Category: Food and Recipes

I know that I sound like a diet zealot, pushing the Weight Watchers Simply Filling method, but I don’t like to see people struggle to stay with an eating plan because they are physically hungry. We all have our cravings, weaknesses and flat out red light foods that we want psychologically, but I’m talking about physical hunger. Actual hunger, should not be an issue, even during weight loss. Being at a normal, healthy weight, does not mean we have to starve or feel tortured, we just have to eat the right kinds of foods in reasonable quantities.  (By reasonable, I don’t mean tiny, which is why I eat this way.)

Whether you are following SmartPoints or have chosen to stick with PointsPlus, I believe you will find it much easier to incorporate Simply Filling. You will not be hungry and you’ll still have Points for chocolate, ice cream, or whatever other sweet you crave.  Since you can change method daily, you get a tremendous amount of flexibility.

Today, I am going to continue with Simply Filling meal ideas, recipes and products.  Weight Watchers provides a list of food types that are Simply Filling, but it is helpful to know specific brands that will help you to eat Simply Filling. Breads and pastas are some of the biggest things people seem to miss or hesitate to spend Points on. Here are some options that are Simply Filling and low Point.

Sara Lee, Trader Joe’s, Aldi and other store brand light wheat bread

Sara Lee, Great Value and other store brand light hot dog buns

Sara Lee, Great Value and other store brand light hamburger buns

Thomas’ Light English Muffins

Oroweat & Aldi 100% whole wheat sandwich thins

Mission Brand, white corn tortillas

Ole Mexican Foods Xtreme Wellness! High fiber low carb tortilla wraps

Ole Mexican Foods Xtreme Wellness! Tomato basil tortilla wraps

Ole Mexican Foods Xtreme Wellness! Spinach & herbs tortilla wraps

La Tortilla 100 Calorie 100% Whole wheat tortilla

La Tortilla Smart & Delicious 100 Calorie traditional tortilla and all other Smart & Delicious options

Flatout Light Flatbread Wraps, Low Fat, Original

Flatout Foldit 5 grain flax artisan flatbread

Flatout Light Flatbread Wraps, Italian Herb

Flatout Healthy Grain Flatbread Wraps, Multi-Grain with Flax

Flatout Fold it Artisan rosemary and olive oil flatbread

Flatout Foldit Everything artisan flatbreads

Flatout Foldit Hungry girl 100% whole wheat with flax flatbread

Flatout Light Flatbread Wraps, Garden Spinach

Flatout Fold it Flatbread, Traditional White

Flatout Healthy Grain Flatbread Wraps, Honey Wheat

Any type of whole wheat pasta

For those who are die hard about not eating processed foods, these don’t fit that bill, but if you are just trying to do better and make the scale go in the right direction, these are great options to keep you sane. Having these products available makes somewhat “normal” eating possible.

You can have a hamburger, hot dog, burritos, breakfast burritos, flatbread pizzas and English muffin breakfast sandwiches. You can even make your own breadcrumbs to make Simply Filling meatballs, meatloaf, crab cakes and tuna cakes. You can also make croutons for your salads, or just a crunchy, tasty snack.

 

SIMPLY FILLING CROUTONS AND BREADCRUMBS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cut light bread into crouton sized pieces. It takes three slices to make 1 cup of breadcrumbs. I usually put six on a cookie sheet.

Spray lightly with olive oil or cooking spray. I use the Misto so I can use my preferred extra virgin olive oil.

Sprinkle with garlic salt or whatever other flavor you would like. Popcorn seasonings are great for changing up the flavor.

Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the croutons are browned and crunchy. Crumble to make breadcrumbs.

 

MEATLOAF

1 pound lean ground Turkey, Beef or venison
1 Cup Simply Filling breadcrumbs
1 whole egg
1/3 Cup skim milk
2 tsp. Minced garlic
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Black pepper
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 8 oz can tomato sauce – divided in half
½ onion, diced
2 packets Stevia

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, EXCEPT ½ of the tomato sauce, 1 tsp Dijon mustard and stevia packets. Combine those in a separate bowl to pour over the top of your meatloaf.

Once meat mixture is thoroughly combined, form into a loaf and place in bread pan. Cover with tomato sauce and Dijon mixture. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until center is no longer pink.

Serve with freshly mashed potatoes, which are also Simply Filling. Just cook your potatoes and mash with fat free sour cream, skim milk, salt and pepper. Or, pull out the popcorn seasonings to add butter flavor, sour cream and onion flavor, cheddar or cheddar and bacon.  You can also use fat free cream cheese or plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.  Make it even lighter by substituting cauliflower for potatoes.

Add some steamed veggies and you’ll have a huge plate of Simply Filling comfort food!

 

SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

For meatballs, follow the meatloaf recipe above, but add 1 tsp, Italian seasoning. Top with the ½ cup tomato sauce, but leave out the Dijon and stevia. Form into balls instead of a loaf. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

 

SIMPLY FILLING SPAGHETTI SAUCE

1 28 oz. Can crushed tomatoes
1 10 oz. Can Rotel or other diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 tsp. Olive oil
½ medium onion, diced (I prefer sweet yellow onions.)
½ green bell pepper, diced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 packets Stevia

Heat oil over medium heat, in a large saucepan. Saute peppers, onions and garlic until onions are clear. Add all other ingredients to the pan and bring to a boil at medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

VARIATIONS:

To make meat sauce, prepare Simply Filling Turkey Sausage and add to sauce as it simmers.

If you really want to take this sauce to the next level, add 1, 8oz package of fat free cream cheese at about the 15 minute mark. (I prefer the Great Value brand at Walmart. It seems to melt and incorporate better than the other brands that I have tried.)

Or, add both the meat and cream cheese, and prepare to feel like you are doing something really bad! It’s so good. My 13 year old son gives it rave reviews.

Serve over your choice of whole wheat pasta, quinoa pasta or spaghetti squash. You can even load a toasted, light, hot dog bun with meatballs and cover with any version of the sauce for an incredible meatball sandwich!

What are some of your favorite foods that you would like to see “Simply Fillified”? Let me know and I’ll see what I can do to convert your recipe or come up with one!  Here’s to feeding the DIETside well!

As promised, I will continue with my Smart Points* Survival Guide. It can actually be a Points Plus* Survival Guide too. On either plan, you we be more satisfied and have more Points available to use on treats and splurges if you follow Simply Filling*. For Smart Points, this is even more important, so that you are eating enough high quality food to keep yourself out of starvation mode and fuel your body.

I think most of us realize that we can’t live on junk and be thin or healthy, but there is no reason to starve or feel deprived.  We can have good tasting, healthy food on our forks.  It just takes a little creativity and some minor tweaks.

In my last post, I made reference to Simply Filling* turkey sausage. The recipe is simple and can be used in many other recipes, like meat sauce for spaghetti, lasagna and breakfast casserole. I like making a double batch so that I have enough to make patties as well as crumbles. A single pound will make nine nice sized patties, perfect for English muffin sandwiches. The crumbles are also nice for omelets, breakfast burritos and flatbread pizzas. There are just a ton of uses. Again, this recipe is Simply Filling, so if you follow that Weight Watchers program option, it does not take away from your Weekly Points. If you are staying on Points Plus, the total recipe is 12 PP. For Smart Points, the total recipe is 6 SP. I was able to make nine patties, so on SP you can have three patties for 2 SP!

SIMPLY FILLING TURKEY SAUSAGE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 pound 99% fat free ground turkey breast (I purchase mine at Sprout’s)
1 ½ tsp. Sage
1 tsp. Salt (I prefer pink Himalayan)
1 tsp. Black pepper
½ tsp. Thyme
¼ – ½ tsp. Cayenne (use the ¼ tsp for less spicy)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/8 tsp. Cardamom
1/8 tsp. Allspice
1/8 tsp. Ground cloves

Place all of your ingredients in a bowl and mix well. You do not want random pockets of spices. Once mixed thoroughly, form into 3 inch patties. These are so lean that they will not shrink. Cook in a non-stick skillet on medium heat, about 3 minutes per side.  I do it more by sight than time.  I like them nice and browned. These freeze just fine, so you can make a large batch to have plenty on hand for easy breakfasts.

If you prefer crumbles, just add the mixture to a skillet over medium heat and brown the meat, breaking it up as it cooks.

This is such an easy recipe that lets you control what is going into your sausage. Play with the spices if it is too spicy or too mild for you. Add ¼ tsp oregano and basil to make it Italian sausage. Get creative!

Make your sausage crumbles and then use them to make a Simply Filling breakfast casserole.

 

SIMPLY FILLING BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

1 pound Simply Filling Turkey Sausage Crumbles
1 24 oz. Bag frozen hash browns (Make sure there is no added oil, just shredded potatoes and preservative)
8 whole eggs
¾ Cup Skim Milk
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
8 ounces of fat free cheese – your choice
Diced peppers, onions, mushrooms and fresh spinach are all optional
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Thaw hash browns and remove excess water using a colander or layering between paper towels.
Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pan with the hash browns.
Bake for 10 minutes and check to see if they are browned. Cooking time will vary based on water content remaining in the potatoes.
While the hash browns are browning, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt, pepper
Add any vegetables you choose to include to the egg mixture.
Once hash browns are browned, pour the egg mixture over the hash browns, then top with your fat free cheese of choice.

You may either bake immediately, refrigerate for use the following day, or freeze for later.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes

Smart Point total for the recipe is 44 SP , 1/8th of the casserole is 6 SP
Points Plus total for recipe is 54 PP, 1/8th of the casserole is 7 PP

That’s it for today’s post, but there’s plenty more to come!  You really can eat normal portions of quality, good tasting food, splurge a little and still lose weight.  Stay tuned as we tame our DIETside by continuing to awaken the fork!

If you didn’t see part one of the Surviving Smart Points series, you can find it here.

*WEIGHT WATCHERS is the registered trademark of Weight Watchers International, Inc. SmartPoints, PointsPlus and Simply Filling are trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc. Recipes have not been approved or reviewed by Weight Watchers.