Thanks to everyone who shared their worst date stories yesterday – so fun to read! 😀

Yep, our balmy January has been replaced with snow.  It’s just so weird that on Wednesday I was running outside with just a t-shirt (well, and pants too!) and today the high is going to be 20 degrees and we have 6  inches of snow on the ground?

I had the last of my MIL’s bread – same plate as yesterday, except I added 1/2 cup of cherries to the mix – no new picture though – still an 8 point breakfast.

Work went by fast because I had a half day.  Tony had his one month check up from his hernia surgery and I wanted to see how things were going.  I think we both thought he’d be farther along in his recovery by now.  The verdict?  While moving slowly, Tony is healing – no sign of infection at all!  He still has a drainage tube in and we go back in a couple weeks to see if it can be removed then.

The doctor also said to stop taking an antibiotic CIPRO that he’s been taking since his knee infection in 2008 – he’s been taking 500 mg twice a day for almost 4 years and just doing a tiny bit of research that may be the cause for his insomnia, lack of energy, etc.  Any of my blogging friends know anything about this drug?

Before we left I made a quick sammie – ham/salami/spinach and cheese arnold thin sammie – with lots of jalapeno mustard – lunch comes in at 8 points.

After running a couple errands, we were back home by around 4:00.  I nearly always have a stack of recipes printed out of things I want to make.  One of them was Nicole’s banana cranberry granola bars – mostly because they actually turned out into bars – both of us have had trouble keeping the bars whole and not crumbling when they were cut.

So I pull out her recipe – only to discover I have hardly any of the ingredients.  What the hell was I thinking?  So while my recipe in no way, shape or form is anywhere near Nicole’s, I am saying her granola bars inspired me and my ingredients were put together with what I had on hand.

Orange Pecan Granola Bars (makes 10 – 175 caloires, 7 fat, 26 carbs, 3.3 fiber and 3.4 protein, or 5 WW points)

  • 3 cups quick oats
  • 3/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 4 ounces orange (pulp and juice from one orange)
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 ounces chopped prunes
  • 3/4 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350.  Put parchment paper on a cookie sheet.  My pecans were already toasted, so I skipped that step.  And because I am a lazy cook sometimes, I just threw all the ingredients into the bowl and mixed well.

Pour mixture on a baking sheet and using a bench scraper, make the sides straight.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is brown – mine took 35 minutes.  COOL COMPLETELY.  Remove parchment paper to cutting board and cut into 10 servings.

The verdict?  Delicious!  I love the bright citrus note and the chewy chopped prunes – suprisingly not too sweet either, which I like.  I can see myself having half of one of these prior to a morning workout. 😀  Hannah didn’t like them at all because they weren’t sweet enough for her – that’s okay – more for me!  They actually stayed together – woot!

Tony didn’t eat lunch until we got home at 4, so dinner was solo again for me.  I had defrosted chicken breasts and couldn’t decide what to make, so went with the obvious – chicken tacos!

  • 3 tostadas (4 points)
  • 3 ounces chicken (3 points)
  • 100 calorie wholly guacamole pack (2 points)
  • red and green peppers (0)
  • cilantro (0)
  • lime (0)

9 Points total – nice!

I didn’t end up working out yesterday, so Thursday will be my rest day and I’ll work out on Sunday.

I have to be honest, my snacking was back this week big time – I ate the last the Chex mix one night before bed (about a cup) and last night?  Four handfuls of pretzels before I stopped myself – I just can’t have that shit around, its too tempting for me.  Weirdly a plate full of cookies can be on the counter and I am not tempted at all.

What are you – sweet or salty snacker, or both?

Still going to WW tomorrow though – have to face the music!  Maybe my exercise this week will be my saving grace?  Happy Friday!