No Bake Fruit Tart

I made the most amazing fruit tart today for the

Memorial Day holiday. This fruit tart is made with

fresh strawberries and red seedless grapes. I found

this recipe on laurainthekitchen and I knew I had

to make it. I made my own graham cracker pie crust for this tart because I like it much better than the store bought version. 


Today I went to our local farmers market and

picked up some organic strawberry

jam  and I  used it in this recipe.  I hope you enjoy this tart as much as I know I will. It is very easy to make and will be a big hit at your holiday table.  I used a 9 inch tart pan for this recipe.

Instructions

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers

1 stick unsalted room temperature butter

In medium bowl combine soft butter with graham cracker

crumbs. I used my hands to incorporate the mixture until

it is the consistency of  wet sand. I used Challenge Butter for this recipe. Press into a 9 or10 inch tart pan. There is no need to bake this crust.

In mixing bowl beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form.

Set this mixture aside and prepare the cream cheese mixture.

Add cream cheese, vanilla extract, confectioners sugar, juice

of half a lemon and lemon zest to mixing bowl and combine. 

You can use just a spatula for this step, there is no need 

to use a mixer but I find it easier so that is what I used today. If you are doing this by hand make sure your cream cheese is very soft.

Fold in heavy cream to cream cheese mixture being careful
not to deflate the heavy cream

Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on graham cracker crust. Chop strawberries and red seedless grapes. In microwave safe bowl place 1/4 cup strawberry jam and heat until jam is a liquid consistency. Add this to chopped fruit and mix well. Pour fruit mixture on to cream cheese layer. Chill tart for at least
2 to 3 hours before serving. Enjoy!


No Bake Fruit Tart


Ingredients:

1  9” Graham Cracker Crust
8 oz Package of Cream Cheese
½ cup of Heavy Cream
1/3 cup of Confectioner Sugar
¼ tsp of Vanilla Extract
Zest and Juice of Half of a Lemon
Fresh Chopped Strawberries and Grapes
¼ cup of Seedless Strawberry Jam


Recipe adapted from laurainthekitchen.com

Snack Attack~ Great Snacks For My Weight Loss Plan

Today I went shopping for groceries before picking my son up. I shop

at my local HEB grocery store . I also went to BIG LOTS and DRUG

EMPORIUM. I picked up some great snacks for my weight watcher diet

to help me keep track. And yes, I can snack which I love to do and still

stay on my plan and lose weight. I am happy to report I have now lost 9

pounds to date. I am so excited. I stocked up on some snacks that will last

me for several weeks including Anna's almond thin cookies, Special K

chocolatey drizzle bars, Fresh Find's Mild Salsa, Fresh Finds Veggie Straws, 

Red Mill Granola and Annie's Homegrown Organic Chocolate Chipper

Granola bars. All these great snacks only cost me a little over $30 dollars. 

Here are the points plus values of the following snacks:

Red Mill Honey Oak Granola = 5 points plus for 1 serving

Fresh Finds Salsa =  0 points plus for serving

Special K chocolatey drizzle Bars  = 2 points plus per bar

Annie's Chocolate Chipper Granola Bar = 3 points plus per serving

Fresh Finds Veggie Straws = 4 points plus per serving

Anna's almond thins = 3 points plus per serving

I am so proud of myself finding all these snacks that are low in points

that I can enjoy from day to day. I hope you try Weight Watchers

Points Plus program I think it is the best way to learn to eat a healthy

balance of all foods to lose weight. But of course this is my opinion.

I have tried many diet plans but weight watchers is the only one that I have

been able to stick to with ease. Because I am not giving up my favorite foods, 

and snacks. It is all about moderation and eating a healthy balance of fruits,

vegetables, lean meats and of course treats in moderation.

I found a weight watchers points plus calculator to help me find all my

points plus values on any food that I am purchasing anywhere. I love it

because it tells me exactly how many points plus any food item is. It is

great to take along while shopping. You can pick up on of the calculators
from Weight Watchers online website or at your local Weight Watchers.

Weight Watchers ~ Because It Works

I found this video online tonight while browsing and reading articles about Weight Watchers. This tell you about the program and  explains the point plus system. I just wanted to share this with  you in hopes that it will be as beneficial to you as it has to me. I love Weight Watchers. I think I am going to have great success with this program. I am looking forward to continuing the program and hope to attend a Weight Watchers meeting soon. Since I have now lost 7 pounds I now get 28 points a day and an  additional 49 a week for splurging.

What can be better than that?

Baked Whole Wheat Tortilla Chips~ My First 7 Pounds

I am so excited to report that I have lost 7 pounds so far on the Weight Watchers Plan. I am not hungry because I eat plenty of food in a day and a variety of fruits, vegetables and I can even have snacks. 

Today I visited Walmart and picked up my groceries there for the week. I stocked up on fruit, vegetables and picked up some snacks. I am a big snacker so I had to come up with something I could indulge in and not feel guilty.

I love chips and salsa so I decided to make my own Baked Whole Wheat Tortilla Chips to eat with my salsa. I bought the Tia Rosa Whole Wheat Flour Tortilla's and Pam Olive Oil Spray. I already  had some spices at home so I was good to go. 


After my grocery shopping I wanted a snack so I decided

this would be the perfect time to make my chips so I can eat a few

to day and take some to work tomorrow . I got this recipe idea from Laurainthekitchen.com.

The only thing I done differently is use whole wheat tortilla's and some different spices.

Instructions

Spray whole wheat tortilla's with Pam Olive Oil Spray

Cut into small or medium triangles

I sprinkled a mixture of salt, red pepper, cumin and onion powder over the cut triangles. I didn't measure the amount but if I had to say how much I would tell you about 1/2 tsp of each. You can use any combination of spices for this recipe. The sky is the limit. It is all about what you like.

Place in one layer in a baking pan and  bake at 350 degrees 8 to 9 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Serve with your favorite salsa. A delicious no guilt recipe for my weight watchers plan... yummy!


Baked Whole Wheat Tortilla Chips


Whole Wheat Tortilla's
Pam Olive Oil Spray


Spice Mixture
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp red pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt

S.A.S.S. Yourself Slim Book Review

As you know from a previous post. I am starting 

a healthy eating plan. So when I received the book

Sass Yourself Slim I was excited to review it. This
book comes in handy just in time. I have recently 
changed my eating habits and started eating 
healthy everyday. 

Cynthia Sass

Sass Yourself Slim  is a New York Times bestseller

written  by Cynthia Sass MPH.RD Co author of the Flat Belly 

Diet. The book  states that the first five days is a 5-Day,5-Food Fast Forward program. Eating only five foods in various combinations:spinach, almonds raspberries, eggs, and yogurt
or vegan -friendly alternatives.This combination of foods according to the book, provide energy and nourishment while preparing the body for weight loss.


The fast forward rules are simple

• Eat your first meal within one hour of waking up.
•   Eat one of each meal per day in  any order you like, spacing your meals evenly three to five hours apart.
• Use only foods, beverages and seasonings listed.

 Part two is a 25-day plan (30 days if you forego the Fast Forward option) which also calls for four meals a day, but now draws from a broad but specific array of food choices. And with this part of the plan, you can easily drop a size in just one month. The Core is based on cutting edge research and three key rules that work in synergy to provide real and lasting results:

• Rule #1: Eat Like Clockwork. Meal timing is important — you must eat breakfast within an hour of waking up and space the remaining meals evenly throughout the day, no sooner than three and no more than five hours apart, in order to regulate blood sugar and insulin levels and hunger hormones; reset and rev up metabolism; and keep feeling energized. 
  

• Rule #2: Think 5 Pieces 4 Times a Day. Each meal in theS.A.S.S. Yourself Slim plan is constructed as a unique “puzzle” made from five pieces: produce, a whole grain, lean protein, plant-based fat, and specific seasonings — or, as Cynthia refers to them, SASS (more about that below). Following the plan is as easy as knowing what the five pieces of the puzzle are and how much of each one to include at every meal. This becomes second nature within the first week. This simple approach allows you to consistently S.A.S.S. yourself whether you’re at home, at a restaurant, or on vacation. It’s as easy as choosing from Cynthia’s 100 delicious recipes or using the DIY chapter to build your own ‘5 piece puzzle’ meals. 
  

• Rule #3: Make Flavor Your Focus. S.A.S.S. — the fifth piece of the puzzle (above) — stands for Slimming and Satiating Seasonings: vinegar, citrus juice or zest, hot peppers, tea, and herbs and spices. These five additions not only add flavor to the meals without excess calories or sodium, they are scientifically proven to maximize your body’s fat-burning furnace and are rich in antioxidants, which have been linked to lower body-fat levels, even without dieting.
  

The book also includes chapters on emotional eating, falling in love with walking, and an entire chapter devoted to the health and weight loss benefits of the daily dark chocolate escape. On this plan you can shed pounds while enjoying satisfying recipes, such as Berry Almond French Toast, a Smoked Gouda and Grilled Onion Salad, Ginger Pear Smoothie, and Shrimp Creole. Vegetarians, vegans, and those following a gluten free diet can also follow this plan to achieve sustainable weight loss success.

S.A.S.S. Yourself Slim teaches you how to get your body back, and refocus your attention and energy where they should be — on living and enjoying your life.

The five puzzle pieces

Produce

Whole grain

Lean protein

Plant-based fat

SASS

My favorite part of this book of course is the yummy

recipes I will have to try like the Tuna-Stuffed Tomatoes, Citrus Salmon Salad and  Layered Bean Dip with Cilantro-Jalapeno Guacamole.  I would recommend you read this book. It's filled with a lot of great information about healthy eating and may

be very beneficial if you are trying to lose weight. I liked the fact that this book encourages organic fruits and vegetables which I have already started eating on my weight loss plan

I started recently. 

Disclosure: I received free of charge a copy of Sass Yourself
Slim  to review courtesy of One2One Network. I was also entered for a chance to win one out of 7 $50 gift cards. All thoughts and opinions of this book are my own and not influenced by  the product I received to review.

My Weight Watchers Diet

Well I have finally found a great weight loss 

program that I am starting. I have been on the

Weight Watchers plan now for 5 days. I have lost 4 pounds.

I am so proud of myself. I have been wanting to lose weight

for a while now and finally found something that works. 

I love  the Weight Watchers Plan. I don't have time

to attend the meetings but I am doing the program online. 

I get 29 points a day plus another 49 a week for

treats, snacks and desserts. Wow!! i thought I would

feel hungry and deprived but I don't feel that way at all.

I can still eat regular food and even go out to eat. I love

the way you just log on and add your foods. Then 

your food is automatically calculated. I know I should

have been eating healthier and now I finally found

something that truly works.  I even got to eat ice cream today. 

Weight Watchers has some yummy frozen treats at the grocery store and I also stocked up on the Smart Ones Meals which I love.Weight Watchers is about portion size. It gives you so many points for whatever foods you are choosing to eat. I never new losing weight could be so easy and fun. They also

have some yummy recipes for quick meals and even desserts.

I will post more about that later. Are you a Weight Watcher?

I now am and love it!

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Enstrom's Chocolate Review
Fisher Nut Product Review
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Cuisnart Mini Food Processor Review


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are my own and not influenced by the
company or products I receive to review
on Welcome To My Kitchen.

Unjunk Your Junk Food Book Review

One of the hardest things to do is to eat right, lose weight and keep it off. With all the junk food out there and all the temptations everywhere you turn, it is very hard to resist it. I work twelve hours shifts at my job and we always have plenty of snacks offered around our table at break. I find it very hard to resist these temptations. I have decided recently to eat healthier and have been buying organic fruit to replace to junk food I have been eating lately. I know I cannot give up my favorite snacks

all together but in this book it gives you a healthier alternative  and that is what I like about it. Before I didn't know how to make a healthier choice but this book helps you do just that.

Do you ever read food labels? Well I will tell you I am the worlds worst at reading food labels. I am very busy and it is one thing I know I should be doing but  find it hard to do when I am in a hurry. Everyone is so used to junk food and it is so addictive it is no wonder a lot of people have health

problems, and weight problems from consuming to much junk food. 

When I was offered the opportunity to review the book Unjunk  Your Junk Food I jumped at the chance. I was curious to see just how this could be accomplished. Well  when   I received the book, I immediately looked up some of my favorite snacks discovering that many had artificial flavors, colors, trans fat, monosodium glutamate and so on. 

I was very impressed how the book explains what is in your favorite snack, all the nutrition facts and gives you healthy alternatives to replace some of the snacks that are of bad choice because of artificial ingredients, flavors, trans fat, ect...

I liked the worst ingredient list in the book because this talks about what ingredients commonly found in junk food you should avoid  and be aware of. I can easily take this book with me while grocery shopping and find it a very useful tool to help me unjunk my junk food habit.

The book is easy to use. Just look up your favorite snack and it will give you all the nutrition facts and a healthy alternative if it is a bad choice. The book contains 11 chapters.

The Key To Unjunking

Back-to Basics Nutrition

The Worst Ingredients

Chips, Dips & Party Foods

Ice Cream &  Other Frozen Treats

Cookies

Chocolate

Cakes & Other Desserts

Granola Bars & Other On-the-Go Snacks

Candy

Soda & Other Drinks

This book is a very good read and I give it a very positive review.

Disclosure: For this review I received free of charge a copy of Unjunk Your Junk Food to Review from Naturally Savvy. All thoughts and opinions of this product are

my own and not influenced in any way by the company or the product I received for

this review.

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