Wednesday, February 25, 2009

This is Bad.

I just realized that Sven and I bought CHOCOLATE Pudding the other day.

It has to be eaten so it doesn't go bad. Sven doesn't eat pudding often, but he will have to eat it, because I can't, but it is my favorite low cal desert.

Oh this is going to be hard!

I must resist!

Giving it up.

Today is Ash Wednesday. I am Catholic, but I do not go to church anymore, I don't agree with many of the teachings/practices of the church so I don't go and I am not going to go get Ashes put on my forehead.

But since this is the beginning of Lent, I am going to give something up, I kinda like that tradition.

I started thinking what would be good. Then I started thinking about how I would like to be healthier and I started thinking back to my childhood and Chocolate immediately came to mind. So I am giving up Chocolate. But, I thought I should give up something else and I thought Ice Cream.

But I got to thinking what kind of deserts can you have that are diet friendly but not ice cream or chocolate?

What about WW frozen yogurt pops? No, that is technically ice cream. What about Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches? Well, those are rules out just by the name.

Anyone have any ideas? Maybe I won't give up the Ice Cream part?

Monday, February 23, 2009

Menu Planning Monday

Sorry, this post is so late, I was sick with a migraine all day. I did not leave the bed. Here is what we have planned:

Monday: We were supposed to have Salsa Chicken over Rice, but since I was sick we had leftovers.
Tuesday: Chicken and Sausage Gumbo or Salsa Chicken depending on how I am feeling, it usually takes me a day to recover.
Wednesday: Lean Bean Cheesy Enchiladas
Thursday: Chicken Kiev (I really have no idea what they are called. They are those Chicken things with either Ham in them or Brocolli in them. With Rice and Corn
Friday: Crockpot Oriental Pepper Steak

Friday, February 20, 2009

Shepherd's Pie

Jennelle posted this on her blog and we made it tonight! It was really good, a definite must make again!

Shepherd's Pie
Servings: 6
WW POINTS: 6

* 2 cups chicken broth
* 1/4 tsp black pepper
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 tsp thyme
* 1 tbsp rosemary
* 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
* 2 medium stalks celery
* 2 medium carrots
* 1 cup onion
* 2 tsp olive oil
* 1 tbsp butter
* 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
* 2 large potatoes
* 1 lb cooked extra-lean ground beef

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover potatoes. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain potatoes, transfer to a large bowl and add sour cream and butter; mash until smooth, season to taste with salt and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Add flour, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper; stir to coat. Add broth and bring to a simmer; simmer until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.

Transfer beef mixture to a 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate. Spread mashed potatoes over top and using the back of a spoon, make decorative swirls over the top. Bake until potatoes are golden, about 30 minutes. Slice into 6 pieces and serve.

Chicago forecast?

Sven and I were in the car listening the radio, when the song, Welcome to the World by Kevin Rudolph, came on.

The first lines went something like "Welcome to the World, Check out the Forecast". I swear to you I heard "Welcome to the World, Chicago Forecast". Makes no sense but that is what I heard. I asked Sven what was really said and he rewinded the song (we have Sirius, Thank God for Sirius!) and indeed he did say "check out the forecast".

But I didn't care, I just kept singing my version, at first, I think it drove Sven nuts, but then it made him laugh when he realized I am crazy, as you all know this :)

Thursday, February 19, 2009

V-day at the Castle

For Valentines Day, Sven and I went to White Castle. We have been going for five years, it is our tradition now. Here is the picture they took of us, I think we clean up pretty good :)




I am definitely framing this picture to mark the milestone year!

Lean Bean Cheesy Enchiladas

On my friend Ame's recommendation, Sven and I made this Monday night and it was oh so good! Definitely, gonna make this again!

HG's Lean Bean Cheesy Enchiladas – 3 points

Wanna stuff your face with a saucy smothered bean 'n cheese enchilada without a gazillion irritating calories and fat grams? Just whip up a batch of these Lean Bean Cheesy Enchiladas PRONTO!

Ingredients:
2 large corn tortillas (like Mission Super Size)
1 slice fat-free cheddar cheese, cut in half
2/3 cup enchilada sauce
1/3 cup fat-free refried beans
1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 tbsp. taco sauce
1/2 tsp. taco seasoning mix, dry
Optional toppings: fat-free sour cream, chopped scallions

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a pan sprayed with nonstick spray, cook onions over medium heat until they begin to brown (about 2 minutes). In a small dish, combine the onions with the refried beans, taco sauce, and taco seasoning. Mix well. Spray a s mall baking dish with nonstick spray. Heat tortillas in the microwave until slightly warm. Lay the tortillas on a clean, dry surface, and then spread about 2 tbsp. of the enchilada sauce onto each one. Place one half of the cheese slice on each tortilla. Then, evenly distribute the bean mixture into the center of each tortilla. Wrap the tortillas up tightly, and place them in the baking dish seam side down. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes (until the enchiladas are hot). Remove dish from the oven, sprinkle shredded cheese over the enchiladas, and then return it to the oven for about 5 minutes (until the cheese is nice and melty). Plate those babies and, if you like, top with some of the optional ingredients. Enjoy! MAKES 2 SERVINGS

We doubled it to make four enchiladas!

Sarah asked me to.......

Sarah asked me some fun questions and here are my answers:

1. If your cats learned to talk, what would be the first thing they said to you? Now, that would be interesing! My cats have totally different personalities, one is older and laid back and loves attention. Her name is Rean. If Rean were to talk the first thing from her would be "Pet Me, Pet Me, Pet Me"! Now Tess on the other hand is younger and is still in her kitten stage and wants to play, but is a loner at the same time and in my opinion, just evil. If she were to talk the first thing she were to say would be "I'm Crazy and I'm Gonna F$$$ You Up!"
2. If you could commit one crime and get away with it, no chance of ever being caught, what would it be and why? Rob a bank, not actually the person in the bank doing the robbing, but being behind the scenes. I have wants and those wants cost money!
3. If the world as we know it was ending, and your only choices would be to become a vampire, become a vampire's food source (which wouldn't kill you or be painful) or become a mermaid, what would you choose and why? I think I would become a vampire. I mean you could live forever right and you could bite other people so they become vampires so you create endless friends! And you come out at night and get to party and sleep all day, how great would that be?
4. Tell me how you feel about pants. I love pants! It is basically all I wear. I am not a girly girl, so skirts are not my thing and I can't wear heels.
5. It irritates me that the orange is called an orange. Soooo not original. Rename it, please!
I would rename it a Globose Berry!

If you would like to play along, here are the instructions:
1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the questions.)
3. You update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post. You know, to pay-it-forward and keep this little interview game going.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions and so on and so forth. The first five ‘askers’ get the interview!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Menu Planning Monday

Sven and I are giving Menu Planning a shot this week, we shall see how it goes, this is what we are having. All are Weight Watcher friendly. We did our best to find all the right ingredients we could, we didn't get the exact ones but we did our best.

Monday - HungryGirl's Lean Bean Cheesy Enchilada
Tuesday - Garlic Herb Chicken (this is the WW Chicken from Applebees) with Weight Watchers Light Mashed Potatoes
Wednesday - Skinny Italian Meatballs over Spaghetti
Thursday - Turkey Stuffed Peppers
Friday - Shepherd's Pie
Saturday - Salsa Chicken in the Crockpot

Look good?

Saturday, February 14, 2009

In Lurve With You....

I love Cows. Anyone that has been to my house knows this. Sven and my family have accepted my obsession and feed it! So, for my Birthday, Christmas, Bridal Shower, Anniversary and Valentines Day, I get something cow.

Today, was no different, this is what I received, The In Lurve With You Cow.....



I now have four Cows on Parade and I am going to start collecting them. Thank goodness Sven got me a Curio Cabinet to hold them!

To the 40 Construction Crew

On Saturdays, I like to sleep in. Could you maybe put off work until maybe 8?

They started work at 6 this morning. And during the week they start at 7. No wonder I am not sleeping.

They have been jackhammering for a month now, what can they be jackhammering? It is all dirt behind our house. It is going to be a long year.

Oh and our backyard is gone. They have ripped the trees out and they have bulldozed it.

Manwich Tater Tot Casserole

I made this last night and it was so easy to make and so good and WW friendly!

Manwich Tater Tot Casserole (6.5 points)


Ingredients

56 Tater Tots (I think I used more)
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 green pepper chopped (I used half a cup)
1 -1/2 c. frozen corn (I think I used more)
2 can (16 oz) Manwich
1 -1/2 c. RF shredded cheddar cheese


Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9"x13" baking dish with Pam.

Brown ground beef and onion; drain.

Stir in Manwich and heat through. Add corn.

Arrange Tater Tots in a single layer in bottom of baking dish.

Top with Manwich mixture. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 30-40 minutes.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

This is from Facebook and I thought I would share it here:

This is kind of like the 25 things - except there are pre-decided questions and it's about you and your spouse, not just you. Come on, play along - inquiring minds want to know! ;-)Just copy this post into your own notes & change the answers!

♥ What are your middle names?
Mine is Marie
Sven is David

♥ How long have you been together?
7 years in November

♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating?
2 weeks

♥ Who asked who out?
Sven asked me

♥ How old are each of you?
I'm 32 and Sven is 34

♥ Whose siblings do/ did you see the most?
Definately Sven's, my sister is in Chicago :(

♥ Do you have any children together?
Nope

♥ What about pets?
Two cats

♥ Did you go to the same school?
No

♥ Are you from the same home town?
No, we are from different states

♥ Who is the smartest?
Sven

♥ Who is the most sensitive?
Me

♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Sweet Tomatoes, Qdoba, Chevy's, Lenny's Sub Shop

♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
South Carolina

♥ Who has the worst temper?
Me

♥ Who does the cooking?
Sven, I am trying to get better at cooking

♥ Who is more social
I think me

♥Who is the neat freak?
Maybe me

♥ Who is the more stubborn?
Definately me!

♥ Who wakes up earlier?
Weekdays - Sven Weekends - Me

♥ Where was your first date?
My old apartment in Chicago

♥ Who has the bigger family?
I do!

♥ Do you get flowers often?
Usually on my birthday, valentine's day

♥ How do you spend the holidays?
We rotate every year between the families

♥ Who is more jealous?
I wanna say neither, but deep down I sometimes can

♥ Who sleeps more?
Me, my condition wears me out

♥ Who eats more?
For the time bring, both of us

♥ Who does/ did the laundry?
Sven does, too hard for me to go into the basement

♥ Who’s better with the computer?
Definately Sven!

Here ya go Sarah

Sarah put this on her blog and I am going to do it, you should to.

Rules:
a. Go to the Google.
b. Type your name and the words “likes to” all in quotation marks. (”Sarah likes to”)
c. Report back on the first ten things that come up for your name.

Here are my ten items:

1. Beckie likes to dance

2. Beckie likes to read, write and cook

3. Beckie likes to be around other people

4. Beckie likes to do crafts/ scrapbooking (crafts yes, scrapbooking no)

5. Beckie likes to dance with her pink fairy wings.

6. Beckie, likes to talk. A lot! (HA! If you have actually met me I am actually pretty quiet!)

7. Beckie likes to learn new languages (I am horrible at learning new languages)

8. Beckie likes to sing A WIMBOWEEE

9. Beckie likes to fart, belch, scratch her armpits, and pretend shes..A MAN!! (That is me exactly, just ask Sven!

10. Beckie likes to watch porn with like five guys around

Goin to the Castle

Sven and I are going to White Castle for Valentine's Day! We have been going for 5 or 6 years now, I am so excited.

We originally were going to see Joel McHale at the Pagent, but they are not setting up chairs for the show, so you literally have to stand the whole time. As much as we want to see him, we aren't standing for like an hour and a half, that's crazy. For a concert, okay, but for a stand up show, no way!

So, when our plans fell threw we thought about White Castle, but I never thought that we would be able to make a reservation. I mean they start taking reservations starting Jan 3, and ond only a few locations participating, so I wasn't too hopeful, but I thought with V-day being on a Saturday might help. I called and I was surprised that there were a couple locations that still had openings left! So, we are celebrating Valentines Day at the St. Peters White Castle! Did I mention that I am excited?

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Lovely Kitty Bumps

We have slipcovers on our couches. We absolutely hate them, but need to have on the couches for the time being. But as much as we hate them our cat Tess loves them. See that bump coming from under the slipcovers? That is Tess, she loves to climb under the covers and sleep under them just like her sister and being under the covers on our bed.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Survey

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Not that I know of.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Monday when I fell on my knee.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Corned Beef

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Not Yet

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? Yes

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Corn Flakes

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? I don't have any tie shoes

12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Mint Chocolate Chip

13. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Eyes

14. RED OR PINK? Red

15. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Anger

16. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Grandpa :(

17. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST? Nah

18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Blue Jeans (dark) and white gym shoes

19. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? TV

20. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Something Red

21. FAVORITE SMELLS? Freshly Printed Paper, Laundry

22. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Sven

23. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Sort of

24. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Baseball

25. HAIR COLOR? Dark brown

26. EYE COLOR? Brown

27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No

28. FAVORITE FOOD? Spaghetti w/meatballs

29. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Endings

30. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Grosse Pointe Blank

31. What color shirt are you wearing right now? White

32. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer!

33. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs

34. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? None

35. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Don't have a mouse

36. What did you watch on TV last night? Leverage

37. FAVORITE SOUND(S): None

38. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Neither

39. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? California

40. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I don't think so

41. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Chicago, IL

42. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE? My Halloween Party

Water, Water Everywhere! And Get the Chocolate Out!

I saw my doctor on Monday. I always feel so rushed with him. He is a great doctor but I don't think he takes the time with me. I had a doctor in Chicago that would spend an hour and a half with me if needed and answered every question and fear I had, sometimes I wish I was still seeing her.

I left feeling defeated, with no answers again, but I haven't progressed that much so that is good. Sometimes I wish I had so that they could really see that something is going on. So many times I go in there feeling like such a liar, I have this pain or that pain, but there is no reason to explain it.

I did get a new prescription that should help my abdominal pain (which my OB thinks is related to my condition but my neurologist laughed about), my headaches, my head pain and other things. So far no pain which is good, but two days of headaches (very mild ones) and with any medicine I start it is screwing up my balance and walking.

So Monday night, as I was walking to the kitchen I got up from the couch immediately lost my balance and went over the coffee table. I just lied on the floor til Sven came home. The second time, Sven was in the kitchen and we were cleaning up from dinner, I got up from the couch, steadied myself, grabbed the Saltinenes then BAM! fell on my right knee and threw those Saltines behind the TV. I was down for the count!

But also with this new medication cotton mouth is a side effect. I definately have got it, so now I am drinking water like crazy and going to the bathroom like crazy! The other thing is that you crave chocolate. I haven't gotten that craving yet, but we will have to get all the chocolate out of the house. I am not a huge chocolate person. What if we just have the WW chocolates in the house, will that make it better?