Taco Thursday...

Hola chicas!! 

 

Hope your Thursday is going by quickly...I know we're all waiting on Friday to finally show it's beautiful face!  The next few weekends I have are booked with a lot of things to do...but trust me, I'm not complaining.  There's nothing better than familia, parties, and road trips.

 

Last night I made one of my all-time favorite dinners, chicken tacos.  They were complete yumminess, and I thought I'd share my recipe with you all.  Now, I know everyone has a different spin on this dish, as it's a pretty common meal en familias Latinos.  I used the WW Recipe Builder on eTools to create mine, so that it is PointsPlus friendly.  These tacos still have the same flavorful taste, just made a little healthier.

 

Ingredients:

(chicken taco filling)

 

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. boneless/skinless chicken breast

1 cup Spanish onion thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic minced

1 1/2 cups tomato sauce

garlic salt to taste

black pepper to taste

 

Begin by boiling the chicken for approximately 1 hour in slightly salted water, or until thoroughly cooked.  I used boneless/skinless chicken breast for my recipe simply because it's easier to work with, but bone-in chicken breast will work as well.  It is important to remove any skin before boiling though.  After they are done cooking, remove them from the water, and set them aside on a plate.  Also, think ahead chicas!  While the chicken is boiling, use that time to chop up any veggies you'll use for your tacos, or in my case last night, making a side dish like Spanish rice.  This can be a quick and easy meal if you prep prep prep.

 

Once the chicken breasts have cooled down enough for you handle, begin pulling them apart into thin shreds, or to your liking.  I usually do this by hand, and although it is a little more time consuming, the chicken stays a lot juicier this way once all the ingredients are added in.

Make sure the onion is thinly sliced, and the garlic is minced into tiny pieces.  This is what gives the chicken it's sabor chicas.

When you're ready, lightly coat a large skillet with non-stick spray and heat to medium.  Next, add in the chicken and let it cook for a few minutes, just so that it warms up.  After that, throw in the onions, garlic, and tomato sauce.  Mix well, and season to taste with garlic salt and black pepper.  Cook for approximately 5 more minutes while stirring occasionally, and it's ready!  Now serving sizes will vary, but using the Recipe Builder and my trusty scale, this is what I calculated:

 

PointsPlus Value= 3

Yields approximately 10 servings

Serving Size= 4.3 ounces

(yeessss I like to be exact lol)

Here is my finished product last night.  Like I mentioned above, I served my chicken tacos with a side of Spanish rice, which is how I grew up eating this dish.  I also chose to just warm my tortillas on a skillet, instead of the tradition to fry them.  Soo much healthier, and still sooo yummy.  All you have to do is add your own toppings, and you're set!

 

My plate above was suuuper filling, and totaled out to 10PP.

(1/2 cup Spanish rice= 3PP, 2 Tia Rosa red corn tortillas= 3PP, chicken filling= 3PP,

1/4 cup fat free cheese mix= 1PP, lettuce and tomato= 0PP)

 

For those of you who have never had these before, try them out!  I promise you're going to love them.  You can also try adding salsa, or even yummy avocado.  There's actually salsa on mine, but you can't see it, and I forgot to pick up some avocados at the grocery store, otherwise I would have had some too.  It goes greeeaaattt with these tacos.

 

I'm off for now chicas, but I hope I at least got you thinking about dinner tonight!!  Have a terrific Thursday!!

 

 

Be blessed...and stay blessed!!!

 

xoxo,

❤Nica



Tick tock...tick tock...

Where is this time going lately??

 

It feels like the year is nearly over, and I still have sooo much to do.  I know with the upcoming holidays, the time is just going to swing by even quicker.  It seems like every day is just hustle hustle hustle, and I never even have a moment to breathe for myself.  Yikes!!

 

First things first, let me give you all my updated WW weekly weigh-ins from the past 2 weeks.  I think I've been doing fairly well with my tracking, although I know I have a lot of room for improvement, especially when it comes to the weekends.  Lately, I barely even glance at my iPhone throughout the weekends to track my food.  No bueno.  :/

 

 

At last week's weigh-in (10/9/12), I lost a total of 4.2 pounds.  I have no idea how I did that chicas.  The only thing I can think is that I am underestimating the amount of activity points I count for Zumba.  It's a little hard to determine sometimes, because Zumba isn't listed as one of the 'workouts' under the activity list on the Weight Watchers website.  I do eat any activity points I earn, and very rarely go into my extra weekly 49 points.

At this week's weigh-in, I lost 1.2 pounds, making that a total of 126.6 pounds thus far!  Last week I was also awarded another 25 pound ring for my keychain, which was reallly exciting!  I got to speak a little about my journey so far, and I can only hope that my progress will inspire others to stay on track, and never lose hope that the program really does work.

 

This entire year has been a true blessing for me chicas.  I cannot stress that enough.  I am thankful to God for putting me on this path, and helping me stick to it.  I know I am making the best decisions for my future.

 

Cheers to a new week, and in moving foward!!

 

In other parts of my life, work is getting crazier every day.  I'm planning my annual Halloween party, and getting ready for audit next month.  Before I know it, the holidays are going to be here, and we'll be starting another year!  I'm still not 100% sure about a costume so far, but I will definitely be dressing up...it's tradition for our fiesta at work!

 

Here are a few pics of my life over the past week or so...

 

My babygirl's 'candycorn' nails I did for her...I loooove my niece, but wow...these didn't last but one day tops! lol

A trip to the pumpkin patch on a Saturday afternoon always calls for pictures!!  They had a blast...and so did I trying to get my nephew to look at the camera just once!! lol

My yummy breakfast I made the other morning...only 5PP chicas!  2 points for the whole-grain bread (2 slices of Sara Lee 100% Whole Wheat), 1 point for the ham (1 ounce of Hillshire Farm Ultra Thin Honey Ham), 1 point for the cheese (1/4 cup HEB fat free shredded cheddar cheese), and 1 point for the three egg whites.  I crisp the ham a little in the skillet, and grill the veggies in the same pan, so that they are warm and soft when putting together the sandwich.  When the egg whites are cooked to your liking, add in the cheese so that it melts perfectly.  No oil is needed...just a little non-stick spray, and you're good to go.  The spinach, tomato, and banana are all freeeeee...which makes for a filling, delicious breakfast!

I also made these steamed dumplings one rainy Saturday afternoon.  I'll be posting the recipe soon.  I always have fun experimenting with the WW Recipe Builder on eTools.  I take any ideas I have in my head, throw them all together, and try to reduce the PP value.  It's challenging, but I think I've put together some really great recipes so far.

 

I also celebrated my bestie's birthday a few weeks ago.  We had a blast!!  Good friends, dinner, drinks, flamenco dancing, and lots of great memories!!

Love you Cat!!  Here's to many many more years of BESTfriendship.  :)

 

The only update I have with The Fisherman is that I'm reaching a breaking point.  I haven't really spoken to him in a few days, because he made me really mad over the weekend when he wouldn't answer a simple question!  It was just something I had never asked him before, and he became soo defensive.  Believe it or not...in the short time we've been 'talking', I've never asked him what his last name is.  It's honestly just never come up, and for whatever reason, I thought about it while I was on the road this weekend.  We were in the middle of texting each other, and I just flat out asked him 'By the way, what's your last name'?  His response??  'Why?? Uggg!!'.  Ummm wait...what??  Warning sign, I know chicas.  So I'm going to let things play themselves out..and I am definitely not going to hold back from saying exactly how I feel from now on.  I know what I want out of a partner, and I'm honestly more pissed off than happy half the time we talk.  Ask and you shall receive, right?  Even if it's not the answer you want to hear, it still helps you moves foward.

 

By the way...I finally updated my progress pictures!!  Make sure you click over to that page and take a look.  It's amazing what positive thinking can get you...put your mind and ❤ to it, and you can accomplish anything!!

 

Have a great week chicas...it's almost Friiiiddaayyy!!

 



Be blessed...and stay blessed!!!

 

 

xoxo,

 

❤Nica



Wham bam thankya maam'...

TGiF!!  Or....not.  For me, it just means that I'm closer to the end of my week-long vacation, and even closer to having to return to the oficina on Monday.  No bueno.  lol

I do hope that everyone had a great 4th though.  I relaxed, bbq'ed with the familia, and enjoyed some pretty fireworks after the rain finally cleared up.  Yup...it rained on Wednesday night down here.  Isn't that supposed to be a good sign?  Or am I confusing that with the wedding day/rainy day myth? lol  Either way, it was VERY welcome, even if it was just a one-nighter.  I feel so used chicas!!  ;) lol  Anyhow, I DO have an awesome recipe to share with ya'll, but first, here are a few pics from my 4th.

My precious nephew eating his home-made popsicle.

My niece and my godson having fun in the sprinkler.

My niece (making silly faces), and her cousin having a blast.

The clouds started rolling in towards the end of the day, and my
grandfather's flag waved high in the stormy sky.

These were just a few of my favorite pics from the day.  How did you all spend the holiday?

Yesterday evening we were going to have a bunch of family members over again for dinner.  Mind you, this is a pretty common occurrence for me.  lol  'Having family over for dinner', usually translates to 10+ people gathering together over good food.  Maybe it's a Texas thing...but when I cook, I cook to feed to an army!  lol

I created this recipe using the WW Recipe Builder on eTools again.  Remember, even though it's a recipe I created following the WW guidelines, it doesn't mean that if you're not on the program, you can't try it.  I'm all about the flavor, and satisfying, filling meals, for everyone's lifestyle.  Note, I did not say diet.  WW isn't a diet, but a lifestyle.  Love it.  :)

Here's my take on home-made chinese take-out, 'Rice Noodle Stir-Fry'.  Remember, I was feeding 10+ people that night, so this recipe will give you plenty of servings!

Here are some of the ingredients that I used, just so you get an idea of the brand, etc.

1.  KA.ME Rice Sticks.  I bought these at Wal-Mart, and I found them in the 'Asian' section we have here.  The package says 4 servings, and believe me it was more than enough.  Prepare these per package instructions, and set aside after straining, and rinsing under cool water.

2.  La Choy Water Chestnuts.  Drain and set aside.  Any brand will work fine.

3.  HEB Central Market Safflower Oil.  This is GREAT for stir-frys, and counts as a WW healthy oil.

4.  Argo Corn Starch.  This is used to thicken the sauce.

5. Some of the produce I used. You can add or omit veggies per your preference, but it may affect the PP value of this meal.

6.  Broccoli florets.  I used frozen this time, but prefer fresh.  Make sure they are somewhat thawed out before using them for this recipe.

7.  Wash your peppers, deseed, and cut into long, thin, slices.

8.  Wash your zucchini, and cut into slices similar to peppers.

9.  Add shredded carrots to the bowl.  I used the pre-packaged type.

10.  Take a damp towel and clean off any dirt from your mushrooms.  For this recipe I used plain ol' button mushrooms, but you can take your pick.  Mushrooms are so filling, and yummy!  Once clean, chop into quarters, stem and all.

11.  Wash your green onions, and chop into small pieces.

At this point, you've prepped all your veggies, which is probably the most time consuming part of this recipe, but well worth it.

12.  Cut your chicken into thin slices, or per your preference.  I used boneless, skinless chicken breast, which is a lot healthier than using beef.  Season with 1 tsp. of salt, and 1 tsp. of black pepper.

13.  Pre-heat your skillet on high, using 1/2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil.  This is just to pre-cook your chicken.  I actually used a wok for this recipe, but any large skillet will do.  Chicas...this wok has been used sooo many times, but I LOVE it.  It actually belongs to mi madre, and there is a great story behind the gifting of it to her...but another time/post.

Once your chicken is all cooked (browned slightly), set it aside in a large bowl.  Now comes the fun part!

14.  Add 1 tbsp. of safflower oil to your skillet, and heat on high.  Once the oil is hot enough, add 1/3 of your zucchini, bell peppers, carrots, and mushrooms.  Stir frequently, and season with 1 tsp. of salt, and 1 tsp. of black pepper.  Sautee the veggies for about 4-5 minutes, so that they stay crisp, and fresh.

15.  Next add in 1/3 of your thawed broccoli florets, water chestnuts, and green onions.

16.  Take 1/2 tbsp. corn starch in a cup, and add 1/3 cup of water.  Mix well.  Using your spatula, form a 'pocket' in the center of the veggies, and add your liquid mixture.  Then add 2 tbsp. of low sodium soy sauce as well.  I used Kikkoman Soy Sauce, Less Sodium for this recipe, which I found at Wal-Mart.  (gotta love Wal-Mart!  Or as you'll often see me refer to as 'Wally-World')  Cover and let cook for about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes.

17.  Uncover and add in 1/3 of your cooked chicken, and 1/3 of your rice noodles.  You may have to rinse them under cool water again at this point, but make sure to strain them very well.  Then add in 2 more tbsp. of soy sauce, toss it all together, and...

Yummmyyness...I know chicas.  Soooo filling, full of flavors, and colorful!  I love when my meals have bright pops of color in them.  Makes my plate look even prettier.  Repeat the process two more times, as this amount of ingredients will make 3 batches.  I don't know about ya'll, but left-over chinese food is the BEST to me.  So whether you're feeding a large group, or it's just you and your close ❤'ed ones, you'll be more than prepared.

Here's the 4-1-1 on this recipe for all my WW partners out there:

PointsPlus Value= 5

Serving= 1 cup

Yields approximately 16 servings.

We had a great time cooking, eating, and laughing that night.  This meal is a great way to get everyone in the kitchen helping, especially with all the prep work involved.  Plan ahead, pre-chop the night before, or wait and put your familia to work!

Hope you all get to try it out!  Please let me know if you do, and what you thought chicas.  I'm off to a pool party tonight...hopefully it will be the start to a FANTASTIC weekend.

Have a good one chicas!!

Be blessed...and stay blessed!!

xoxo,

❤Nica

Happy 4th of July...

Hope you all enjoy the holiday today, and get to spend it doing something fun, relaxing, and memorable with la familia and friends. :)

I had quite the weekend the past few days, starting with a trip to the ER late Friday night, and spending the entire day Saturday in bed.  I must have caught a 24 hour bug, because ultimately when I left the ER that night, I was never really given a formal diagnosis for what was going on with me.  In short, I was having a very sharp pain come and go for over an hour that night, in my upper stomach/abdomen area.  It got bad enough for me to actually have my sister rush me over to the hospital here in town.  (YIKES!!  FYi...the ONE hospital here in town does NOT have the best reputation..speaking from personal experience with a family member in the past).  Anyhow, I was hooked up to an iV, given some pain medication, some medication for my nausea, and sent home after a few hours. 

I spent the entire day/night Saturday in bed, which really did suck big ones, because I had plenty of familia in from out of town for the weekend.  There was a baby shower planned for one of my tia's this past Sunday, and if any of my other mexicanas out there know...we do baby showers BIG lol.  By the time the day came around, I was feeling well enough to get out of bed, and actually have a little to eat.  The rest of the weekend was spent recuperating, and all in all, it turned out pretty nice visiting with some of my extended family.

Apparently, my vacation week decided to start off on a crappy note, but has progressively gotten better. :)  It's the 4th of July chicas...celebrate however you want, and for whatever reasons you want, as long as you are having a good time, and your heart is full.

Yesterday..no wait....yes...yesterday (considering it's already 1:48am), was my WW weekly weigh-in.  Considering the yucky bug I caught over the weekend, and the fact that I didn't consume much for a day other than Gatorade, soup, and crackers, I wasn't very shocked by the number on the scale during my Weight Watchers meeting Tuesday afternoon.

I lost 2.2 lbs. this week chicas, putting my total weight lost at 92.6 lbs.!!!  And to make it even more awesome, yesterday marked exactly six months since I started the program on January 3rd earlier this year.  I'm so pumped to be sooo close to reaching that 100 lb. goal!!!  As I was looking at these pics and reviewing my progress up to now, it actually felt a little unreal to me.  I'll get there one day...to the point where I can feel completely proud of myself, and acknowledge it too.

Now don't get me wrong, I am in NO WAY promoting or insinuating that not eating much for my 'sick' day was a 'plus' towards this notch off the scale.  Believe me chicas...and all my 'Believers' out there, I was sweatin' it thinking about how I was not eating enough.  Eating your daily PP values is VITAL towards your success on the program!!  I hate when I go off track, especially when I'm forced!!  lol  And I especially hate those days when it's hard just to consume your daily total.  I'll admit those days are few and far between, but they do happen sometimes.  This chica's gotta eat!!

And with that said...stick a firecracker in me...I'm pOpped/pooped...whatever. lol

Nighty night mis chicas!  Be safe tomorrow, and think of me as you're sippin' on your beer, grubbin' on that burger, and enjoying the color explosion in the night sky.  I'll be doing the same!!!

Be blessed...and stay blessed!!!

xoxo,

❤Nica

My meatballs bring all the boys to the yard...

Ohmygoodnessssss these are the bomb.com.

No...seriously chicas...they were sooo yummy when I made them earlier this week, I had to share the recipe with you all.  And if any of you are following the WW PointsPlus program, you'll be happy to know that I created this recipe using the eTools 'Recipe Builder' via the Weight Watchers website.  Soooo suuupeeerrr easy to use (well at least I think so), and oh so helpful when you want to be on point with your tracking as well.

These deeelish meatballs could actually be served many different ways, although the night I made them for dinner, we had them with spaghetti.  Here's what you'll need:

Start by pre-heating your oven to 375 degrees.  Also, go ahead and line a LARGE baking pan with foil, and spray it lightly with non-stick spray.  Preferably not a flat baking sheet, since the meatballs will release quite a bit of liquid during the cooking process.

Next, wash your bell peppers, de-seed them, and chop them up into small pieces, along with the onion.  Mince your garlic, and add it to the mixture as well.  Remember...most veggies are ZERO points in WW.  Yummy, filling, and get those healthy checks in chicas!!

Add your ground beef and 2 eggs to a large mixing bowl.  For this recipe, and in most of my cooking, I use HEB brand ground beef, 96% lean/4% fat.  Also, I'm pretty sure you could use just egg whites to save on points, but to me, adding the yolks makes the meatballs moist.

Add in your dry ingredients next.  Here's what I used:

FYi...I'm using reduced fat parmesan for this recipe.  I'm pretty sure substituting regular parmesan cheese for this recipe WILL alter the PointsPlus value.  Also, at this point in the recipe, I only add 1 tbsp. each of the parsley flakes, and the Italian seasoning.  Now for the fun part. :)  Add the chopped veggies to the mixture, and time to get your hands dirty chicas...

Roll up those sleeves (I hope you washed your hands already! lol), and get to mixin'.  Make sure that all of the ingredients are meshed well together, and then get started...

Roll each meatball in the palms of your hands until a nice round shape forms.  I personally use my digital food scale to weigh out 2 ounce meatballs.  With this recipe, you should get about 24 meatballs, or 8 servings (3 meatballs/serving).  Once weighed and rolled, place them on your foil-lined pan, and sprinkle with the remaining tbsp.'s of parsley flakes and Italian seasoning.  Put them in the oven, and bake for 25 minutes.  Your time may vary slightly based on your oven, but don't overcook.  When ready, they should be light brown in color.  I don't cover mine with foil or anything else during baking, and they come out juussst right every time. 

PointsPlus Value= 5

Serving= 3 meatballs

If anyone has problems follwing the recipe, or questions regarding how I calculated my PointsPlus values, feel free to holla at me.  I'd love to hear if you tried the recipe, and how you liked it!!

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a pic of the meatballs fresh out of the oven, but here's how I made them for dinner that night in my spaghetti sauce...

Yuummynesss chicas.

Enjoy!!

Be blessed...and stay blessed!!

❤Nica