I really didn’t expect anything for Valentine’s Day yesterday.  Tony’s not been feeling well, he has a 12 foot tube attached to a vacuum at his side 24/7.  But he surprised me.  He had a doctor appointment on Monday while I was at work, and had just enough strength to go to CVS and pick me up a card.  šŸ˜€

Um, who told him I loved spicy nuts? šŸ˜€  Thank you Tony for a wonderful card – I love you back times 100!

Of course, since I didn’t have to be up as early as I normally do on a day I go to work, I was up and alive at 7:15.  I let Tony sleep in a bit and after I was up for about an hour, I started to get hungry.

I was looking in my fridge and saw that I had a pint of blackberries (.99 a pint last week!) so I decided to make a blackberry sauce, except with Splenda, not sugar.  What goes well with a blackberry sauce?  Pancakes!

Whole Wheat Pancakes with Blackberry Sauce

  • 2 points per pancake with 1/4 cup of blackberry sauce for 1 point (but 3 pancakes turns out to be 7 points)

Ingredients for Pancakes:

  • 1.5 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder (next time I’ll bump this up to 1 tablespoon)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1.5 cups vanilla soy milk
  • 2 eggs

Mix the dry ingredients together.  Mix the soy milk and eggs until eggs are combined.  Mix both together.  Let batter sit for 15 minutes before cooking pancakes – about 2 minutes per side.

Ingredients for Blackberry sauce (makes 1 cup, 1/4 cup each serving or 1 WW point)

  • 1 pint blackberries
  • 1/4 cup splenda
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

In a non-stick skillet add all the ingredients and simmer of medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.  Using a fork or potato masher, mash the blackberries.  Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

For my plate, I mixed in my 1/4 cup of blackberry sauce (1) with 1/4 cup of sugar free pancake syrup (1) and had 3 pancakes (7).  Breakfast comes in at 9 delicious points.

The best part about this is that because there is only 1 tablespoon of sugar in the pancakes and the tartness of the blackberries, this is really not an overly sweet breakfast.

I also thought this sauce would be good on ice cream too.  Just sayin. šŸ˜€

Then we had the home health care nurse come to check his blood level for his artificial heart valve.  Then it was time to go to the gastrointestinal doctor – they are running more tests, but he thinks the c-diff is still present, so we are taking additional medication hoping that will work.

Then we went to the outpatient pavillion for more blood work.  Then last, but not least, we saw the surgeon for our wound vac check up.  There would have been no way Tony could have done that on his own, so I was glad I could be there with him.

But you know what?  We are both sick of doctors and hospitals.  Yeah, I said it.  Hopefully we will start to turn a corner here and get our lives back to normal.  I miss sitting next to him on the couch, because he’s more comfortable in his lay-z-boy.  I miss the impromtu breakfasts and lunches when we are out and about.  I just want him to be well. šŸ˜€

So by the time we got home Tony was exhausted, and I was starving.  We had a bag of unopened Fritos in the pantry – they have been giving me the stink eye ever since we never opened them for Superbowl Sunday.  I caved.  My ham and cheese sandwich and a serving of Fritos – 10 points.

Then Hannah came home from school. šŸ˜€  She bought me a really cute sweater and shirt from the thrift store and a $15 Starbucks gift card.  While Tony rested, she and I went to Aldi to pick up a few things and since we were driving right by, we went to our local thrift store.

I give you aloof model:

I actually bought that jacket – it was $9, but all the outwear was 75% off – score!  Not sure who makes it because there isn’t a tag, but its super soft and lined – perfect for the spring.

I now give you gangsta model:

I guess we could call this one glam cowgirl?

And then we had fun with . . . wigs!  Before anyone gets all grossed out, these were brand new wigs – hence the giant tag draped on my shoulder.  First of all, I wish my hair were this thick, and second, I actually like the style and red color!

It was actually nice just to goof off, even for just an hour – thanks Hanners. šŸ˜€

Dinner was simple – I got some fire roasted canned tomatoes from Aldi (.69 cents a can!) and made a pasta sauce with rigatoni.  Pure comfort in a bowl for 10 points.  I know it looks like a lot, but its sitting on 2 cups of chopped fresh baby spinach underneath the pasta.

I didn’t work out yesterday, so I need to get out at lunch today and then do 30-day shred after dinner tonight.

Thanks again for all your well wishes for Tony! šŸ˜€