friend Ellen - taken during our drive from Jimbaran Bay to Tulamben

I step on the scale this morning, eyes closed but slightly peeped open as if I'm watching a gory movie, crossing my fingers and muttering to myself, "Please oh please oh please MAINTAIN!"
Mother trucker.  137.5.  Great.  Fanfreakingtastic.  Awesome.  So then of course I start beating myself up over this measly little one-pound addition to my gut, only to realize that's no way to learn from this, and I alter my perception to one of lesson-learning and motivation for next week.
Then I spent the better part of the morning coming up with all of the different excuses I could give to my blog readers about why I didn't weigh in this week - a simple attempt to keep you all from knowing about my tiny blip.
Yeah, that would have been silly anyway.  So I sit here, Sarah Koopersmith of Singapore, attempting to lose weight and look hot in a bikini, admitting to the world that I was unable to maintain a weight of 136.5 pounds while living it up in Bali for three days.  I'm fairly certain all will be ok, and life will go on as usual.

This week, however, it's on like freaking Donkey Kong!
I will track every day.
I will eat all of my fruits and veggies.
I will work out harder and longer.
I will lose at least one pound.
I will stay motivated and inspired.
And damnit I WILL enjoy every minute of every day!

So there you have it.  Take that, excess flab!  I'm kicking you to the curb.

Smuggling

I'm heading to the airport in literally half an hour, but I wanted to squeeze in a quick blog before leaving ... for BALI!  Yes, I will throw that in your face at every single opportunity.

So...while I'm in BALI this weekend, I won't have an easy time counting points.  But I do know the points value of certain foods, and I do know when I'm eating a fruit or veggie.  Sarah's plan this weekend - find fruits and veggies, listen to my stomach, and don't overdo the booze (the third one will be tough).

But, the real reason for this blog post is Smugglettes.  We ordered them today, and I'm totally freaked out!  I've never tried Aussie sizes before, and the online conversion says I'm a 10.  Royales with Cheese size 10 here we go!  Keep your fingers crossed that when the time does come (check the bottom of my blog for a countdown!) my skinny ass is going to fit perfectly into those budgy smugglers!  ...I think I can I think I can!

Whew!  And off we go!  ...to BALI!