Skinny Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones

Okay, so I've been on the lookout for some low cal-ish (yes, I made that word up) new recipes.  Because I've been working several days a week lately, I've been searching for recipes for breakfast that I can make ahead of time and have ready to go.  I DO NOT cook on mornings that I go to work.  As I have said before, 5:30 and I are not friends.  I'm not getting up earlier than 5:30 just so I can cook.  NOPE!  Not gonna happen. 

So, I don't know about you, but I had never actually eaten a scone and I had certainly never baked a scone.  I wasn't even sure if I knew what a scone was.  But, oh my gracious, they are fabulous!  So, you ready for the recipe?  Thanks so much to Gina at SkinnyTaste for making my diet not feel quite so much like a diet. 

Skinny Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Scones

Sevings: 12 • Serving Size: 1 scone • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts

Calories: 199.6 • Fat: 8.1 g • Protein: 3.7 g • Carb: 29.8 g • Fiber: 2.3 g • Sugar: 12.8 g
Sodium: 257.4 mg

Ingredients:

3/4 cup cold buttermilk

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 cup all purpose flour

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp chilled butter (must be cold) cut into small pieces

3/4 cup chocolate chips

cooking spray

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

1 1/2 tbsp sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°.  Combine the first four ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut in chilled butter with a pastry blender, or you could use 2 knives, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gently fold in chocolate chips.

 Add milk mixture, stirring just until moist.

Place dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly four times with floured hands. Form dough into an 9-inch circle onto baking sheet, about 3/4" thick. Using a knife, cut into dough into 12 wedges, cutting all the way through.  Brush egg white over dough and sprinkle evenly with sugar. Bake until golden, about 18-20 minutes, depending on your oven. Serve warm with a big ole glass of milk, skim of course.  MMMMM!

Shrimp Quesadillas With Tomato Avocado Salsa

As I may have mentioned before, I need to lose a few pounds.  Yep.  I'm a Haus (again, Bonanza reference for you young 'uns).  Anyway, I was recently searching for some low-cal recipes that didn't sound like, well, baked cardboard.  When I came across this recipe at Skinny Taste, I knew it was right up my alley. 

Shrimp Quesadillas with Tomato Avocado Salsa

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings:

4

• Serving Size:

1 quesadilla •

Old WW Points:

7 pts •

WW Points:

8 pts

Calories: 307.3 • Fat: 16.0 g • Protein: 29.6 g • Carb: 27.3 g • Fiber: 17.8 g


Tomato Avocado Salsa:

• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 hass avocado, diced
• 1 lime, juice of
  1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 tbsp red onion, finely minced
• 16 large shrimp, cleaned and deviened
• cumin
• garlic powder
• salt and fresh pepper
• cooking spray
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 6 oz Cabot's 75% Light Vermont Cheddar, shredded
• 8 (6") low carb whole wheat flour tortillas (I used La Tortilla Factory) 

In a medium bowl, combine tomatores, avocado, red onion, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper. 

Season

shrimp with salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic powder. Lightly spray hot skillet on medium heat with cooking spray.  Add shrimp and scallions.  Cook 2-3 minutes on each side until shrimp is cooked through.   Removed from heat and cut shrimp in half lengthwise and set aside.

skillet on medium heat and lightly spray with oil.  Heat skillet on medium heat and lightly spray with oil  Add tortilla, stop with 1.5 oz. cheese, 8 shrimp halves and tomato avocado salsa. 

When the cheese is melted and the bottom of the tortilla is golden brown, place the other tortilla on top.    Put a plate on top of the quesadilla to flip in over onto the plate.  Then slide the other side onto the skillet.  Cook another minute and remove with a spatula.  Cute into wedges and serve immediately.

Okay, so this is usually the part of my post where I apologize profusely for how horrible my photos turned out.  BUT, the above photo turned out pretty well if I do say so myself and I didn't steal it or anything.  Okay, so I won't be a food photographer anytime soon, but it's better than usual, right? 

So, I highly recomment this recipe y'all.  It was crazy good!!!  Check out Skinny Taste for more of Gina's recipes.  She always included calories, Weight Watchers Points, etc.  Gina rocks!

My New Favorite "Diet" Fast Food

I don't know about y'all, but Tuesday is the craziest day of the week at my house.  It seems like all the dentist/doctor's appointments, etc. get scheduled on Tuesdays.  Tuesday is also full of after school activities, such as dance and cub scouts.  So, if there is ever going to be a drive-thru meal at our house, it's gonna  be on a Tuesday.  Today was one such day.

 I've been running errands all morning and only had a few minutes to squeeze in lunch in the car before I ran home to stash groceries and leave to pick up the kids from school.  I remembered the yummy soup Hubby brought home from Taco Bueno last time he drove thru and got me tacos (I have a SLIGHT taco addiction).  It was Chicken Tortilla Soup and it was delicious.  In fact, it was so good that he finally just took a last bite and gave me the rest of it because I was hovering over him watching him eat it.  So rude, right?  I hate it when my kids do that.  Oh well.  I couldn't help myself.  It was delicious! 

Okay, so this photo is from Google Images and it's not the Taco Bueno kind, but I scarfed mine down before I bothered to take a picture for you and I couldn't find one online.  Oh well! 

So, I ran in, ate my soup and pulled up my LiveStrong webpage to enter what I've eaten today.  I was almost afraid to type in Taco Bueno Chicken Tortilla Soup.  I typed it in and waited while the website looked for the calorie count.  I was so afraid 500 calories was going to pop up.  Instead, a tiny little "61" popped up.  SIXTY.  ONE.  61!!  Oh my gracious!  Taco Bueno has saved me from myself.  "That cannot be right, " I thought.  "It's too good to be 61 calories."  So, I went to the Taco Bueno website to look up the nutrition facts and it was correct.  A cup of "Skinny Style" Chicken Tortilla Soup is a mere 61 calories.  Skinny Style means with no cheese or tortilla strips.  Want it with cheese and tortilla strips?  It's still only 117 calories.  Want a whole bowl?  Skinny style is only 148 calories.  With cheese and tortilla strips it's still only 237 calories.  Oh my gracious people!  This is the best diet food news I've had since I discovered my VitaMuffins.  MMMM Good! 

So, do you have any weight loss secrets, tips or fabulous foods you've found that aren't loaded with calories?  I'd love to hear about it.  I need all the help I can get!  I turn 40 in 11 days and by golly I need to lose at least 4 more pounds before then. 

Helpful Tools for my New Year's Non-Resolution

Happy Friday Friends!  I mentioned in this post that I was trying to be a healthier version of myself this year.  Part of this commitment is trying to exercise more and eat healthier.  I am tracking my calories on a daily basis so that I can get a grip on my portions and be more aware of how many calories are in the food I eat.  I do not believe in deprivation.  By golly, if I want a cookie, I'm eating a cookie. 

The problem with me is, I have zero self-control.  I would eat the whole plate without giving the calories a second thought.  Did you know one Nestle Tollhouse Cookie has approximately 100 calories.  Oh my gracious!  I had no idea!  EEK!  No wonder I have so much junk in my trunk.  Anyway, I found a great way to track my calories.  I found a website that I has been very helpful to me and the best thing is, it's FREE!  The website is called Livestrong and is sponsered by The Lance Armstrong Foundation. 

This site makes tracking your food so easy.  You can either pick from the list of food they have, including restaurant menu items, or input your own calorie count.  This is the largest list of food I've ever seen on a site like this.  Everything I have eaten, has been on the list.  This site also breaks down the ration of fat, protein and carbs that you consume in the foods you eat.  Experts say the ratio should be around 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% healthy fat. 

You can also log in your exercise, find out how many calories you should be consuming to lose or gain weight in a healthy manner.  There are forums on everything under the sun, including everything from high blood pressure to quitting smoking. 

I have used several other websites in years past, but this one is by far the best.  Check it out.

On another note, the weather gurus are calling for us to get snow starting Sunday.  SNOW!!!  I am trying not to get my hopes up, but I can't seem to help myself.  I soooo love the snow and we rarely get any.  So, hopefully Monday I can post a few pictures of snow!  Fingers crossed! 

I'm linking this post to Homebody Holly's Tips and Tricks Party.  Check it out!

Hope y'all have a great weekend!

**Photos are from Google Images.

Weekend Pounds and a Little Inspiration

Last week my SIL and BIL came up from Houston for a visit.  The stayed a few days ago and then we all met this weekend in Big D (Dallas) at my FIL's house.  We had a wonderful weekend full of family and fun and unfortunately, food.  I gained three pounds this week!  UGH!  I didn't make it to the gym this morning either.  The kids were so tired that I could barely get them out of bed.  I see an early bedtime in our future tonight. 

Anyway, I generally have to have an event coming up to really get into the weight loss mood.  I have no such event coming up.  The only event I am counting down to is the beginning of school in August.  So, because I have no event, I thought I would inspire myself with a few pictures. 

This is my fitness dream:

Stacy Ferguson aka Fergie

Okay, let's just be very honest and get real here for a moment.  I am not now, nor have I ever been one of those little skinny girls.  Even when I starved myself down to a size 8 (which lasted about 10 minutes), I wasn't skinny.  Frankly, I looked a little funny.  As I have said before, I have a little junk in the trunk.  Never once in my life was called "chicken legs" or anything like that.  I'm larger on the bottom than the top.  If I lose too much weight, I look unbalanced.  Fergie is not a skinny girl either, but she has great legs!  I would love to have legs like her.  She's my fitness inspiration.

Photo courtesy of InStyle magazine

I am so in love with the boyfriend jeans.  Doesn't Reese Witherspoon look adorable in her boyfriend jeans?  She is so stinkin' cute!  I want to be able to buy cute boyfriend jeans in a size smaller than 84.  I'm thinking if I had to buy boyfriend jeans in my size, they wouldn't look so cute. 

Dress from Target.

My sweet Hubby bought me this dress from Target.  I absolutely love it, but it would look a little better on me if I was a little thinner.  Just sayin.

Also, bulky warm, cozy sweater season is just around the corner.  Those add on another 10 pounds.  Better lose weight before sweater season. 

Anybody have any secret tips for something you've tried?  Guess I'm off to eat a Lean Cuisine.