Skinny Mom Slow-Cooker Beef Stroganoff

This Skinny Mom Slow-Cooker Beef Stroganoff is a perfect dish for a cold day.  I love beef stroganoff and this recipe is absolutely delicious!

Yields:  8 Servings

Serving Size:  1 1/2 Heaping Cups

Weight Watcher Smart Points:  7 Points

Calories:  323

Ingredients:

1½ pounds lean stew beef, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 (8-ounce) containers baby bella (cremini) mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 (10.5-ounce) can Campbell’s® Healthy Request® Condensed cream of mushroom Soup

1 small onion, diced

¾ cup low-sodium beef broth (I like Pacific® Organic)

2 tablespoons cooking sherry or low-sodium beef broth

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

12 ounces whole grain egg noodles, dry

1 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Place the meat, mushrooms, mushroom soup, onion, beef broth, sherry, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt, and black pepper in the slow cooker and stir together.

Cook on high for 3 hours or low heat for 6 hours. About 30 minutes before cooking time is up, cook bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the noodles to al dente according to package directions.

Drain the noodles and add to the slow cooker along with the yogurt. Stir to combine and heat through on low heat before serving.

Serve garnished with the parsley.

SkinnyTaste's Instant Pot Easy Salsa Chicken

So I am behind the times and just got an Instant Pot.  Let me say, I wish I had bought it a long time ago.  I have only made 2 recipes but love it so far.  So be prepared for a lot of instant pot recipes.  The first recipe I made was SkinnyTaste's Instant Pot Easy Salsa Chicken.  This recipe was super easy and so delicious.  

Yields:  5 Servings

Serving Size:  1/2 Cup

Weight Watcher Smart Points:  2

Calories:  135

Ingredients:

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon cumin

black pepper, to taste

pinch oregano

1 cup chunky salsa

Directions:

Check out SkinnyTaste's Blog for the directions.

What is your favorite Instant Pot Recipe?

Goals for 2017

As I wrap up 2016, I thought I would do a post on my goals for 2017.

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I had a little girl in May 2016.  2016 was good year personally.  I love my little girl to death but I kind of let myself go fitness wise.   Although I started Weight Watchers at the end of October I am still a long way from where I want to me.  So here are my goals for 2017.

1.  Lose the remainder of my pregnancy weight and then some.  I gained 41 pounds while I was pregnant.  Not a ton but more than I had expected.  I am close to my pregnancy weight but I definitely was heavier than I wanted to be when I got pregnant.  My goal is to get to 169 pounds.  Once at this weight, I may re-evaluate and decide to lose more. 

2.  Track what I eat 90% of the time.  I do best when I am tracking my food.  So I want to track my food using my Weight Watchers app most of the time.  There will be times when I don’t want to track and I am okay with that as long as I do it most of the time.

3.  Get my steps.  I also do better when I am being active.  Right now my workout schedule is non-existent.  I have been getting my step goal every day so I want to continue that but I want to do more.

4.  Workout at least 3 times a week.  Along with getting my steps, I want to do some sort of workout 3 days a week.  I am hoping my little one starts napping more consistently.  But currently she does do well during her first nap of the day.  So instead of doing stuff around the house, I plan to use that time to get in a workout.  I am going to start slow with workout videos that I plan to review here on the blog.  Then I will start creating my own workouts.

5.  Start back to running.  I ran 6 weeks postpartum and then I haven’t ran since.  I miss running.  I am planning to volunteer with Girls on the Run again this season so I need to get back into running shape.  I hate running on the treadmill so this will be challenging.  Hopefully if the weather is decent (but cold) I will get out for a run when possible.  Girls on the Run doesn’t start until February so I have a little time to get in shape.  Once Girls on the Run starts I will at least be running twice a week but I would like to get in better shape running wise and maybe run some races this summer. 

6.  Blog more regularly.  As you can see I am really working on blog posts.  I want to get back into blogging.  I want to share recipes and my weight loss journey again. 

What are your goals for 2017?

31 Days of January Challenge

Source

After participating in the 21-Day Thanksgiving Walk Challenge and the 24 Days of Christmas Challenge, I decided to do a monthly step challenge.  While this month will focus on getting steps and mileage, I also want to add some core work. 

Your core is so important in fitness.  If your core is weak you can get injured so much easier.  After having a c-section, my core is kind of shot.  So I want to get back on track.

1/1 – Walk 1 mile or 2,000 steps

1/2 – Walk 2 miles or 4,000 steps and a 60 second inchworm

1/3 – Walk 2 miles or 4,000 steps and 60 second plank

1/4 – Walk 3 miles or 6,000 steps and 20 glute bridges

1/5 – Walk 2 miles or 4,000 steps and a 60 second inchworm, 60-second plank and 20 glute bridges

1/6 – Walk 1 mile or 2,000 steps

1/7 – Walk 4 miles or 8,000 steps and 20 push-ups

1/8 – Walk 2 miles or 4,000 steps and 30 dead bugs

1/9 – Walk 2 miles or 4,000 steps and 30 glute bridges

1/10 – Walk 3 miles or 6,000 steps and 2-minute inchworm

1/11 – Walk 5 miles or 10,000 steps

1/12 – Walk 1 mile or 2,000 steps and 30 dead bugs, 30 glute bridges, and 20 push-ups

1/13 – Walk 2 miles or 4,000 steps and 30-second side plank (each side)

1/14 – Walk 2 miles or 4,000 steps and 2-minute plank

1/15 – Walk 3 miles or 6,000 steps and 30 push-ups

1/16 – Walk 5 miles or 10,000 steps and 40 glute bridges

1/17 – Walk 1 mile or 2,000 steps and 40 dead bugs, 40 glute bridges, and 30 push-ups

1/18 – Walk 3 miles or 6,000 steps

1/19 – Walk 3 miles or 6,000 steps and 50 dead bugs and 50 glute bridges

1/20 – Walk 2 miles or 4,000 steps and 1-minute side plank (each side)

1/21 – Walk 4 miles or 8,000 steps

1/22 – Walk 2 miles or 4,000 steps

1/23 – Walk 2 miles or 4,000 steps and 40 glute bridges and 40 push-ups

1/24 – Walk 3 miles or 6,000 steps and 2-minute inchworm

1/25 – Walk 4 miles or 8,000 steps

1/26 – Walk 5 miles or 10,000 steps and 1-minute plank

1/27 – Walk 3 miles or 6,000 steps and 30 push-ups, 50 dead bugs, and 30 glute bridges

1/28 – Walk 2 miles or 4,000 steps and 1-minute side plank (each side)

1/29 – Walk 4 miles or 8,000 steps

1/30 – Walk 3 miles or 6,000 steps and 2-minute plank

1/31 – Walk 5 miles or 10,000 steps and 50 push-ups, 50 dead bugs, 50 glute bridges, 1-minute inchworm, 1-minute side plank (each side) and 1-minute plank

If you participate in the challenge, feel free to take photos and share on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook and use #31daysofjanuarychallenge

Healthier Slow Cooker Potato Soup

A long time ago I saw a potato soup recipe shared on Facebook.  After looking at the recipe, I knew I could make it a little healthier.

Yield: 6 Servings

Serving Size: 2 Cups

Weight Watcher Smart Points:  9

Ingredients:

30 ounce bag of frozen shredded hash browns

3 - 14 ounce cans of chicken broth

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1/2 onion chopped

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1 package (8 ounces) of fat free cream cheese

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients EXCEPT the cream cheese in your slow cooker.

Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat.

About 1 hour before serving add cream cheese and keep heated until thoroughly melted.

You can top with green onions and cheddar cheese.  Note the cheese will change the points values.

Emily Bites' Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken

Here is another tasty slow cooker recipe.  Emily Bites' Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken is tasty and still very healthy.  It gives you the delicious taste of Thai food without all the calories.  

Yields:  9 Servings 

Servings Size:  1/2 cup

Weight Watchers Smart Points:  5 

Calories:  205

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast

3/4 cup of PB2 powered peanut butter

6 tablespoons water

1/2 cup Trop 50 orange juice

1/4 cup orange marmalade

1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (I used rice wine vinegar instead)

1 garlic clove, minced 

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

3/4 cup canned lite coconut milk 

Directions:

Lay the chicken breasts in a single layer at the bottom of your slow cooker.

In a large bowl combine the PB2 and water and stir until creamy.  Add the remainder of the ingredients and stir well combined.  

Pour the sauce over the chicken in the slow cooker to cover the chicken.

Cook on low for 5-6 hours until chicken is cooked through and shreds easily.

Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board and shred with two forks (it should fall apart).  

Put the shredded chicken back into the slow cooker and stir into the sauce.  Continue to cook on low for another 5-10 minutes without the lid and then serve.  

Going forward I would top with bean sprouts, cilantro, and dry roasted peanuts.  The dry roasted peanuts would change the smart points and calories.  

Skinny Taste's Slow Cooker Beef Tacos

Right now I am obsessed with making recipes that use my slow cooker.  My baby's nap schedule still is a little questionable so recipes that require the least amount of work is perfect for my family.  That's where my slow cooker comes in.  Last week, I tried Skinny Taste's Slow Cooker Beef Tacos.  The recipe was a huge hit at our house and I will be making again.  I did use a little more cumin than the recipe called for (but I love cumin).   I also used soft tacos instead.  

Yields:  8 Servings 

Serving Size:  2 Tacos

Weight Watcher Smart Points:  9

Calories:  383

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds 93% lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 small onion, minced
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 bay leaf
• 16 corn taco shells

Toppings:

• 2 cups shredded romaine lettuce
• 1 cup shredded cheddar
• 2 plum tomatoes, diced

Directions:

Check out Skinny Taste for the step by step directions.