Do you know the Muffin Man?

Blueberry Muffins
4 Weight Watcher Points Plus (for 1 muffin)

We recently purchased a large (and by large I mean LARGE) container of blueberries from Costco because my 3 year old adores them. If I let her she would eat one pint in one day so I normally ration them. But of course now that I splurged and bought the big one, she decided that she didn't really like them. What to do now? Bake some muffins.

I went to Gina's website, skinnytaste.com because that is often the first place I look for healthy recipes. I found this recipe for whole wheat blueberry muffins. I didn't have the whole wheat pastry flour she suggested so I used 1 cup of all purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat. They were great! Let's just say after hosting playgroup today they are all gone. Next time I will try using the flour she suggested and I think I might make them mini muffins so they aren't so messy for the kids. (Both girls shirts are soaking in vinegar & water as I type this to remove blueberry stains.)

For her recipe click here.

Faux Fried Mozzerella Cheese Sticks!!!!

Faux Fried Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
6 Weight Watcher Points Plus

When you can find a way to eat mozzarella cheese sticks on your diet you have to put a few exclamation marks in the title. I love junk food and I'd put these in my favorite junk food category: Bar Food. If it is fried I love it. I have given up these foods except for on occasion when I decide to splurge. (When you are at Redcoat you just have to go for it and at least split an order of onion rings with your friend.)

So when I got Rocco Dispirito's cookbook, "Now Eat This!" and I saw that he had a healthier version of mozzarella cheese sticks I could not wait to try it. Well, actually he called them, "Crispy Mozzarella Sticks Fra Diavolo" which seems like a very silly name for FRIED CHEESE. But, Mr. Dispirito I am very thankful for the recipe because it was great. Do these taste like real fried mozzarella sticks? No. But they were really good and they don't come with the guilt.

Since I am alone today (my hubby took the tots to my in-laws, "ahhh...") I only made enough for just one serving because there is no way I would have left any of these guys behind. Here's how you make them...

Ingredients

• 2 low-fat mozzarella cheese sticks = 4 pp (if you have kids around you probably have these in your fridge right now.)
  
• 1 T Whole Wheat flour = 0 pp (I put 1 T in the dish put I only used about 1 t)
• 1 egg white, beaten = 0 pp
• 2 T Italian bread crumbs = 2 pp (Rocco uses whole wheat panko)
  
• 2 T pizza sauce for dipping = 0 pp
• Oil oil cooking spray
• Seasonings
  
• Total for 4 sticks = 6 pp

Directions

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees
  
• Cut 2 mozzarella sticks in half & dredge in flour.
  
• Add the mozzarella sticks to the beaten egg white & toss.
• Coat with bread crumbs. Use your fingers to really press the bread crumbs into the cheese.
• Spread the cheese sticks on a wire cooling rack that is inserted into a sheet pan, see picture below. This is a technique that Rocco uses for "faux frying". Spray cheese sticks lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Season with garlic powder & salt.
• Rocco says to bake these for 15 minutes but mine only took 8 minutes. You have to really watch these because when they are ready the cheese with start oozing out of them.
  

Bedtime Snack

Vanilla Ice Cream with Dark Chocolate Balsamic Vinegar Reduction
3 Weight Watcher Points Plus

I have always wanted to try a balsamic reduction. I don't know why I was so intimidated by the process because it was really easy. I wouldn't have guessed that my first would be for dessert but it was good.

I used my new dark chocolate balsamic from the Olive Grove. If you live in the area you should check them out. I love their balsamic vinegars and you can't beat balsamic because it is 0 pp!!!

The sauce was really thick and syrupy. If you like things really sweet you might want to add in some sugar before you reduce it. This would also taste really good on fresh berries.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of Edy's Slow Churned Ice cream = 3 pp
• Dark Chocolate Balsamic reduction = 0 pp

Directions

I used the directions from this site to do my reduction.

Nap Time = Snack Time?

Fortunately for me on most days my girls take a nap. I use this time to make dinner, do laundry, waste time online and usually have a snack. I tend to want to eat when the girls are sleeping (at nap time & at night) for many reasons. I can enjoy my food without popping out of my seat every few minutes to get someone something. I can avoid having the same argument with my almost 3 year old, "You don't know if you like it until you TRY it." And finally I don't have to watch my 1 year old eat. If you have a 1 year old or have dined with one lately you know what I mean.

My nap time and bedtime snacking are a few of the many reasons I find myself at Weight Watchers. Now that I am eating healthier and watching my portions I am still having my nap time snack. I am just planning it a little better. I make sure that I actually take a break and enjoy it. I am calling it my lunch hour because the lunch hour at my house definitely doesn't count as a break.

Here is what I had today...

Coffee w/ 1/2 cup frothed skim milk = 1 pp
Fiber One Peanut Butter & Choc 90 calorie bar = 2 pp

I love the Fiber One 90 calorie bars. They are very yummy, only 2 points and they have them at Costco! (Just make sure you get the 90 calorie not the regular size)