Cool Whip

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Look at it. So innocent.

Why did I buy it to begin with?

I mean, look at the ingredients:

Water, corn syrup, hydrogentaed vegetable oil, high fructose corn syrup, and then less than 2% of blah blah blah for color, etc.

*shudder*

Cool Whip is like crack cocaine for me. It's so fluffy and innocent. It boasts that it has 0g trans fat. It's so light - it CAN'T be that bad, can it? Well, two measly tablespoons are 25 calories, 1.5g fat, and 0g fiber. It adds up. Two tablespoons is nothing. And I could eat, like, 9384503 tablespoons straight from the container.

I estimate that I had about 4 points worth of cool whip today after my run.... bah! Say wha?

I'm not even sure that I enjoy it all that much. I mean, I do, obviously, but it's so not worth it. It tastes kind of fake. It has no nutritional value whatsoever. It does nothing to help my body.

It all started with raspberries. Fresh raspberries are great for you! Fresh raspberries also taste awesome with Cool Whip! Yes, it might have been a thinly veiled excuse to be able to nom said cool whip, but hey, it would be a nice treat, right? Check it out:

Looks soooo yummy.

Right before I took a bite, I decided to add a few more raspberries.

So I rummaged through the little plastic container, trying to find the best ones. Oh wait, what's this? Oh. HAI, LOTS OF MOLD. HOW'S IT GOIN.

WTF Shaws!? I bought these YESTERDAY. Why all moldy?? No wonder they were freakin on sale. Sigh. And here I was, so excited to get two for $4.00.

So I had to throw out my raspberries. *weep*

This didn't, however, stop me from eating my cool whip. And then a little more cool whip. Sigh a second time.

Regardless! Despite the cool whip incident, I have 8.5 points left for the day which I'm going to use wisely, plus, I went for a run tonight, PLUS, I'm throwing the rest of the cool whip out!

Mwuahaha! Take THAT, Cool Whip!

PS: Yes, I know I should recycle bottles. And I DO recycle my bottles! (Woohoo!) This one, for some reason, snuck its way into the trash, and into this photo. Bad bottle!

Weigh in

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Woohoo!


Yeah, that's right! It was so awesome that I had to take a picture of it =D

NOW I CAN FINALLY GET A HAIR CUT.

No, seriously, I've needed one for like 3 months, but in all my sage wisdom, I said "Oh hey, I know, I'll use that as a reward for getting under 140!" Oh yeah, great, little did I know that that would mean waiting A LONG TIME.

Anyway.

I'm looking up short hair cuts... if I do something drastic, I'll post some pics =P

EDIT (yay for walk-in appts!):


Weeeeeee!

BREAD!!!

HOLY CRAP, BREAD. See that photo of glorious breadiness? I MADE that. I did! *cheer*

Ingredients:

warm water (1 cup)
sugar (2 tbsp)
active dry yeast (3/4 tbsp)

vegetable oil (2 tbsps)
salt (1 tsp)
bread flour (3 cups)

Warm up a large bowl with some hot water; pour the hot water out and then put in your measured cup of warm water. It shouldn't be scalding hot, but it definitely should be quite warm. (I had to pour out my initial yeast mixture because the water wasn't warm enough and didn't activate the yeast very well). Put the yeast and the sugar in the bowl with the warm water, stir a little bit. Then just let it sit.

After about 5-10 minutes, the yeast should be bubbling a bit.

In a separate bowl, mix your flour and salt together. Slowly add this dry mixture into the wet mixture bowl. This is where you get your hands all gooey. It's awesome. You'll love it.

Now you get to knead the dough! I kneaded it right there in the bowl. I didn't really know how to knead it, to be honest. Do I use my thumbs? My knuckles? It was like trying to give a massage to a very particular, yet mute client. I practically started talking to the dough, "Do you like it like that? I can dig in a little more if you want. Or maybe a little lighter? .....any feedback would be nice, here. Hello? Hellooooo -" I did this for about 10 minutes and nary a peep.

Note: I'm not actually insane. *cough*

I kneaded it as best as I could, and eventually THIS formed (which I put in a bowl and covered with saran wrap):

I let that sit for about an hour, and sure enough, it rose! Check it out:

It's at least double in size, which is what they recommend.

Then I got to punch the dough. It was awesome. "Think you can get away without talking to me during that massage? *BAM* Not so fast! *WHACK* What now! *PUNCH* Talk! *WHAM*"

It all deflated fairly quickly, actually, and, in fact, did not start to talk. I decided that that was pretty okay, seeing as how it's a doughy loaf of bread. I kneaded it for about 3 more minutes. Then! I formed it into semi-rectangular shape, and put it in a greased (with cooking spray) 9x5" loaf pan.

I then covered it with saran wrap again and let it rise a second time, for about 45 minutes.


Er, wait.

There we go.

INTO THE OVEN IT GOES (350 degrees!)

And then, after 30 minutes....

BEHOLD:

Doesn't it LOOK edible? It certainly looks edible.

Guess what:

It IS edible!!!!

It's pretty bland, to be honest, but it definitely tastes like bread! Holy crap! I'm going to make a sammich with it tomorrow!!!

Nutrition Info for the whole loaf:

Flour: 1320 cals, 7g fat, 10.5g fiber
Oil: 240 cals, 28g fat, 0g fiber
Yeast: 35 cals, 0g fat, 2.5g fiber
Sugar: 45 cals, 0g fat, 0g fiber

Total: 1640 cals, 35g fat, 13g fiber

For a slice (1/16th):
103 cals
2g fat
1g fiber
2 points!

Weighing in, bread making, meal plan

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Meal plan for the day:

Breakfast:
apple (1 pt)
greek yogurt (3 pts)
1/4 cup fresh strawberries (0 pts)
homemade blueberry muffin (2 pts)
coffee with a little bit of milk (.5 pts)

Total: 6.5 pts

Lunch:
green peppers (0 pts)
raw green beans (0 pts)
garlic hummus (2 pts)
half a PB & J sammich (3.5 pts)

Total: 5.5 pts

Dinner (9 pts left):
As usual, I'm not sure yet. I might make some veggie lasagna. I keep saying that, but when I get home I never want to put that much effort into cooking.

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Speaking of effort and cooking, I DO want to make some homemade bread really soon.

Like, maybe tonight.

However. I have a strong feeling my bread is going to fail.

Indeed, Skeptical Cat. I agree. I keep reading different articles about how to make homemade bread (with no bread machine thingy) and they're all like "MANY THINGS CAN GO WRONG AT EVERY STAGE OF MAKING BREAD AND BELIEVE ME THERE ARE MANY STAGES SO HOLY CRAP YOUR BREAD IS GONNA SUCK" and I'm like "Yes, I believe you."

Regardless, bread making (or some type of semblance of it) shall occur. Don't worry, I'll document each step along the way so when I'm a super awesome bread maker in the future we can all look back and laugh. =)

Hm. If I make homemade bread, maybe I'll skip making the lasagna and instead have a veggie burger ON the homemade bread. Holy crap, I'm a genius. I can actually make like a little sandwich. If the bread is edible, that is.

Cross your fingers. =P

On a separate note, I sneaked a peek at the scale this morning, even though my weigh in isn't until tomorrow morning.

139.8!!!

So I just have to make sure that holds til tomorrow when my weigh in is official =P But wow, was it nice seeing 13-something on the scale. Baking bread will be good for tonight, I think. It's time consuming but also not something where I'm going to be licking the batter left and right.

Healthy Recipes: Chocolate Banana Smoothie

This isn't so much a recipe really - it's pretty basic. But I make it for myself all the time and it's so delicious, so I figure I'd share it with you all. I love the light chocolate soy milk because it's really refreshing, and it isn't "light" in the sense that it has aspartame or anything. All they do is cut out a little bit of the fat from the chocolate.

INGREDIENTS:
1 medium banana (chopped and frozen)
Light chocolate soy milk (1 cup)
cayenne pepper (a VERY small dash, powdered)
This makes one serving. You can nom the whole thing!

Hungry says: "Remember to chop up and freeze this banana beforehand!"

HOW TO DO IT:

Pour the chocolate soy milk into the blender.

Put the banana in the blender.

Put the tiiiiny dash of cayenne in the blender.

Blend it!

Drink it! Love it!


Mmmmm. Yummy post-run smoothie.

Nutrition information:

Soy milk: 120 cals, 1.5g fat, 2g fiber
Med. banana: 105 cals, .5g fat, 3g fiber

Total:
225 cals
2g fat
5g fiber
4 points!

Enjoy!

Food....porn? (yes, this post is safe for work.)

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So yesterday I made some blueberry muffins (yeah, I know, again). They were just as delicious as the first two batches.

Unfortunately, I was out of points for the day, so I couldn't nom any right then and there. I didn't really want to, though, because I had already made them twice. So I didn't feel the need to taste or try them right then and there.

My boyfriend, on the other hand, who is not on weight watchers, and therefore has infinite points per day, DID try them.

Me: "The blueberry muffins are done, you want one?"
Pete: "YES, NOM"
Me: "You know what would be totally delicious? Cut one in half and put a pat of butter in there"
Pete: "Holy crap, you're right"

It was kind of like the below photo except with hotter, softer, more together muffins, and more butter. The pic is from the blog Closet Cooking, by the way - neat blog!


Pete took a butter knife and slowly slid it down the middle of the blueberry muffin. It steamed slightly with the warmth of the oven. The aroma of hot baked flour and sugar filled the room. He didn't cut it completely into two pieces, but left a bit uncut at the bottom, so to create an envelope of muffin. He placed the pat of butter right between the halves. It immediately started to become soft with the heat. The muffin began to absorb the sweet butter as it slid slowly into the warm depths of the baked good. Pete brought it up to his mouth, and with his eyes closed, took a large bite of the sweet and savory goodness. He chewed slowly, letting the creamy butter melt on his tongue, tasting the tart blueberries and the soft muffin crumbs, savoring each bite.

I seriously could write erotic fiction, don't you think?

No but really, watching him eat this was like directing porn. Not that I know first-hand, but.... you know. One can imagine. =P

Me: "Wait, don't eat it yet! Let me sit down and get comfy here. Ok, I'm good. Go ahead. Oh - oh yeah, that's it. A little slower, oh yeah. Oh it's good, isn't it. The butter makes it totally awesome, doesn't it. Oh, take another bite. Oh yeah"
Pete: "Um - hon?"
Me: "Mmmm, yeah, what's up"
Pete: "Um. I'm trying to eat my muffin here."
Me: "Oh. Right. Carry on."

>.>

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I looked up "living vicariously through someone" on the internet. I know what it means, but it's one of those words I have trouble with. I consider myself to be fairly smart, and I'm a pretty big word nerd (I love crosswords and Scrabble) but for some reason I always want to say "living precariously though" instead of "vicariously." I know what precariously means, too. So I don't know why I mix them up. It's silly. But I went ahead and looked it up just to double check, because I was going to use it in a sentence here on my blog - and if I'm publishing something in post-form, I don't want to have any grammar/spelling mistakes.

Some example sentences I found:

"He enjoyed his friend's vacation vicariously through his friend's detailed description".
"I wish I had the guts to skydive, but I can just live vicariously through you when you go. Tell me all about it."
"For example, say you are married and can't go out and party anymore, but you have a bachelor friend that goes out clubbing, meets women, and has crazy times. You can experience those things (live vicariously) second-hand by listening to your friend tell you all about his experiences"

Or, you know, you can live vicariously through your boyfriend by watching him eat muffins hot from the oven with pats of butter on them.

Healthy Recipes: Apple Cake

After the meal impressions: Ehhhh. The taste was great, but it was slightly mushy. Either from all the apples, OR, it might have been because I forgot to put in the salt - or maybe it needed more time in the oven. D'oh! However, once they sort of firmed up in the fridge a bit (I always keep my baked goods in the fridge so they stay good for longer), the texture improved a bit. Either way, I don't think I'll be making this again.

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INGREDIENTS:
all-purpose white flour (1 cup)
baking soda (1 tsp)
cinnamon (1 tsp)
salt (1/2 tsp)

sugar (1/2 cup)
brown sugar (1/4 cup)
1 egg (beaten)
vanilla extract (1 tsp)
unsweetened applesauce (1/4 cup)
2 medium apples (cored, chopped, peeled)

THE HOW TO:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.


In a larger bowl, mix your beaten egg, applesauce, all the sugar, and vanilla.


Stir in the dry ingredients into the wet mixture bowl until it's almost all mixed, and then fold in the chopped apples.


Put it in a loaf pan (sprayed with baking PAM, or something similar) and cook for 55-60 minutes!

When you take it out, let it cool for a few.

Then cut it into 12 slices and nom!

Nutritional Info for the whole thing:

Flour: 450 cals, 1g fat, 3.5g fiber
Sugar: 720 cals, 0g fat, 0g fiber
Applesauce: 25 cals, 0g fat, .5g fiber
Apples: 150 cals, .5g fat, 4g fiber
Egg: 70 cals, 5g fat, 0g fiber

Total: 1415 cals, 6.5g fat, 8g fiber

For a slice that's 1/12th of the loaf:
118 cals
.5g fat
.5g fiber
2 points!

Enjoy =)