Under the Weather & A New Skinny Recipe

After being up several stretches in the night with the tiny man coughing last night, I decided to stay home and carry him to the doctor's office today. I'll be glad when he's old enough for over the counter cough medicines so we can actually do something for him on nights like that one. Over Christmas he had croup (which was the most awful sounding illness ever), and today it's the runny nose and congestion. It's so sad to see him feeling bad.

Our pediatrician is just wonderful. She's a mom of not one, but TWO sets of twins. (!!!) So, even besides the MD thing she has going on, she knows what she's about. She is especially patient when I ask new mom questions. Half the time we go in there, she's probably treating me, honestly. Today was no different. She got us all fixed up with something that has provided relief before, and we were back out the door to home.

Normally I would just work from home on a day like today, but Jack is also teething which requires a lot more TLC than usual. I knew I wouldn't be able to keep up with work and tend to him, so it was for the best that he got all of my attention. After we got back from the doc, I put him down for a nap that lasted 3 hours. Poor little fella!

While he was sleeping, I used the opportunity to try out a new skinny recipe. This one is for a very delicious banana bread from Eat Yourself Skinny. I think you'll love it!

Grandma's Banana Bread (from Eat Yourself Skinny) 12 servings at 3 Points+ (using Splenda)
1/2 cup (1 stick) light butter, softened
1/2 cup Splenda sugar blend (or 1 cup sugar)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup light sour cream
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 bananas)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a stand mixer, or hand held, mix together softened butter and sugar until well combined. Then add in eggs and mix well. Next add in vanilla, sour cream and mashed bananas then, while the mixer is on, slowly add the flour, baking soda and salt and mix slowly until completely combined, scraping the sides and the bottom.

Meanwhile, grease your pan(s) and lightly flour so that your bread won't stick. If using one 9x5 loaf pan, bake bread for about one hour. If using two smaller loaf pans, bake bread for about 45 minutes.

I used 1 cup of sugar. Running it through WW recipe builder, it calculated out to 4 points with 20 servings which is a really skinny piece of banana bread. Next time I'll try it with Splenda to cut down the points like Eat Yourself Skinny recommends and have a bigger slice. Have you ever baked with that before? Can you tell a huge difference?

Mr. G would like you to know that he approves this banana bread. Good for the whole family!

DO THINGS.

So not only does jumping back on the fit train require constant supervision of food consumption, it also requires exercise. You know what they say: "Reduce input, increase output." That's how to effectively lose weight, no matter how you slice it.

Via baltimoreprintstudios.com

I've been making excuses for exercise since I went back to work after maternity leave. Here is my favorite excuse (and it's really good, you guys): "I spend so much time away from the baby during the day that the last thing I want to do is be away from him when I get home." (Being away from him meaning at the gym, outside running, etc.) It's a completely valid excuse and makes me sound like a wonderful, self-sacrificing mother. But really, not taking care of my health is not good for my child in the long run. Good health for me leads to a healthy lifestyle for him.

So.

Since I can't go to the gym, I've decided to do a hodge podge of different things right in my home. On occasional Saturdays, I plan to take a local barre class or Zumba, and between those times I'll be hitting the DVD workouts. The goal set is 4 workouts per week. Last week worked well for me to come home, pick up the bebe, and Shred in the living room while he played with his toys/climbed on me during 1 minute abs. We are still interacting, but I am moving. He thinks watching me jump around and yell at Jillian is hilarious.

But I'm one of those people who will get bored with a workout quickly. I've been doing research (highly scientific, with the googling and all) to find great cardio DVDs. Surprisingly the one that was recommended here was for a So You Think You Can Dance workout. I plan on cracking that open this week, so I'll let you know how it goes.

Here's to a healthy 2012!

Skinny Recipes.

Recently I had the opportunity to take supper to a family that just had a sweet, new baby girl. She was so tiny, and all I could think was, "Wow, I can't believe Jack was ever that small!"

{It turns out that he was never that small--at least not outside the womb.}

Anyway, speaking of large and small, I'm sure everyone is getting back on the fit train with the arrival of 2012 and the impending swimsuit season on the horizon. Spring break is not that far away, my dears, and last year's "I just had a baby excuse" is going to be an entire year old very soon.

3 days old versus 9 months old
Barely relevant to this post, but he's so cute I couldn't help myself.
Today I'm sharing with you my current favorite skinny meal. 95% of the times I have used my Crock Pot, it has been for this. Delicious, filling, and skinny. I serve it up on cilantro lime rice (recipe below) like a Chipotle bowl. There are copious leftovers, and it reheats well in a skillet with a tiny bit of water added in. (Few things gross me out like microwaved chicken.) Both of these are from Skinny Taste, which I love since it lists WW points along with the calories. I've been a point counter for years, but I rarely try new stuff because I'm lazy and only eat things for which I have the points memorized. So thanks, Skinny Taste, for enabling my laziness while attempting to eat well.

This is also what I carried to the new parents I mentioned above, along with a colorful salad and a chocolate chip cookie pie, complete with Blue Bell. New moms need some indulgences after what they have endured. Am I right, or am I right?

And now I must ask, what is your favorite, easy skinny recipe?

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Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken 4 Points+ for 1 cup
24 oz. chicken breasts (I usually just throw in 4)
14.4 oz. can of diced tomatoes with mild green chilies (I use 2 cans of Rotel)
15 oz. can of black beans
8 oz. frozen corn
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
14.4 oz. can of fat free chicken broth
3 scallions, chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (you might cut down on this to keep it mild.)
salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt in the Crock Pot. Season chicken with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half an hour before serving, remove the chicken and shred it. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice (extra points.)

Skinny Cilantro Lime Rice 5 Points+ for 3/4 cup
1 c. extra long grain rice or bismati (I use Minute Rice and follow those intructions)
1/2 lime, juice of (I use the bottled lime juice since I rarely have fresh limes on hand.)
2 cups water
1 tsp. salt
3 T. chopped fresh cilantro
3 tsp. vegetable oil

In a small heavy pot, add rice, water, 1 tsp. oil and salt. Boil on high until most of the water evaporates. When the water just skims the top of the rice, reduce to low and cover about 15 minutes. Shut off heat and keep covered and additional 5 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine chopped cilantro, lime juice, rice, and remaining oil and toss until completely mixed.