Dessert for Breakfast

If you aren't new to the program, you probably know that Nutrisystem dessert and breakfast entrees can be used interchangeably. So you really can have cookies for breakfast if that's something you want, and still add any additional portions that you get on your individual Nutrisystem program.

But sometimes, maybe you want something that is over the top decadent. Something that makes you feel like you've gone to a restaurant and had something fancy. And in this case, something fancy that you can whip up in less than five minutes.

This breakfast fits perfectly into the Nutrisystem guidelines, is loaded with protein and fiber, and tastes amazing. You're welcome!

Breakfast Banana Split (Flex Meals):

1 medium ripe banana, split in half lengthwise
1 serving of your favourite flavour of fat free Greek yogurt (80-120 calories, 5+g of protein)
2 tbsp chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, peanuts, almonds, or mixed- whatever you like!)
1/4 cup your favourite mixed berries for garnish (optional)

Place your banana halves into a long dish, and mound the Greek yogurt down the middle (for creativity points, use 1/3 serving each of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry Greek yogurt!). Sprinkle the chopped nuts evenly on top, and garnish with the berries if desired. It's that simple!

Once again, let your creativity guide you. The garnish is an extra, so if you feel like something a little different, go for it! How about 1 tbsp. mini dark chocolate chips, or 1 tbsp. unsweetened coconut? As long as you keep it under 35 calories, feel free to use whatever you would like for the extra. Or if you are happy with just the nuts, no need to use an extra at all.

This counts as a complete flex breakfast, or a breakfast entree plus a Powerfuel. The banana is your SmartCarb, the Greek yogurt is one Powerfuel, and the chopped nuts are a second Powerfuel. If you use a garnish, remember to count it as an extra.

What are your favourite banana split toppings?

Weekend Decadence

We stopped by McDonalds during Free Coffee Week and looking at all the breakfast items on the menu, it made me remember one of my favourites- the McDonalds breakfast burritos. One burrito is 300 calories, 16g of fat (7g saturated), and 24g of carbs, and most people eat two plus a potato item like hashbrowns!

Since I've been playing around with crepes lately, I got the idea of using the Pancake Mix to make a wrapper for the burrito. The result was an incredibly decadent breakfast that will have you convinced that this breakfast couldn't possibly be Nutrisystem-friendly; but it is!

Pancake Mix:



McDonalds Breakfast Burrito:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Pancake Mix
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup Egg Beaters
1/2 slice fat free cheese
1 turkey breakfast sausage
chopped onions, green peppers (optional)
black pepper and hot sauce to taste
salsa or ketchup to taste

In a bowl, whisk the pancake mix, milk, and water until no lumps remain. Pour half the batter into a frying pan sprayed with PAM butter spray; set the other half of the batter aside. Flip the crepe when ready and cook the second side. In a separate pan, cook the Egg Beaters, sausage, and vegetables. When both the eggs and crepe are ready, spoon the filling into one side of the crepe and top with the FF cheese. Microwave for 20 seconds to melt the cheese, and enjoy with a spoonful of spicy salsa if desired!

My husband took one bite of this and asked me to make him some for lunch! He likes them with a little Frank's hot sauce cooked into the eggs and asked me to add a little to the crepe batter next time as well.

Some tips on making your crepes since I had trouble at first: they take much, much longer to cook than pancakes, which I wasn't expecting since they are so thin. Also, if you try to flip them early, they'll rip and be ruined (or at least not look so pretty). I wait until the edges start to lift and then carefully slide my spatula underneath. The second side only takes a minute or so to crisp up since it's already mostly cooked. If you are making crepes and want the first one to stay moist for easy folding while the second cooks, put it on a plate and place a damp paper towel over the top.

Now, I'm sure some of you are wondering how to count this and what we're going to do with the rest of the batter. Here's where breakfast starts to feel like a real extravagance!

Quick Dessert for Breakfast Crepe:



leftover crepe batter
1 fruit serving of your favourite berries (I like strawberries), in thin slices
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp Splenda
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp ricotta cheese

Prepare the second crepe as directed above. While it's cooking, pour the water, vanilla, and Splenda into a small pan and heat it on medium heat. Add the strawberries, and let them cook until most of the liquid is gone and the pan is thick and syrupy. Put the ricotta cheese in the crepe and top with the fruit syrup. If desired, drizzle with Walden Farms Maple Syrup or Chocolate Syrup and a tiny puff of whipped cream. Enjoy your breakfast dessert!

After a year, I have to say that this breakfast still has me feeling slightly amazed that I can do it all with a breakfast entree, dairy/protein, and fruit serving (plus a free food: the tbsp of ricotta), but you can! Just make sure that you don't go over 100 calories for your egg filling- it depends on the stats for your sausage. You could also use 1oz of fat free ham if you want more egg or cheese. It was a totally filling and decadent breakfast- definitely satisfied my cravings!

Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

More Dairy/Protein Ideas...

Continuing my comments from yesterday, dairy/protein servings are definitely the easiest way to adapt your program to your needs. You can pretty much have ANYTHING you want, as long as it fits into the stats of 100 calories or less, 3g of fat or less, and 7g of protein or more. Here are a couple of ideas that I really enjoy.

Dairy/Protein Ideas:



Here's one of my favourite breakfast accompaniments on a hungry day!

Smoked Salmon Omelette:

1/2 cup Eggbeaters
2oz smoked salmon
1 tbsp fat free Herb & Garlic cream cheese
green onions, chopped

It took me a lot of practice to make a pretty omelette, but the secret is not to turn it too quickly. When you think it's ready, lift up the edges just a little and let the liquid drip down underneath and then set it down again. There should be very little liquid on the top when it's actually ready to turn. Then allow it to cook a little and spread the cream cheese across half the omelette before folding it shut and scooping it onto your plate. Delicious! This counts as one dairy/protein serving and one free food. Change it up a little by using cubed ham and asparagus instead of salmon and green onions (and 20 calories' worth of shredded cheese instead of cream cheese) or increase the Eggbeaters to 3/4 cup and just have a plain veggie omelette if you prefer. This is a great and protein packed side for your breakfast!


I'll confess that for the longest time I was afraid of trying a product I had sitting in my cabinet. Usually I'm the first to try new things, but fake peanut butter? I didn't know... I'm glad I finally gave it a try, though!

Peanut Butter Apples:



1 apple, peeled and cored, cut into slices
4 tbsp PB2
2 tbsp water

It's that simple. Mix your PB2 with the water, smear it on the apples, and enjoy! 4 tbsp of PB2 counts as a dairy/protein serving and it's actually quite a lot of peanut butter. Since we only get 1 tsp as a fat serving, it was really nice to have gobs of it on my apple slices! PB2 doesn't quite have the rich flavour of real peanut butter, but with less than a quarter of the calories and fat, this is a swap you aren't going to regret making. I order mine from www.netrition.com and I'm going to have to get more since my husband wanted to share my snack!

So go ahead- get creative with your add ins. What do you like to use for your dairy/protein servings?

Disclosure: This post was written by me and was not edited by anyone. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own and have not been influenced in any way. Nutrisystem Canada is providing their food and program to me free of charge for my weekly updates. I was not compensated for writing this post.

On Vacation

Are there some foods or drinks that just make you feel like you're on vacation? For me, I always used to say to my husband that my vacation begins when I have a cold pina colada in hand. Pineapple is such a tropical fruit that it just makes me feel more relaxed, if that makes any sense.

I was delighted that my farmer's market had fresh whole pineapples for $2 on the weekend, so I bought a few to do some experimenting with (along with eating them fresh! I love fresh pineapple). These two recipes will make you swear you are cheating- your dessert will be better than whatever your friends have!

Pancake Mix (Breakfast):



Pina Colada Cake:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Pancake Mix
1/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp rum extract (optional)
1/4 tsp coconut extract
1/2 cup pineapple, diced
1 tsp sweetened coconut
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp Splenda

Icing:
1.5 tbsp Philadelphia Ultra Low Fat Cream Cheese
1 tsp butter
2 tbsp Splenda
1/4 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp sweetened coconut

Spray a baking dish with PAM and preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix together all the cake ingredients and pour the batter into the dish. Bake for about 20 minutes or until top has browned. In a little dish, blend together the cream cheese, butter, Splenda, and extract, ensuring there are no unmixed lumps (which would make your icing taste gross). Refrigerate icing until the cake is cool and ready to be frosted. Spread icing on top of cake and sprinkle with 1 tsp coconut and enjoy.

This was amazing. I couldn't believe it wasn't cheating because it was SO sweet and rich. It uses a breakfast entree but I highly suggest having this for a dessert because it is just so sweet- I couldn't handle that much sweetness in the morning, personally. Breakfast and dessert entrees are interchangeable so there is no problem doing that. The coconut (oddly enough, sweetened coconut has better stats than unsweetened!) counts as a free food- 2 tsps is 24 calories. The butter is your dinner fat serving, and count the cream cheese as part of a dairy/protein serving (you can count it as another free food if you want but Nutrisystem suggests not having more than one at the same time).


Pineapple Upside Down Cake:



1 pkg Nutrisystem Pancake Mix
1/4 cup pineapple, diced
1 maraschino cherry
2 tsp Splenda Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp Splenda
1/3 cup pineapple juice

Spray a baking dish with PAM and place the cherry in the center. Dust the bottom of the dish with the Splenda Brown Sugar and place the pineapple bits all around the cherry. Mix remaining ingredients together- you may need to add a little water if the batter is too thick- I added 1 tbsp more. Pour batter on top of pineapple and bake at 350 degrees for about twenty minutes or until the cake is browned. Allow it to cool, then carefully invert it onto a plate and enjoy.

Since I was using fresh pineapple, I had no pineapple juice on hand. I substituted V8 Fusion Peach Mango juice, which I thought was tropical enough. It turned out great! Note that this recipe has no dairy in it, so you'll need to add a half dairy serving to your day to compensate for the missing milk. Count the maraschino cherry as a free food at 12 calories.

These recipes made me feel like I was getting ready for vacation already!

Fruity Indulgence

I just finished licking the plate of my latest Fruit Week Creation- this is a perfect substitute for a NS dessert at only 159 calories and 8g of protein. Enjoy with some extra fruit slices on the side!

Flex Meals (Dessert):



Strawberry Kiwi Pie:

2 tbsp 97% FF Philadelphia cream cheese
1 tbsp vanilla Greek yogurt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp Splenda
2 squares of graham crackers, crushed into crumbs
1 tsp margarine

Melt the margarine in the microwave and mix in the crumbs. Bake it in a small dish in the oven at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes. Leave pan aside to cool. In a bowl, mix the remaining ingredients together until smooth. When the crust is cooled, spoon the filling on top. Allow to chill for at least one hour. Top with thin slices of kiwi and strawberry and enjoy!

Keeps with the theme

Well, I started my day with a shortcake, so when I was looking at the list of recipes I am planning to make this week for Focus on Fruit, I thought it was a perfect time to end my day with a shortcake as well! This recipe is simple and so delicious!


Golden Pound Cake (Dessert):



Strawberry Shortcake:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Golden Pound Cake
3 tbsp light whipped cream (meeting free food requirements)
diced strawberries
1 tbsp cream cheese/ricotta cheese, if desired (even Greek yogurt could work)

Slice the strawberries thinly and leave one chunk for the top of the cake. Carefully slice the pound cake into two pieces lengthwise. Stack strawberries between the cake layers until overflowing. Top with either 1 tbsp whipped cream, or else use FF cream cheese or sweetened ricotta. Use remaining whipped cream on top, and add the strawberry chunk. Enjoy- this is a quick fix that is very light and delicious!

Fruit Week!

Before I started Nutrisystem, I didn't really eat a lot of fruit. I liked the occasional bowl of strawberries with ice cream or watermelon in the summer, but that was about it. When I started Nutrisystem with more than 100 pounds to lose, I was expected to eat three servings a day, which seemed so crazy!

I will admit that I still do miss the occasional fruit serving but I try to keep V8 Fusion in the house so that if I realize I didn't have any, then I can have a glass of their Peach-Mango blend which is really yummy cold! I dilute juice with water so that it seems like more and I can't taste the difference anyway since most juice is so sweet.

So this week on Stomach Rumblings is devoted to interesting ways to incorporate fruit into your diet, beyond just peeling and eating. I've created a new tag called Fruit Ideas that you can click if you need some inspiration!


Cranberry Orange Pastry (Breakfast):



This is one of my favourite breakfasts even just plain, but it was delicious prepared this way!

Cranberry Orange Shortcake:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Cranberry Orange Pastry
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
5 slices of water packed mandarin orange
Splenda, to taste (optional)
orange extract, to taste (optional)

Mix the yogurt and Splenda until well blended, and add the orange extract. Slice the pastry carefully in two lengthwise, and spoon half of the yogurt mixture on the bottom piece of pastry. Place 4 orange slices on top of yogurt, and top with the remaining pastry half. "Ice" the top of the pastry with the remaining yogurt and decorate with the last orange slice. Enjoy!

Having fun again!

And isn't that what it's all about? If you're not enjoying what you're doing, you're less likely to stick to it. Food should be fun! That's another reason I love my Redi Set Go.

I have a new review and a couple of recipes- enjoy!


Chocolate Macadamia Nut Biscotti (Dessert):



This has a rich chocolate flavour and was nutty and delicious. Too bad it's discontinued! I have seen them fairly frequently on eBay though so you might be able to get hold of them if you want them. I'm usually not a biscotti fan because I like my cookies soft instead of rock hard, but dipping it in tea made it quite palatable.


Chicken Salad (Lunch):



This is another entree that I view as a base for making whatever you want. Is it kinda gross to squeeze it out of the little foil packet? Yeah, but don't have it by itself and it's great! What do you like in your chicken salad? You can add chopped apples or nuts (count them as a fat if you use them), celery, more chicken... whatever you'd normally put in chicken salad. Just treat the entree as the mayonnaise-y base and you're all set. I usually add more chopped chicken and green onions to mine. Lately I've been making it a melt which is SO yummy... split your dairy serving between chicken and cheese, and put the salad mixture over a slice of bread, top with cheese, and toast in the oven until it's hot and gooey. Delicious and filling!


Macaroni and Cheese (Dinner):



I saw a recipe to make chili mac, and took a crack at making it NS friendly. I know that some people mix together the Chili with Beans and the Macaroni and Cheese and then just eat half, but I'm not a big fan of having to stop halfway! I'd rather have just one serving of something if I can do it. So I tried it on my own and it was yummy!

Chili Mac:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Macaroni and Cheese
2oz ground turkey
1/3 cup kidney beans (borrow a carb serving from elsewhere if you don't get one)
chopped onions and tomatoes
garlic, black pepper, chili powder

Spray a pan with PAM spray and sautee the onions and tomatoes with the garlic until they soften. Add the turkey and cook until it's no longer pink. In the meantime, boil water for the macaroni but don't add it to the cup until just before you're going to use it. You want to soften the noodles and mix it up but you don't want all the liquid absorbed so that the cheesy flavour goes through the whole dish. Stir in the kidney beans and spices and simmer for a few minutes. Add the softened macaroni and stir well, then cover the pan until the liquid is all gone. Top with a little more cheese if you have a free food left and maybe some chili peppers and enjoy!


Pancake Mix (Breakfast):


I love using the pancake mix but I wasn't wild about this recipe, despite it being a big hit on the Nutrisystem boards. It wasn't bad- just not to my taste.

Apple Bundt Cake:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Pancake Mix
1/4 cup Egg Beaters
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp butter extract
1 tbsp Splenda

Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl then pour into a sprayed dish and bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Enjoy with a drizzle of maple syrup if desired.

Because of the higher percentage of liquidy ingredients, this cake is very soft and spongey, and I just prefer a denser cake so this isn't one of my favourites. It's also a little lower in protein- make sure you still have a full dairy/protein serving with it since the Egg Beaters replace the milk. I actually used Blueberry Pancake Mix and apple/blueberry puree and I liked the flavour, just not the texture. It's not as filling as some of the other breakfasts either.

You can customize it with differents fruits and spices to make it to your liking. Many Nutrisystem members use baby food to get a variety of pureed fruits, which is much easier than making your own. My son didn't seem to mind that I borrowed a jar of his. It was a little weird using baby food until I remembered that the reason I buy organic food for him is so that he just eats plain fruit, so why shouldn't I eat it too? I may try this again with different ingredients- he has an apple/mango blend that might be fun to make! I might also try adding some nuts (fat serving) or some fruit chunks just to give it a little more texture.

A New Take On An Old Favourite

There are some meals which just feel like comfort food. My family background is Hungarian, and a meal I can remember having at my grandmother's from before I can see over the table was stuffed peppers. My grandmother was a wonderful cook who made everything from scratch and just the memory of her cooking is enough to make me hungry! She passed away in 1991 and I still miss her very much.

Today, I thought I'd set out to recreate her meal as best I could in a way that was Nutrisystem friendly and salad free!

Sloppy Joe Mix (Dinner):


Stuffed Pepper:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Sloppy Joe Mix
8oz water
diced onions
Aylmer Diced Chili Tomatoes, to taste
1 large green bell pepper, hollowed out
1 oz shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a pan with PAM cooking spray (or use your favourite fat serving) and sautee the onions and chili tomatoes until fragrant. Add the water and sloppy joe mix and stir. Continue stirring occasionally until mixture is thick. Pour meat mixture into the bell pepper and top with cheese. Bake until it is gooey and melty, about ten minutes.

You're supposed to add a carb with this entree but I decided to have it earlier in the day and have the meal without. I was so full when I finished that I was glad I didn't save it. My grandmother used to put rice in her stuffed peppers so next time I may try putting in 1/3 cup brown rice in the mixture to see how that is but I am sure I'll need two peppers since the meat mixture was overflowing into the pan! If you use cooking spray, don't forget to have your fat serving at another point in the day. Between the onions and the peppers, you won't need salad with this meal!


Pancake Mix (Breakfast):


It's nice that breakfasts and desserts are interchangeable because I wanted to use some of the fresh mangos that I bought at the farmer's market and this cake really seems to be more of a dessert item than a breakfast item. Either way- it's a decadent treat!

Mango Almond Cake:

1 pkg Nutrisystem Pancake Mix
1/4 cup milk
2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup chopped mango
6 sliced almonds, toasted
2 tsp Splenda Brown Sugar
2 tsp Splenda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp almond extract
1 tsp butter extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If you have to toast your own almonds, just put them in a saucepan over medium heat (they don't need spray or anything) and cook them until they're fragrant and turn them over.

Mix everything but the almonds together in a bowl (reserve 6 long thin strips of mango for garnish). Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and pour the batter into the dish. It will be very thick. Arrange the six pieces of mango on top like a tropical flower and hope they don't fall into the cake like some of mine did! Decorate with the toasted almonds and bake for 20-25 minutes.

I know this doesn't have anything to do with vegetables but I made it tonight for dessert and it's so yummy that I'm making one for tomorrow, too! It counts as breakfast or dessert plus a fruit serving and a fat serving.

Feeling more positive

Lately I've been feeling a little better about my weight loss. I think the 50lb marker was big for me even though it doesn't have any real significance. It sure sounds like a lot of weight, doesn't it?

I have some new entrees to review but I just haven't gotten around to eating them yet. I'm a little nervous to try things that I'm not sure I'll like, so they just sit in my cupboard. Just watch- they'll end up being some of my favourite meals I bet and I'll regret having waited this long, just like the Trail Mix Bar!


Chicken with Almonds, Rice, and Vegetables (Dinner):


This is a discontinued dinner I managed to snag on eBay. They're frequently in big lots and the last thing I want to do is buy a lot of very likely expired meals (since they have discontinued ones, they're probably all old). There are a few more I'd like to review but I just can't seem to get my hands on them. If my readers happen to have any discontinued meals that you haven't seen me review, I'd be happy to buy one of each from you just so I can write it up here.

I actually really liked this meal. It looks quite unappetizing (very gray) so I poured it over a bowl of colourful stir fry veggies. The almond slivers gave it a satisfying crunch and the sauce was yummy. If this was still on the menu, I'd have it on my reorder list.


Red Beans & Rice with Sausage (lunch):


I decided to make something similar but slightly different than the gumbo I made last time- it was yummy but a little too soupy for me. I wanted to make it more casserole like this time, and give it a little more kick.

1 pkg NS Red Beans & Rice with Sausage
1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup Aylmer Accents Spicy Red Pepper Tomatoes
1/2 small green pepper, diced
2 green onions, diced

That's it- so simple and so delicious. I love the Aylmer Accents- they are so flavourful! These really had a zesty kick to them so if you don't like spice, then choose another flavour. I didn't need any other seasonings in the meal- it was delicious just the way it was. I just mixed everything together in a pot and let it simmer for ten minutes before eating. Yum!


Flex Meals (Breakfast):


This is an old classic meal I'm sure you ate all the time before starting program, and didn't consider that you could still have it on Nutrisystem!


Cherry French Toast:

2 slices low calorie whole wheat bread
1/2 cup Egg Beaters (or 1 egg + some fat free milk- one isn't quite enough)
sugarfree syrup or your favourite fruit topping

Dip the bread in the egg mixture and pan fry until crispy and brown. Top with sugarfree syrup and maybe a little squirt of whipped cream. This counts as an entree, so you still add fruit and dairy!


Caramel Popcorn (Dessert):


OK, I'll say it. Nutrisystem, you were absolutely insane to discontinue this item. I figured it must be good when 3 years after discontinuation it was still selling for $5-$7 PER PACKAGE on eBay, but I didn't imagine that it would be delicious even long after it should be stale. Was it a little soggy? Yeah, but I still liked it! And it's only 100 calories, people!

I actually wound up dividing it in half and opening a pack of Chocolate Rainbow Delights and using half of that to make my trail mix. The Caramel Popcorn was a really nice addition. Too bad I only have 2 packs left and I'm not going to try hunting it down at the rates it goes for. Apparently Nutrisystem is introducing a new popcorn item this fall which I am looking forward to trying.


Harvest Nut Bar (Breakfast):


I was really expecting not to like this. It's just as small as the Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bar (which is pretty darn small) but has that gooey look of the ultra-sweet Apple Strudel bar. I took a bite, though, and it was very reminiscent of the trail mix bar. I loved the big chunks of nuts. I am not sure how frequently I'll order this because I really am a pastry kind of gal, but it's not something I'm going to avoid if I find another one in my cupboard.

Snack Ideas

Snacks are often the hardest thing that I have to come up with. I usually get bored and end up eating the same old string cheese or yogurt with some fruit.

When I went to the US a few weeks ago on my road trip, I stopped in a Walmart and was looking for something to eat with my lunch bar. I was pleasantly surprised to see these little kits for $2 that included whole grain crackers, turkey slices, and low fat herb and garlic cream cheese (just don't eat the mini Toblerone that comes with it!). I bought several of them and ate one a day and they were absolutely delicious! They don't sell kits like that here, but I figured I could make them myself for a tasty and filling snack.

Herbed Turkey & Cheese Crackers:


I bought Philadelphia Ultra Low Fat Herb & Garlic cream cheese and fat free turkey deli slices. You can call the cream cheese a free food or put that and the turkey together to count as a dairy/protein serving as long as it's below 100 calories (it'll definitely be more than 7g of protein). I like to use Breton Multigrain crackers with this- 3 crackers is a lot and it fits into the requirements for a carb serving. If you don't get extra carbs, you can choose a lunch or dinner that gets one and skip it then. And you still get your fruit serving with this! The dieticians do say that once in a while, you can substitute a carb serving for a fruit serving, so you can choose to do that occasionally as well as long as you don't make a habit of it.

This is more the kind of thing I'd eat for a snack before starting Nutrisystem, so I found it psychologically much more satisfying than what I've been eating lately.


Chocolate Cake (Dessert):


I tried an easy twist on the chocolate cake. I chopped up a fruit serving worth of fresh strawberries and diced the cake into little pieces and put it on top. Then I added 4 tbsp of whipped cream (free food) and it was delicious!

Isn't it boring?

I was talking to an acquaintance yesterday who insisted that programs like Nutrisystem must be boring because you just eat the same old thing out of the box every day.

I've got some new recipes to share- anyone bored yet? :)


Rotini with Meatballs and Tomato Sauce (Dinner):


I would normally add cottage cheese to this entree to make it more like a lazy lasagna, but I decided to do a version of the recipe I used with the Chicken Pasta Parmesan. I sauteed chopped spinach, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, and tomatoes in a pan with garlic, and then dumped the entree over the top. I added 2 tbsp of fat free cream cheese (I wanted a little more since I added so many veggies) and let it simmer until blended. It was delicious!

Count this as your dinner entrée + veggies + 1 extra for the cream cheese (up to 35 calories' worth).

Nutrichocolates (Dessert):


I was a little nervous about these when I opened the package- they looked terrible. The chocolate looked old and dried out and I was regretting my decision to order a few for messing around with. Then I stuck them in the microwave for 30 seconds and was pleasantly surprised by what I saw!



They melted perfectly and tasted great. I cut the ends off some strawberries and rolled them around in the dish of melted chocolate and put them on a plate to harden.



They were absolutely delicious, although I confess that I wanted very much to have a glass of champagne with them. I managed to avoid that temptation. My only suggestion is that when you put them down to dry, put them on wax paper or something so that you aren't looking at a plate with melted chocolate globs stuck to it and trying to figure out how to get them off to eat them!

Count this as your Nutrisystem Snack plus one extra for the strawberries (you don't need a full SC serving, 35 calories of strawberries is a lot!).

Red Beans & Rice with Sausage (Lunch):


I love zesty Cajun food, and this entree seemed perfect for tweaking.

Spicy Cajun Gumbo (Lunch/Dinner):

1 pkg NS Red Beans & Rice with Sausage
1 cup sodium free chicken broth
3/4 cup sodium free diced tomatoes
chopped green pepper, green onion, Spanish onion
1.5 oz diced shrimp
1.5 oz chopped chicken
chili spice, black pepper, red pepper flakes, Old Bay Seafood Seasoning to taste

I just threw everything in a pot and let it simmer together. It made an enormous serving that I had a hard time finishing. This counts as lunch + protein + veggies. If you get an extra carb at lunch time, I'd add 1/3 cup of wild rice as well. You could also lower the shrimp and chicken to 1oz each and add an oz of turkey sausage, too!

This meal was definitely full of flavour and I really enjoyed it!

Count this as your Nutrisystem Lunch entrée plus 1 Powerfuel (or a dinner entrée) plus veggies.

The last of the cherries!

I finally made it through the last of the cherries (of course, it helped that I enjoyed the cheesecake so much that I made another one for dessert tonight!).

I saw this recipe and decided to give it a try. I'm not a big fan of oatmeal but I believe in trying everything once. After all, you never know, right?

Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal (Breakfast):


Stuffed Oatcakes

1 pkg Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp Egg Beaters
1/4 tsp baking powder

2oz fat free cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp sugarfree syrup

In a small bowl mix the oatmeal and the water. Cook in microwave for 1 minute. Stir, add in egg beaters and baking powder and combine. Heat a non stick skillet and spray with cooking spray. Use the batter to make 2 pancakes about the same size. While they are cooking mix together the cream cheese and the syrup. Place one oat cake on your plate and top with cream cheese mixture, followed by the next oat cake. Drizzle with additional syrup or fruit if desired.

Honestly- this was not one of my favourite breakfasts. It wasn't bad- just not to my taste. I prefer the more pastry-like sweet breakfasts. I do think this would work well as a savory breakfast, though. Instead of the cream cheese, add a slice of fat free cheese, an egg, and maybe a piece of veggie sausage so it's almost like the McDonalds McGriddle. I may have to try that next time!

Cherry Overload!

Well, I had to get through that can of sugarfree cherry pie filling I opened, right? So cherry everything it is until then! I am really enjoying my experimentations with it though- so far everything's been really yummy!

This recipe is very similar to the Blueberry Ricotta Danish I posted about before, using the Blueberry Pancake Mix, but modified so you can enjoy chocolate with your cherries. The inspiration is from the NS boards.

Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix (Breakfast):


Chocolate Chip Cherry Cheesecake Bun

1 pkg Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix
1 oz fat free cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp + 2tsp Splenda
1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp vanilla
1/3 c buttermilk
2-3 tbsp SF cherry pie filling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a single serve casserole dish with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together cream cheese, 1 tsp of the dry pancake mix, 2 tsp Splenda and 1/4 tsp vanilla. In another small bowl, stir together the pancake mix, buttermilk, and remaining Splenda and vanilla. Pour the batter into the casserole dish. Drop the cream cheese mixture on top of the batter, then top with pie filling. Bake until done (about 20-25 minutes) Let cool before eating.

I liked this but preferred the danish with ricotta cheese as opposed to cream cheese. I found that it kept the bun moist and light while this was a little drier. I would consider making some kind of sauce (perhaps thickening a Da Vinci or Torani vanilla or chocolate syrup?) and drizzling it on top.


This dessert isn't quite the real thing, but it's close enough that you can definitely close your eyes and pretend. It's also in a big enough serving that I actually felt like a glutton for eating it all, but low calorie enough that you can enjoy every bite guilt free.

Flex Meals (Dessert):

The guidelines for a flex dessert are:

Dessert

1 Dairy Serving
1 Low Glycemic Carbohydrate Serving

NY Style Cheesecake


1 large graham cracker, crushed into crumbs
2 oz fat free cream cheese
2 tbsp light ricotta cheese
1 tbsp vanilla Greek yogurt
2 1/2 tbsp Splenda
1 1/2 tbsp Egg Beaters
1/2 tsp lemon juice or vanilla extract

2-3 tbsp of fruit or sugarfree pie filling
1-2 tbsp fat free whipped cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together cheeses, yogurt, Splenda, juice/extract and Egg Beaters and stir until well blended. Spray your baking dish with cooking spray (I used a mini silicone loaf pan). Add in the graham cracker crumbs and shake around to coat bottom of dish. Pour cheesecake filling into dish and put the dish into a larger oven safe dish and add water about half way up the side of the mini pan in the larger dish to create a water bath. Bake the cheesecake for 40 minutes, then turn off toaster oven or oven and let it sit in the oven for 10 minutes. I put mine in the fridge to let it set while I had dinner, and then topped with the cherry filling and whipped cream.

I honestly thought when I looked at the recipe on the NS boards that this was going to taste like crap. I mean, I couldn't even imagine that this would produce something even similar to that rich, cheesecake flavour that I love. I fully expected to be pitching it and choosing a different dessert!

Boy, was I ever pleasantly surprised. The texture is perfect and the flavour is very close. Does it have that heavy taste? No, it's not quite as dense, but as long as you aren't eating it right after eating a piece of the good stuff (and who does that?), I think you'll find this a delicious substitute!

Cinco de Mayo!

OK, so I'm a few weeks late! I love Mexican food and I've been trying to find as many ways as possible to enjoy it while on NS (if anyone at Nutrisystem Headquarters is reading- bring back the Beef Tacos!!!!). I read about a great way to adapt the veggie fajita into a delicious Mexican dinner.

Vegetable Fajita (Dinner):


Make it into Mexican lasagna, of course!


1 pkg vegetable fajita
chopped onions, green peppers, tomatoes
8 oz water
garlic powder, pepper, chili powder, and cumin (to taste)
1 tbsp green chilis
1/4 cup red enchilada sauce
1 tortilla
1/2 cup cheese
2 tbsp sour cream
chopped green onions and tomatoes for garnish

In a pan, saute chopped onions, bell peppers, 8 oz water, fajita mix, spices, and chilis until thickened. Add enchilada sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes. Cut tortilla in six equal triangles, then start layering into lasagna, alternating tortillas, cheese, sour cream, and fajita mixture. Bake for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees, and garnish with sour cream, diced tomatoes, and green onions.

This is SO filling and delicious. I was stuffed by the time I finished the bowl. The best part is, since everyone gets to add a carb with the veggie fajita, anyone can enjoy this recipe. I happen to be one of those nuts who like the fajita just the way it is, but it is definitely improved when served like this!

Flex Meals (Breakfast):

Here are the stats for a breakfast on your own:

Breakfast

1 Dairy Serving
1 Lean Protein Serving
1 Fruit Serving
1 Low Glycemic Carbohydrate Serving

I got this recipe idea off the NS boards, and while it's not very photogenic- it's delicious! It does require some prep time though so unless you're lucky enough to be on maternity leave like I am, you might want to save it for a weekend treat.

Cherry Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast Bowl


2 pieces of low calorie wheat bread
2 oz fat free cream cheese
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Splenda
1/4 cup + 1 tsp Egg Beaters
1/4 cup fat free milk

1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp Splenda
1/3 c sugar free cherry pie filling

Spray a single serving casserole dish with PAM spray. In a small bowl, mix the softened cream cheese with lemon juice, 1 tbsp Splenda, and 1 tsp Egg Beaters. Set it aside. In another small bowl mix together 1/4 cup Egg Beaters, milk, vanilla extract, and 1 tbsp of Splenda. In the casserole dish, break up one slice of bread into small chunks. Top it with the cream cheese mixture. Add the cherry pie filling, then the next slice of bread, also broken into chunks. Pour the egg mixture on top and press the bread down well to make sure all the egg mixture soaks up into it. Spray the top with some cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Let it sit for a few minutes after you take it out of the oven before you devour it!

Will someone please tell me how it is possible to eat such yummy things for breakfast and still lose weight? Bueller?


And here's another review of a tasty NS dessert item. Don't forget that chocolate melts during the summer so if you want to order some of these, do it soon!

Thin Mint Crisp Bar (Dessert):


Yum! This is basically a chocolate granola bar with mint flavouring drizzled with chocolate. I do like the Mint Chocolate Crunch Bar better but that's because I prefer just plain chocolate. I do enjoy this for a change of pace though- definitely give it a try if you like mint.

Why is all the good stuff discontinued???

I made a fantastic dessert today that I had to share!



Black Forest Cake has always been one of my favourite desserts. In fact, as you can probably tell from this blog, I have a major sweet tooth and I love cakes and pastries, period! I was really excited to find a way to make this cake NS friendly but also delicious.

Black Forest Cake

1 pkg Microwave Chocolate Cake Mix
1 tsp cocoa
2 tsp Splenda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup buttermilk

4 tbsp fat free whipped cream
1/3 cup sugar free cherry pie filling

Mix all ingredients together well and then pour into two small greased baking dishes. Microwave each one separately at 50% power for 90 seconds and allow to cool in the refrigerator. Use a knife to gently loosen the cooled cake and place one cake on a plate. Spread the whipped cream on the cake and pour the cherry filling on top. Add the top half of the cake and add a puff of whipped cream and a cherry. Enjoy!


So again- why is Nutrisystem getting rid of all these yummy items? Fortunately, you can still occasionally find these in Big Lots stores or on eBay. If you can't, you can always take one of the new Chocolate Cakes and cut it in half and use that (although they're smaller so it might be difficult to fit all the cherry filling inside!).

New foods and more tips and tricks!

I've been away for a few days visiting family so I haven't had as much time to be online as usual- still sticking to my program, though. I had my first major challenge this week. I went out to dinner with a friend, and I decided to eat my NS dinner before going out to reduce the possibility of temptation. I just ordered a big garden salad with fat free dressing. I was really proud of myself. Of course, my friend ordered a burger and fries and seemed to take perverse pleasure in trying to get me to eat some fries. Then after dinner, he tried to get me to split a dessert! It wasn't easy, but I didn't want to throw away everything I've done for something that would taste good for a few minutes and then be forgotten. If I got through that, I can get through anything!

Here are some of the new things I have tried.

Fudge Graham Bar (Lunch):


I really liked this! It smells exactly like a graham cracker and I liked the chocolate. I think this would be good with a little of Walden Farms calorie free marshmallow dip on top- it would taste exactly like a S'more. It was more chocolatey than fudge-y, which I like better anyway.


Macaroni and Cheese with Beef (Dinner):


Since I liked the regular Macaroni and Cheese, I figured I would like this and I was right. It tasted exactly like Hamburger Helper cheeseburger macaroni. Loved this- it definitely made me feel like I was cheating. There is absolutely nothing missing from the flavour. I think Kraft Dinner and Hamburger Helper could take a page from NS here.


Carrot Cake (Dessert):


This was pretty good. I wasn't impressed by the frosting, since I was expecting the usual cream cheese type. This didn't really make much of an impact on the flavour so as far as I was concerned, it was only there for appearance. The cake itself was very good though and I enjoyed it.


Meatloaf and Tomato Sauce with Mashed Potatoes (Dinner):


My question here is, where's the beef??? The box shows a nice thick slice of meat loaf, a pile of mashed potatoes, and dill pickle slices. The entree was almost entirely mashed potatoes with a couple of bites of meat loaf. Now, I like mashed potatoes as much as the next person (despite the unappealing look of the entree in the photo), but if I just wanted to eat potatoes, I'd have the lunch Cheesy Homestyle Potatoes. I was disappointed because this is one of my personal favourite comfort meals and I don't think it's going to be one of my go-tos. It was okay, but not what I wanted. And why would they put dill pickle slices on the box if they don't give you any? They haven't done that for any of the other meals.


Buffalo Chicken Wrap (Dinner):


Loved this! It is zesty with a kick, and I found it very filling. There is too much meat and sauce to fit on their wrap, though. For some reason they give you a wrap for this meal and not for the veggie fajitas. I also thought it was a little odd that the wrap tasted slightly sweet but it was OK. I added some onions, bell pepper, lettuce, and tomatoes after taking the photo and it was a really yummy meal.


Here are a few things I've tried with the NS meals to jazz them up a bit.

Granola Cereal (Breakfast):


I turned it into apple crisp and it was fantastic! Chop up your apples and stir them up with cinnamon and a little brown sugar Splenda, and a little sugarfree maple syrup if you like. Top them with the granola cereal and 1 tsp of butter (yes, I am stealing your dinner fat serving but it's worth it!). The butter will melt in the oven so it doesn't need to be stirred or anything. Bake for 20 minutes and enjoy! You can also make this the night before and just microwave it in the morning- it tastes just fine.


Cheesy Homestyle Potatoes (Lunch):


I got the idea from the Nutrisystem boards to make potato salad! First prepare the potatoes as directed. Then I hardboiled an egg and diced onions and celery, then stirred in a little mustard. This was incredibly filling and yummy. At first I didn't add enough mustard so the cheesy flavour was a little odd for potato salad, but I just added a bit more and it was fine. I really enjoyed this. Add whatever things you'd normally add to potato salad (except mayo but you don't need it) and try it out! You can eat this warm or refrigerate it and have it cold like regular potato salad.

Wow

Tonight my dinner was absolutely unbelievable. I wouldn't have guessed that it was designed for weight loss! SOOO good. I had the Beef Taco and it was amazing. I made it into a taco salad with romaine lettuce, tomato chunks, cheddar cheese, and fat free sour cream, and I added diced onion and green bell pepper to the meat and sauce. It also came with three taco shells which I crunched up and put on top. It was one of my favourite meals!



Here are some other meals I have tried recently:

Cheesy Homestyle Potatoes (Lunch):


I confess to having been a little leery of this! Not only just at the idea of having mashed potatoes as a main course for lunch, but just generally instant mashed potatoes. I was pleasantly surprised by how rich and cheesy they were. I had them with steamed broccoli and a serving of fresh salmon and it made a yummy lunch.

Rotini with Meatballs and Tomato Sauce (Dinner):


This meal was pretty much what you'd expect- rotini pasta in a chunky tomato sauce with little meatballs. I found the meat plentiful and since I love pasta, this really hit the spot for me but wasn't anything special.

Beef and Noodles with Stroganoff Sauce (Dinner):


I love beef stroganoff, so I was hoping for a creamy beef and noodle dish. It wasn't really what I had in mind though (although I guess I was thinking of Hamburger Helper Stroganoff which isn't all that great anyway). The sauce was a little too thin for my taste and it was more of a broth based dish than a cream sauce. Would I eat it again? Sure, but I've adjusted my expectations.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pudding (Dessert):


This was the first thing I actively disliked, but then again, I'm not really a pudding person. I thought it would be really great to enjoy it as a fondue, so I cut up strawberries and bananas and got some graham crackers to dip in the pudding. It still just didn't cut it for me. This one is definitely not on my order again list.

But, the bottom line is, so far so good. I'm sticking to my program, I'm losing weight, and the food is definitely not bad. Nutrisystem is a win for me.

Cheating Already?!?!?

Yes, it's true. I admit it. I've already cheated. Well, sort of. You start eating healthy, and your brain already starts to sabotage you... I dreamed that my husband and my mother bought a pizza and some fries and were encouraging me to eat them. Gee, thanks guys.

I'm starting to really feel positive and optimistic about succeeding on Nutrisystem. So, there's been one meal I didn't like. There have been lots that I did and I'm enjoying having a nice selection to choose from each meal. I also noticed in the paperwork they sent me, there are meals listed that weren't in my original package, so I think I get an even wider selection on my second order! I'm looking forward to trying some more new things.

Today for breakfast, I had a yummy parfait. I used the Nutrisystem Granola cereal and substituted yogurt for the milk and had it over strawberries. It was delicious and satisfying. I couldn't fit all the granola on the parfait for the picture- I had to add more after I'd eaten a little bit!



For lunch, I tried the Chicken with Barley & Vegetables in Sauce. It was more of a stew like consistency but it was pretty good.



I had to deal with that pizza craving somehow, didn't I? Fortunately, there's a Nutrisystem meal to fill the gap, and I had a Thick Crust Pizza for dinner. I threw on a bunch of vegetables and it was pretty good, although not as cheesy as the real thing of course. It was a great dinner with Caesar salad (well, romaine lettuce and fat free dressing) and garlic bread.



Dessert was a White Chocolate Chunk cookie. It was pretty good, but it didn't have that rich sweet texture I was hoping for. I love, love, love white chocolate macadamia nut cookies and I wanted something like that. I will probably stick to the fudge brownie next time instead.



So far, so good! I love that there's still lots of new things in the cupboard for me to try. It's almost like being in a restaurant and having a whole menu of things to choose from for each meal.