ROCK OUT with your CROCK OUT -- vol.7

day 99:
monday bloggy l♥ve ya’ll!
so it’s been forever & a fuckin’ day but it’s definitely time for…

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for those who have stumbled here for the 1st time – this is my homage to my all-time-fave kitchen gadget – the crockpot!
all of the recipes featured here are healthy (and vegan you lucky ducks) & i always include the points+ values for my fellow w8 watcher junkies!
so let’s get it going shall we?

i truly believe one of the key things to being successful on healthy regimen is planning – especially meals. i have my best success when i plan out the week ahead; giving me no choice but to eat healthy. so this morning i decided i was going to have some healthy dishes on hand & one of my all-time fave vegan/crock pot dishes is LENTILS!

and they are ridiculously easy, healthy & yumm-o!
they require no overnight soaking – you basically put them in the crockpot with 6-8 cups of water per cup of lentils.
season to taste (i use salt, white pepper, parsley, & garlic) & cook on low for 8 hours.
if you prefer them less *soupy* either cook longer or add less water. i happen to like the *juice*. i served them with a side of quinoa (the 1st time i made it!) with some sauteed onions & mushrooms in a little bit of olive oil & lemme tell ya – this is some seriously delish chow!
(don’t hate on my ugly-ass bowl – i harbor a unhealthy attachment to it – don’t judge)
½ cup of lentils = 2 pointsplus
½ cup quinoa = 3 pointsplus
for those of us on simply filling – both are power foods – so no need to count unless you are anal retentive like me & track EVERYTHING.

i also made a pot of one of my other favorite staples – the infamous weight watcher zero pointsplus soup – although i am not sure what they are technically calling it these days? i didn't use my crock pot as it was otherwise detained with lentils -- but you could totally make this soup in your crockpot as well. i have in the past & it is fabu!

you can find the recipe easily enough if you google *weight watcher zero point soup* -- there are quite a few variations but my favorite is a base of vegetable broth, stewed tomatoes, cabage, italian seasoning, parsley, celery salt, white pepper, whatever vegetables (fresh or frozen works best) you want to add.
today it was carrots, zuccini, onions, & kale.
you add all the ingredients & simmer until the veggies are tender.
it sounds basic but this soup is truly flavorful & filling!
this soup is zero pointsplus & a power food – win/win!
i know this soup has been blogged about a gazillion times – but it has seen me through many a tough week when i am struggling with staying on track & it also will kick a new diet in the ass & give ya the jumpstart ya need!

so that’s what i am eating these days.
what are you guys stuffin’ down your gullets?

peace, l♥ve & carpe diem the fuck outta today & everyday bloggy peeps!
xxoo
cyn

pms'n like a mofo

day 93:
tuesday tidings my bloggy peeps!

before i get to my plight lemme pose a question...
to my fellow weight watcher junkies out there – how are ya’ll gellin’ with the new *2012* changes?
i have heard mixed reviews & it seems like peeps either love or hate it – no medium ground?
personally – i like it. (neither love nor hate – i am the medium ground!)
and honestly – i don’t get what the hustle & bustle is about?
i know some are miffed that the dailies have been lowered – but ummm, they gave ya the flexibility to not decrease if ya don’t wanna – so why all the bellyachin’???

case in point:
this past friday when i was @ my meeting & my leader got kinda bullied into talkin’ about the changes even though it wasn’t that week’s topic – we had two chicks who complained & bitched the whole time.
now mind you --- these are the two same gals who come every week & sit in the meeting & knit the entire time?
knit?
really?
am i the only one who finds that extremily rude?
i mean really – you have such intense knitting responsibilties that you have to knit through a 30 minute once a week meeting?
and how much knitting can you really get done in 30 minutes?
i guess it’s no worse than the other gal who has to make a tuna fish sandwich @ every meeting she attends !
yes make it -- as in open the can & stink up the whole room with tuna fumes!
seriously? can’t you bring something less stanky or wait 30 minutes?
(and if you are reading this & think i might be talkin' about you -- i probably am!)
but i digress…

i realize change is hard for a lot of people – but when you are given the option to keep things just the way you like them – why complain???
(say the gal who is pms’n like a mofo & full of complaints)


yeah pms…
pms = plaguing my shit
i understand it’s a fact of life – but being just mere months from turning 42 i think it’s for the fuckin’ birds & at this juncture in my life it should be easier; not worse!
am i am asshole if i ask santa for menopause?
although i hear that’s no walk in the park either & hormone supplements sounds like it’s own kind of hell on earth.
boo hiss!
don’t mind me – uncle t.o.m & auntie flo have my happy-go-lucky-ness held hostage for a day or two…
so to lighten things up a bit…
here is a coolio article on jillian michaels site (i get her emails) on how to battle pms -- five tips for taming pms .

and because pms time if my über munchie time – i wanted to share this:

(squawkfox.com)
have any of my fellow pinterst freaks seen this pin floating around?
well it works!

all ya need is:
a brown lunch bag
¼ cup popcorn kernels
and microwave until the popping slows down.
i use the popcorn setting on my microwave & reduced the initial ½ cup of kernels the original recipe called for down because i ended up having so many unpopped ones.
it is very easy to burn the popcorn so ya really can’t leave this one unattended.
but it’s tasty (wayyyyy better than that icky air-popping machine) & no microwave popcorn chemicals! ya gotta add a little salt or whatever seasoning ya like of course – but it’s dang good for a healthy snack! and i am the queen of popcorn & wouldn’t steer ya wrong!
and if you are following simply filling like i am this is a simply filling food & is within the permiters of my sweet tooth challenge!

and if this doesn’t help your munchies or pms – there is always booze.
*snicker*


peace, l♥ve & GOBS of margaritas bloggy peeps!
xxoo
cyn