We had a really big toaster oven.  We don’t have a very big kitchen, and why I thought I needed a toaster oven that had a bun warmer, I have no idea.  I think I used the bun warmer twice?  This is what it looked like:

We had it for years, and then to me, it seemed that it took twice as long to get to temperature, and realized we were really only using it as a toaster.  So one day I unplugged it and threw it out.  Let’s call it an executive decision, shall we?  So I promptly replaced it with this piece of shit toaster:

This Hamilton Beach toaster oven couldn’t even fit rye bread – you would have to flip the bread around half way through.  The “bagel” setting barely warmed the bagel, let alone toast it.  I kept hearing Tony say “it would be really nice to have a toaster oven, but oh yeah, you threw it out!”  But my thought was, why spend xx amount on a toaster oven if all we use it for is as a toaster?  I can be cheap like that sometimes. šŸ˜€

I hate to concede.  But. Tony was right.  Yep, I said it Tony!!  We get Consumer Reports magazine, and they recommended this toaster oven:

The Oster Digital Countertop Oven with Convection – Model: TSSTTVMNDG.  This was on sale at our local Wal-Mart for $79.  After toasting bagels over the weekend, Tony used the convection oven to make a Homerun Inn frozen pizza and declared it delicious.  The cheese got nice and bubbly and he said that the crust was perfectly crisp.  Nice! šŸ˜€

Breakfast was a mini bagel sammie – 1 egg, baby spinach, 1/2 ounce hard salami, 2/3 ounce cheese – 8 PointsPlus.

I thought I was going to be too swamped to take a walk at lunch but luckily found a window – perfect weather!!  Sunny and 60.  I walked/ran for 50 minutes – it felt really good!

So my grocery store sale flyer had pork stew for $1.99.  I asked Tony if he had ever had it before and his answer was “not intentionally!”  So I decided to make a dish I know I would like and my SIL would like . . . and guess who else loved it?  Hannah!  Yep, my mostly non-meat eating daughter thought it was delicious.

Thai Pork Stew (4 servings / 4 oz. pork mixture with 1/2 cup of sauce is 276 calories, 12 fat, 15 carbs, 2 fiber and 26 protein = 7 PointsPlus).

  • 1 pound pork stew (alternatively 1 pound cut up pork chops or tenderloin)
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 cups red peppers
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 tablespoons cream peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sriracha
  • 2 cups chicken broth

I heated my oven to 300.  I just put everything in together (don’t worry, the peanut butter melts into the sauce) and baked it for 90 minutes in my dutch oven, stirring every half hour.

I don’t have any pictures when it came out of the oven because it was already dark out.  When I reheated my portion, I tossed it with 2/3 cups cooked white rice and a cup of steamed veggies – broccoli/carrots and peapods.  Sorry about the quality of the photo – but this was really delicious!

This was so filling!  It took me a while to eat too – the pork was super tender and I loved that there was a lot of sauce – my lunch comes in at 10 PointsPlus. šŸ˜€

Now the sun is setting on my drive home – they sky was so pretty!

And then I turned that sky picture into something cool – I always forget I have a “fisheye” effect on my camera!

I thought I was going to have to work late last night, and Tony had a dinner out so I had nothing really planned.  Um, left to my own devices, I am sure no one is shocked at what I made for me and Hannah.

We made pizza!  Um, someone put red onions on her half – ew!

Yep, my 14 point half of pizza really hit the spot – I had 1.5 ounces of sausage, 1/2 ounce pepperoni, roasted red pepper, baby spinach, 4 ounces of pizza dough, and 1.5 ounces of asiago cheese.  Yumz.

Stats for Monday:

  • 36 points (includes 4 points of tasting while cooking last night – I may have had half a pumpkin scone!)
  • 50 minute walk/run
  • average blood sugar 132

Have a great Tuesday – make it a great day! šŸ˜€