Greek Yogurts

Dear Friends and Family,

Lured by the high protein content of Greek yogurt and dismayed by the points attributed to Stonyfield Lowfat Vanilla yogurt in the new Weight Watchers program, I ventured into the uncharted waters of new food.

I tried Chobani first based upon a recommendation of a friend and didn't care for it. I tried the 0% vanilla and ended up doctoring it with maple syrup to make it tolerable. Plus, it had a bunch of ingredients I didn't recognize or care for.

Then, Mr. mouse bought Stonyfield Oikos, but before I could try it, it turned to water in our fridge. I bought another two containers, and by the following day, they too had turned to water.

Then, I tried Dannon Oikos at work, but it had fructose in it which sounded suspiciously like corn syrup.

I was giving up hope. Who has the time?

Mr. mouse bought a container of Fage and I figured I had nothing to lose. I was skeptical because everyone spoke poorly about it. But, in the end, I like it enough to convert from regular yogurt to Greek yogurt. With a little bit of honey, I actually look forward to it in the morning.

Fage 0% plain with a little bit of honey. Breakfast of mouse champions.


Cheers!
mouse

De Boles Gluten Free Corn Spaghetti Style Pasta

Dear Friends and Family,

I tried gluten free pasta last night and it wasn't bad. In fact, it was a very satisfactory alternative for when we have friends over who are living a gluten-free life.

The only words of caution I will give is you need to keep an eagle eye on the timer to make sure you don't overcook it. And, I'm not sure how reheated pasta will taste. I'll find out in the next couple of days when we eat the leftovers.

Other than that, I think I'll need to stock a couple of boxes in the pantry.


Cheers!
mouse

Anything Tastes Better When It's Cooked on the Grill

Dear Friends and Family,

Last night, one of my friends from work and her boyfriend came over for dinner. I wasn't sure what to cook. Ultimately, we decided on pasta with grilled vegetables, and I've since concluded anything tastes good once you stick it on the grill.

We boiled up come perciatelli, spaghetti shaped but hollow pasta, and dressed it with olive oil. Then we added fresh tomatoes and fresh basil (homegrown). On went grilled mushrooms, grilled eggplant, grilled fennel (crop share), grilled zucchini (crop share), grilled garlic scapes (crop share), grilled asparagus and grilled sausages. Mix it up. E voilà!

Mr. mouse made some garlic bread to go with it and our friends brought over a bottle of Italian red wine. For dessert, we grilled a couple of peaches and a pineapple and served it with the last of the caramel ice cream.


Cheers!
mouse

101 Cookbooks

Dear Friends and Family,

No flashes of brilliance this morning. But, want to share one of the better cooking blogs I've been reading. Lots of gorgeous photos and inspiring recipes.

www.101cookbooks.com

I'm eager to spend some time in the kitchen this weekend. It's almost spring!


Cheers!
mouse

Homemade Bread

Dear Friends and Family,

I tried a new recipe over the weekend, and I found a new love. Homemade bread. It's super simple. It's surprisingly delicious. And, since I know all of the ingredients, I get to count it in the food column of my weekly tracking.

Original article: The Secret of Great Bread
The Follow-On article: No Kneading, but Some Fine Tuning

The hardest part is heating the water to the right temperature. My yeast instructions said 110°-115°. I used a thermometer. That, and, don't try to do a million and one errands at the same time (we did the tailor, the consignment shop, the optometrist, and the salon). Instead, use it as an opportunity to enjoy the time at home and the aroma of freshly baked bread.

I'll be making a second loaf as soon as we finish this loaf. It comes out to 32 points per loaf - about two to three points a slice, about the same as standard bread - so no points savings. But, it's a lot cheaper than buying bread. It's under $2 a loaf for bread. Yum!


Cheers!
mouse

Edy's Limited Edition Apple Pie Ice Cream

Dear Friends and Family,


Three posts in one day? I haven't written a food post in so long. And, this was so good. I'm not sure it's necessarily good for you. It's got the usual suspects of not quite natural ingredients, but I wanted to try it. And, it was worth it. Fortunately, it's limited edition, so it'll be a one carton thing.

It's pretty straight forward. It's vanilla ice cream with apple pie pieces mixed in. It's 3 Weight Watchers points per serving. But a serving and a half is only four. Definitely worth the extra point to get the extra half serving.


Cheers!
mouse

Nature's Path Smart Bran Cereal

Dear Friends and Family,

I found new morning cereal that has the fiber benefits of Fiber One without the artificial sweeteners. It's got evaporated cane juice and organic barley malt extract for sweeteners and comes out to 1 point per 30 g serving. It's available at Whole Foods. I have it with a cup of skim milk for breakfast.


Cheers!
mouse

Hebrew National 97% Fat Free Beef Franks

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm been lackadaisical on the Tuesday food posts. Sometimes I have one to write about. Sometimes, I don't. It's been warm enough for us to grill, so, today, let's talk hot dogs.

Typical grocery store hot dogs are five or more Weight Watchers points. Last year, sometime, I read an article on Weight Watchers titled Shopping List Must Haves and it extolled the virtues of six different foods that you must try. Last on the list were the Hebrew National 97% Fat Free Beef Franks. Typically, I don't eat a lot of second gen food anymore (more on this later), but when I do, I love finding a low point alternative that works.

Mr. mouse and I tried these a couple of weeks ago to see how they would taste. The instructions said to boil them, not grill them, so we did. And, surprisingly, they were pretty good. You could tell they weren't the full fat version, but at 45 calories, 1.5 grams of fat it was one point vs. four points for the regular one. That means two hot dogs can be had for two points plus buns. I read about a couple of low point bun options, but we haven't tried any yet. With some potato chips, you've got a classic summer entrée for six points!


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Trixie, we took the Wendella Boats tour.

Mouse's Hot Chocolate Fix

Dear Friends and Family,

I've recently had a craving for hot chocolate for breakfast. It feels very Continental to have it in lieu of my morning tea. It might increase my HDL levels. And, it satisfies my craving for keeping some variety in the food palette.

Ingredients

• 1 cup skim milk (2 points)
• 1 tbs sugar (1 point)
• 1/2 tbs cocoa (free)
• dash of cinnamon and vanilla extract (free)

I know the purists will be horrified, but I've found a way to make it in the microwave. I measure all the ingredients into an over-sized mug, don't sweat the lumps at this point. Heat on high for two minutes. Whisk until smooth. Heat on high for thirty seconds. Voila.


Cheers!
mouse

Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Dark Chocolate Squares

Dear Friends and Family,


Okay, I've struggled for the past fifteen minutes with writer's block. Here are the salient points we need to cover:

1. It's Tuesday. It's food day.
2. I don't have a sweet tooth. Good for me.
3. I'd rather eat small portions of really good food than large portions of junk. Someone wrote about this on Weight Watchers recently and I could really relate.
4. Mireille Guiliano talks about the same concept in French Women Don't Get Fat. I haven't read the book.
5. 1 Weight Watchers point per dark chocolate square.

I keep a bag for the random chocolate cravings.


Cheers!
mouse

Kettle Brand Bakes Potato Chips

Dear Friends and Family,

Potato chips? Yes, potato chips.



What makes these chips worth writing about?

Two Weight Watchers points for 1 oz of chips. The bag, 4 oz, is slightly smaller than the super size Frito Lays bags. 1 oz of chips is a respectable amount of chips. It's not like those 100 calorie Oreo packs where you get 5 mini cookies crisps for two points. It's enough chips to make you feel like you had chips.

The ingredient list simple. It's got three ingredients: potatoes, safflower and/or sunflower oil, salt. In other words, not fake food, not diet food. For a potato chip, not even very heavily processed food.

Granted, they're not an every day item for me. But, they do work for an occasional treat. Much better than my prior baked chip choice which was baked Lays.


Cheers!
mouse

Apple Dessert Pancake

Dear Friends and Family,

Here's the recipe I promised for an apple pancake. I can't even venture to guess the point damage it would reek on Weight Watchers. But, it's a excellent add to a breakfast brunch. Everyone can take a slice, an eighth of the pancake.

Ingredients

• 1 large golden delicious apple
• 4 tbs butter
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup AP flour
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 4 large eggs, separated

1. Peel and core apple; cut into 1/8 inch thick slices.
   
2. In a 10-inch skillet with all-metal handle, over medium-low heat, melt butter. Stir in cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar; remove skillet from heat.
3. In butter mixture in skillet, arrange apple slices, overlapping them slightly. Repeat with smaller circle in center until pan is filled and apples are used up.
4. Return skillet to low heat; cook 10 minutes or until apples are tender-crisp.
5. Meanwhile, preheat over to 400°F. In medium bowl, with fork, beat flour, milk, baking powder, salt and egg yolks until blended. Set aside.
6. In small bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat egg white and remaining 1/3 cup sugar until soft peaks form. With rubber spatula, gently fold egg-white mixture into egg-yolk mixture.
7. Cover apple slices in skillet with egg mixture with rubber spatula, spread batter evenly.
8. Bake pancake 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove skillet from oven. Carefully invert pancake onto large platter to serve.

Voila! It's also nice at a breakfast brunch because it's a pretty addition to the table. Happy Friday, everyone.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: Trixie, got your card. The answer is yes, of course :)

Oscar Mayer Center Cut Bacon

Dear Friends and Family,

I'm drawing a blank this morning on what to write about and I realized, it's Tuesday! I can write about food today. It's good to have that cushion to fall back on since not a lot new happened yesterday.

I've been trying to add new foods to my portfolio of options, not because I feel the need for variety, but because Mr. mouse can get cabin fever eating from the tried-and-true options that have become heavy hitters in the mouse meal rotation. Plus, now that I'm as far along as I am in the food journey, I'm less panicky about losing control. It's unlikely I'm going to wake up and find myself fifty pounds heavier in a day. It'll happen a pound or two at a time if it does at all and I've got the confidence I can self-correct if a new food or meal option isn't working for me.

This weekend, I tried a modified English breakfast for four Weight Watchers points.

• 1 pt 2 slices Oscar Mayer Center Cut Bacon
• 1 pt 3 egg whites
• 1 pt 1/2 cup Heinz baked beans (UK version)
• 1 pt 1 slice toasted wheat bread
• 0 pt 3 oz grilled grape tomatoes

The bacon was the experiment. I looked at the turkey bacon and the fake vegetarian bacon and the sausage and the fake vegetarian sausage and just wasn't inspired. I know they're probably great products, but I couldn't see Mr. mouse getting jazzed about breakfast with them. Then, I considered getting one of those options for me and a separate option for him. But, that didn't seem right either.

Then, I came across center cut bacon. It's honest to goodness bacon - pork meat, artificial curing agents and all. And, it's 1 point for 2 slices. As an added bonus, it's not a sodium killer - 9% RDA in a single serving. That's an experiment I'm willing to try. The slices come out smaller and leaner than regular bacon but just as good which is the important thing.

I also play a funny trick with myself with the egg whites. I'm a big believer in dishes being inspiring to look at as well as to eat. And, there's nothing more blah than bad plating or plating that looks like diet food or rabbit food. Three egg whites on a platter = blah. So, I cook three egg whites with two egg yolks. The eye, or at least my eye, is fooled into thinking it looks right. Then, I don't eat the egg yolks.

Don't ask. It works for me so I figured I would offer it up.


Cheers!
mouse

01.01.07: Home, At Last

Dear Friends and Family,

Happy 2007!

I won't spend a lot of time stating the obvious... While 2006 went very quickly, it was the year that seemed like it was never going to end. It reaffirmed my lesson of resilience and perseverance and reminded me I need to have faith in the end goal.

I'm going to recap and kick-off the year, section by section, so be warned, it's going to be a long post. Ready?

2007 weekend updates: We flew back to the mouse house neighborhood for the weekend. Our neighbors were having a New Year's Eve party and we wanted to count down with them. We landed just ahead of a quick but intense snowstorm. We ran a couple of errands before the party. We dropped off some business school recommendations, picked up some shot glasses, loaded up on caffeine and got some take-out sushi to kick-off the evening. The party was a ton of fun, as to be expected, and we toasted in the new year with some of our closest friends. We also had a chance to meet the new owner of the mouse house, he came over for the party. Sunday, we went over to Trixie's for brunch, but didn't stay long. By 1:30, we had our plants loaded into the car, and we made the long drive over to the mouse pad. Officially, as of this moment, everything we own is in one location. Wow!

baby... maybe: Apparently, the next lunar year is the year of the Golden Pig. It's an event that occurs every 600 years and is apparently going to result in a mini baby boom in the Far East. So far, no news news on this horizon for Mr. mouse and me. Although I might write more one day about this Golden Pig phenomena, if I end up researching it.

blogs - news - technology trends: We've got both computers and our wireless network up and running. The TV is still in the box, low on the priority list. I love my blog. That about sums up technology trends for us.

clutter diet: You'll see a lot of posts in this section this upcoming year. We have a lot less space for storage in the mouse pad. And, we've gotten a lot of low grade stuff we need to get rid of. Basically, we're combining 3+ households into one. We've got the staging+remnants from the first house, we've got the mouse house, we've got staging from the mouse house, we've got miscellanea Mr. mouse picked up to get by in the old apartment and we've got mouse pad stuff. My head is spinning from the amount of stuff we have. For example, neither of us drink coffee, we have four coffee makers. We don't squeeze fresh juice, we have two juicers. The list is endless. On top of redundancy, remember, we have less storage space. And, I never took a hard stance on tossing things. This year, this will be a top priority for me.

eating out: Although we're going to try and eat in often, I've made the commitment to post restaurant reviews here.

food: This was a spot for me to post food items I was discovering through Weight Watchers. It's been on the back burner for the last couple of months as my Tuesday posts have been regular updates. Not sure if I'm discovering a bunch of new food or if I've settled into a new lifestyle. This might be another section of the blog that evolves.

infrastructure: OK. What gives? I can't access blogger from my computer. It works fine from Mr. mouse's. Very annoyed. Will need to figure this out.

life in general: Top on my Top 3 is transitioning. I've got a long list. In no particular order, there's job, house, wellness, financial planning, commuting, eating with Mr. mouse, lunch routine at work, living with Mr. mouse, gym routine, work schedule, sleep routine, car, driving in the new city, learning roads, finding service providers, pilates, etc. Wish me luck.

money matters: Now that Mr. mouse and I have some discretionary cash flow, we need to think about how best to invest it. Also, now that we've got some time, I want to seriously think about who we should be using as a financial adviser. And, we're putting plans together to refinance the mouse pad. We want to take the check from selling the mouse house and use it to lower our monthly mortgage payments. By my math, that makes my income 100% discretionary, taking a lot of pressure off me if the new job doesn't work out.

mouse pad: Mr. mouse wants to dive into a kitchen remodel. But, I've got some more practical considerations before we begin tearing the place apart. I'd like to finish unpacking and get the place to a livable state. Then, in my opinion, we need to fix the roof leaks, overhaul Mr. mouse's car, and figure out a mysterious bed creak which is most annoying.

Top 3: I could go back and look at what my Top 3 was, if I wanted to be consistent and accurate. But, I won't, not today. Today, I feel like looking forward and not being totally concerned about being connected to the past. My Top 3. Well, wellness is still on my list. Transitioning. That's on my mind. And, the house refinance. I think that's a good list for now.

wellness: To say this is going well is a huge understatement. If you had asked me last Jan 1, I would have never thought I could be where I am now, in one short year. Sometime this next year, most probably, I will hit whatever is to be my "goal weight". Then, I'll focus on other aspects of health and wellness. For now, my focus is on finding a routine and on getting back to the gym. Between my heart, quitting work (thus losing access to the gym) and the holidays, it's been close to two months since I've had a decent work-out. Time to ease back into it.

work: So far, so good. Five days under my belt, so still in honeymoon phase. Will write as relevant things come up. If I say nothing, assume it's all good.

archive - career hunting: I guess it went quickly. Wow.

archive - mouse house: This was a big focus of 2006. And, it feels good to have it behind us. I'll miss the community and the convenience. But, I'm excited to be together with Mr. mouse. I'm glad this chapter is closed.

archive - old work: Four and a half years... Longer than any other company I've been with. Still a great company with a great future. I learned a lot about work and about myself. The work being done on women's leadership is an amazing component of old work. If Mr. mouse had found a job in the area, we'd be happy at the mouse house and at old work. That's okay. Last year was a tough year, and I'm glad to be in a new environment.

archive - transitions: A temporary area to write about the transition from old work to work. Ten days that went very quickly. Without the blog, I'd probably forget them. Now, they're captured for me to revisit.

archive - vacation 2006: Now that we're not spending every weekend working on the mouse house AND we live together so time alone is less of an issue, we'll be doing a lot more traveling. High on my list is going back to visit my grandfather. That'll probably be this spring. And, we'll see a lot of our friends on short weekend trips. And, once we settle in and take a breather, we'll plan a vacation for 2007.

Still with me? Well, I've got to go and scrounge some dinner with Mr. mouse. Hope you're as excited about the new year as I am.


Cheers!
mouse

Ry Krisp RyKrisp Rye Crackers

Dear Friends and Family,

Apologies in advance for the old tech photo. It's the best the website had.


These are my cracker of choice these days. Made from rye, I originally bought them for their wheat-free ingredient list. Now, I they're a staple in my pantry.

The first two crackers are "free" in Weight Watchers. Every two after that are one point a pair. This has to do with the fiber cap Weight Watchers adds to its points system. I love them with my Han's cheese spread. Two crackers + 1 tbs spread makes for a nice one point snack. I'll also have two plain ones for zero points when I'm not hungry but in a nibble/graze mood.

Off to get ready for the long weekend. I'll try to get online to post as usual, but no guarantees.


Cheers!
mouse

Han's All Natural Cheese Spread

Dear Friends and Family,

I miss cheese. At three points an ounce, it's an expensive treat to be had once in a rare while. Mozzarella cheese, I can squeeze in. A quarter cup of the generic bagged shredded kind is two points. I refuse to even try the Laughing Cow light that comes up all the time in the Weight Watchers message boards.

Recently, I've found a cheese treat I can fit into my new lifestyle. Han's All Natural Sharp Cheddar Cheese Spread:


I found it at the local Whole Foods in the produce section, oddly enough. It's all natural, but not organic. And, at two points for two tablespoons, it's something I can have every day if I want. I usually have one tablespoon on two rye crackers for a nice one point treat. I'll write about the crackers next week.

Ahh... time to enjoy my tea as I bask in the warmth of the mouse house this morning.


Cheers!
mouse

Orville Redenbacher's Smart Pop Butter Mini Bags Microwave Popcorn

Dear Friends and Family,

Happy Halloween!

So, why the popcorn, today? It's not the healthiest food, nor the tastiest. It's microwave popcorn, after all. But, if you happen to stop by the mouse house this afternoon incognito, it's what we'll be handing out as treats...

Last year, we did full size candy bars (score!) but had ~12 trick-or-treaters so I had a bunch of bars left over. This year, I didn't want the temptation of candy lying around the house so we scoured the local Target for trick-or-treat ideas that wouldn't be sitting around the house for a year gathering dust if we didn't get enough trick-or-treaters. It's lower in fat than candy and you don't have to worry about kids with nuts allergies. Mr. mouse wanted to hand out stickers or some other trinket. Maybe next year we'll do that. Although, by next year, we should be at the mouse pad which is not Halloween friendly.

Weight Watchers info? 1 point per mini bag. I had one last night. It's a good alternative to chips if you MUST have something in hand while watching TV. It's also got the benefit of being pre-portioned out, so you know when to stop. I'll eat through the leftovers, but I don't think it'll become a staple in the mouse household.


Cheers!
mouse

Stonyfield Farm Organic Fat Free Milk

Dear Friends and Family,

With all of the heart scares I've been having, I'm taking a back to the basics approach - less prepared foods, more natural ingredients.

Looking at Weight Watchers' Eight Good Health Guidelines, #3 is include two servings of milk products each day.


There have been articles about how consuming dairy MAY aid in weight loss. (e.g. French Women's Diet Secret: Yogurt)

The question on dairy is what and what brand. I inherently think organic has to be better. Ideally, I'd like grass fed cows vs. grain fed cows. No antibiotics, no steroids, no growth hormones. I want that old school ideal - cows let out to pasture every day to graze on naturally growing grass come back to the barn each night to be milked by hand...

For now, I'll stick with Stonyfield Farm, even if Business Week wrote about the Organic Myth using them as an example of what can go wrong with organic. They're sold at my local food co-op. I'll do more research once I have the time.

In addition to my daily yogurt, I've added a cup of skim milk with dinner every night.


Cheers!
mouse

PS: going in this morning for more lab work - two more vials of blood... probably won't know anything new until next Monday when I go in for my follow-up appointment.

Macaroni Grill - Chicken Florentine Salad

Dear Friends and Family,

We went out for lunch yesterday at work to Macaroni Grill.

I printed out their menu from Weight Watchers ahead of time so I could plan out my meal. I was really surprised, they've been busy adding a lot of restaurants to their database making eating out a lot easier than it was before. For instance, they had Chipotle, Starbucks, Caribou and lots more. Now, I can just look and see what's low in points instead of having to go to the restaurant's website, look for nutritional info, then type it in. Much easier.

With my new 20 point limit, I was originally planning on a 4 point lunch. So, I looked at the menu ahead of time to see what four points would buy me. Either the house Caesar salad without dressing or the house garden salad without dressing for two points. Lentil bean soup would be another two points. We had a plan.

They were out of the soup. They had Italian Herb... Fortunately, I printed out the list and brought it with me in case a friend wanted to peek and check. So, I ordered the Chicken Florentine Salad without dressing. It was a nice blend of chopped salad and orzo with olives, capers, sun dried tomatoes, and other bits. Total cost? Seven points. My fall back was the Margherita Pizza. Half the pie is 10 points, so 50% more than the salad, but, it's pizza.

If we go back to Macaroni Grill, I'd probably order the Chicken Florentine Salad again.

Cheers!
mouse

PS: categories functional :) I'll be adding historical information once I have the time and motivation...

Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies

Dear Friends and Family,

Long day ahead of loose ends to set up a successful week.

Saturday, at the supermarket, Mr. mouse noticed some uber-ripe avocados. He picked up two to make some guacamole with... I could hardly wait... He also picked up a second can of Ro*Tel Original Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies. (He wanted to use the first can and keep constant stock.)


Now, he had my curiosity going. Our neighbors in Texas used to rant and rave about Ro*Tel. Mix it with anything and you've got instant Tex-Mex. We've had the can for close to a year now, but had never opened it. Looks like we were going to be opening the can of Ro*Tel.

The can says it all.

RO*TEL is the original Texas family recipe of plump, vine-ripened tomatoes blended with select green chilies and flavorful spices. It's the secret ingredient that makes ordinary recipes and dips come alive. A secret that originated in the sun-drenched Rio Grande Valley and spread across the country by word of mouth. Why? Because this Southwestern favorite brings mouth-watering zest to any dish. Just add RO*TEL to all your same old recipes and you'll see what we mean. Add a can. Lose the bland! You can RO*TEL the difference! For great recipes, visit us at www.ro-tel.com.

Not for the faint-hearted. A single serving of Ro*Tel delivers a whopping 22% of your daily sodium allowance. Then, again, doubt you'll consume a single serving in a single serving. I had about a quarter serving in my guacamole. Given last week's heart incident, this might not have been the smartest thing to do. Oh well. Too late now.

The guac was yummy. And, I've got to say, I started thinking of a million and one things I'd like to try adding it to... Chili... Chicken... Cheese... Fajitas... It got me looking forward to my trip back to Austin this weekend. I can hardly wait.


Cheers!
mouse