Recipe #3: Halibut and Sauteed Spinach

Since Ryan and I are both trying out this weight watchers thing, we decided to test out a recipe that comes from the weight watchers book! There aren't very many recipes, but the halibut caught our attention! It seemed super easy to make (and it was!) and it was only 4 points per 4 oz. piece of halibut. I had been craving sauteed spinach (don't ask....I don't even know), so we found a recipe here, from foodnetwork.

Working on the spinach! Beware...it is really scary when you first put it in because the oil sprays on you!! Oh, but it was so worth it!

Sittin' in the oven, almost ready to come out! How pretty do those look?!

And yes, of course we had a bottle of Charles Shaw (aka 2 Buck Chuck) with our dinner! I don't mind if I do!

For the halibut: Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a baking pan with cooking spray, and place the halibut on it. Then drizzle lemon juice (maybe 2 tsp per fillet) and brush on the olive oil (1 tsp per fillet). Put a thin layer of bread crumbs (1/2 tablespoon on each one) and put on the capers, salt and pepper. And that's it! Put it in the oven, and wait for 15-20 minutes!

And there you have it! It was such a quick meal to make, we were almost upset by how little effort and time it took (if that's possible)! And it definitely filled us up! So what was the total damage? Well, since our halibut pieces were 5 oz each, that part was 5 points. For the spinach, all of the points actually come from the olive oil, which is (gulp) 1 point per teaspoon. Geez. But it's okay, because I managed to make the spinach with 4 teaspoons, making it 2 points for each of us. Lastly, we had wine. Now, for the most part, wine is 2 pts per 4 oz. A bottle is about 25 oz, so that means there are 12 (ok, maybe like 12.5, but whatever) points per bottle. That give us 6 points each. So, the total comes to a mere 13 points!! Not bad for a filling meal, complete with a bottle of wine!

Weight Watchers!

So, this is part 2 (part 1) of my weight watching adventures! And, just as the title suggests, I am trying something new: Weight Watchers! This probably sounds a little crazy, and I was definitely overwhelmed at first. I spent last weekend (the one after new year's) learning all about the point system. I haven't officially joined, but am thinking about it, especially if one of you will do it with me! I'm not planning on going to the meetings. One, it's more expensive than the online version, and two, I just don't know if I can devote an hour each week to doing this, especially if I need to go the same day every week (is this the case? I don't even know).

Anyway, if you don't want to hear about weight watchers, I suggest you stop reading now, because I am going to enlighten you all with a bit about the system. Please keep in mind that this is all in my own words -- please look at the website or whatever for more info! So pretty much, based on your age, gender, your weight, your job (how active you are at work), and something else, but I forget, you get assigned a daily point value. Mine is 21. Then, you eat accordingly! I get 21 points per day, and trust me, it's not a lot! Oh, I should also let you know that I did a trial run this past week....and yes, I ate at Melting Pot, and still I did not cheat! I will explain this phenomenon later on! Ok, so you can find TONS of info online that has point values for different foods. The good news is that there do exist zero-point foods....a lot of veggies are zero-points, for example.

One thing I really like about this program is the fact that you can eat whatever you want! I mean, it might be the case that you can only have one bite of it, but that's your decision. It teaches you to eat your veggies, so you can have other, yummier things! It's also very helpful if you plan around your schedule. For example, if you know you are going out to eat one night, you should conserve points by eating low-point foods for breakfast and lunch. Another BONUS is that you get 35 extra points each week. This is how I managed to eat at Melting Pot, plus I conserved some of my daily 21 points for the occasion. I feel like it's doable, because, I mean, can I really afford to be eating out more than twice a week anyway (money wise and food intake wise)? Probably not.

Still not convinced? Ok, well this doesn't really apply to me, but you can also get extra points by exercising!! So for those of you who like to run, you can earn a couple of extra points each day. That may not seem like a lot, but every point counts! I find that I have zero time for the treadmill during the week, but on the weekends, I am going to try to get a 30-40 minute walk in (uphill walk). Even with that, it's only 1-2 points per day, but it's a nice little added bonus!

So, does anyone want to do it with me? We can trade yummy low-point recipes! And even though I am considering joining online (I think there is a special that's $65 for the first two months -- including the one time sign up fee -- and then $17 each month after that), you don't have to! I am more than willing to help you scoure the internet for resources (and as I said before, there are TONS!). There are also plenty of point calculators online, such as this one, so you can find the point value of foods you have at home. There is a formula...I forget what it is at this second (it's a little complicated, so I prefer using the tool). It uses calories, fat, and dietary fiber to come up with the point value. So if you have that information, you can very easily convert your food into the points.

In conclusion (haha, as if I'm writing an essay or something...), I think WW will help me a ton with portion control. This is one thing I had never practiced before. I do not consider myself to be a large person, but there are times I consume as much food as those "too fat to move" people on the TLC specials. I eat too fast, and therefore I eat too much, and don't realize how completely stuffed I am until it's too late. So, with the WW plan, I have to watch my portions, and although I was kind of craving snacks the first few days last week, I really do feel a lot better now. Cleansed, if you will. Even though I splurged a bit on certain days! So, who's with me? Please think about it, and let me know! It will definitely help if I have a close support group (Ryan is my support group right now, but we're only together ~every other weekend). I promise we can make it fun. Oh, and just for you all...here's a site that gives point values for alcohol.


Sorry for the seriousness of this post!! Do you think I'm crazy? Are you crazy enough to join me?