Feta-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I want to share this yummy recipe. It is sooooo good and at only 4 points, who can resist? :)

The recipe calls for mayonnaise, but I use olive oil instead. Also, I crush the bread crumbs a little more, I don't like that they are bigger pieces, and for added flavor, I toss in Italian Seasoning (recipe below too!)



Ingredients

2 oz. fat-free feta cheese, crumbled

2 moist packed sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), finely chopped

4 large basil leaves, chopped

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 C. panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

4 (5oz. each) skinless, boneless chicken breasts

4 tsp. fat-free mayonnaise





Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray nonstick bakin pan with nonstick spray.

2. Mix together feta, tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper in small bowl until blended. Spread panko on sheet of wax paper.

3. Cut 2 1/2 inch pocket in each breast. Put 1/4 of cheese mixture into each pocket; press edges closed. Brus top of each breast with mayonnaise, press coated side of chicken into crumbs. Place, coated side up, in prepared baking pan.

4. Lighly spray crumbs with nonstick spray. Bake until chicken is cooked through and crust is golden, about 25 minutes.







Italian Seasoning Makes about 1/4 cup.



Ingredients

1 T oregano, dried

1 T basil, dried

1 T sage, dried

1 t rosemary, dried

1 t red pepper flakes



Directions

Combine spices in a mixing bowl. Store in an airtight container away from direct sunlight for up to six months. Before using, crush herbs between your fingers to release more flavor.

Skinny Body Fat Flush and Detox

1 cucumber

1 lemon

2 limes

1 bunch of mint



Slice them all and divide the ingredients between four 24 oz water bottles and fill them up with filtered water. Drink daily Not only does this taste delicious and help flush fat, but it also counts toward your daily water intake!



Lemons: Help in the absorption of sugars and calcium and cuts down your cravings for sweets.

Cucumbers act as a diuretic and flush fat cells. It is alkalizing to the body (if you have an alkaline body, no diseases can live there), and increase your energy levels.

Limes promote a healthy digestive tract.

Mint is a natural appetite suppressant that also aids in digestion.

Portions, portions, portions!

Portion size is something that I've always struggled with, but I'm learning. Sometimes it's hard when you are eating something really yummy to not pile it on your plate or go back for seconds. But I'm learning to eat slower and really focus on the food and how it makes my body feel. To not scarf down my meal and pay attention to my body when it's telling me it's had enough. But even with these small changes and though I'm not seeing the physical changes yet, I am feeling them. I'm not so sluggish anymore and I sleep better at night...not waking up with yucky acid reflux.  I know it's going to be a slow process, but just like The Little Train That could, trudging up that hill: I'm going from I Think I Can to I Know I Can. And once I reach the top of that hill, it's going to change to I Knew I Could....and that's when I'll be doing my happy dance, shaking my new little caboose! :)

Well, I'm happy with the direction that WW is going.  Thanks to Harman, we have our weekly meetings at work every Friday afternoon.  Today was the second weigh in and I must say, I did better than I thought I would. 

Drum roll please.....

I am down 4.4lbs!!!  Yay me!!

Wow, never knew starting a blog could be so nerve wracking…trying to figure out what type of thing to write about, how to write them, will people follow, will they enjoy and relate to what they are reading? Not to mention trying to figure how you want to design your blog….decisions, decisions, decisions!!! But I guess the best thing to do is just be myself and be honest.

　
Anyway, as the title states: this is my life changing journey that I am embarking on and hope you will come along for the ride. No gas money required! J

My journey is trying to deal with weight loss. As some of you know, I have joined Weight Watchers in hopes of getting to my goal. Am I looking to be stick thin? No, but I am looking to get healthy. I want to make sure that I am around for a long time to be there for my daughter. I will tell you though, it’s not easy. I’ve struggled all my life with my weight and learning a whole new lifestyle has been difficult. I am in my third session of WW, but like they say: third time‘s the charm! No one’s fault but my own that I didn‘t succeed in the first two rounds. But I know I need to get back on track and hopefully with the tools from WW and encouragement from my loved ones, I will get back to where I was when I was kicking butt with the weigh loss. I know there will be more times when I will slipup, but I will take the opportunity to learn from them. Dust myself off and keep on truckin’!

This is why I decided to start a blog; to hold myself accountable for my actions. If I tell people this is what I’m doing, I can’t hide from it. This will be the kick in the pants that I will need on those days where, maybe I don’t feel like getting up and exercising…or, maybe I don’t want to eat my vegetables. But, with all eyes on me…I know I will have to.

Hopefully you will come along with me and instead of gas money, all I need are encouraging words. If you would like to join me, please feel free to follow me on my journey. Come along with me and you will find laughter, tears, ups and downs. It will also be a place to share some yummy recipes and even stories of your own.

So here we go…hang on tight and don’t forget to buckle up! J