MORE VEGGIES PLEASE...

Southwestern Black Bean Salad

This colorful, high fiber, high protein salad makes a great side dish, appetizer served with chips, or lunch served with fresh tortillas. This salad is low in saturated fat and loaded with antioxidants. A perfect summer side dish for grilled meat, fish or chicken.



Southwestern Black Bean Salad
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 12 • Size: 1/2 cup • Calories: 106 • Old Points: 2.5 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 105.9 • Fat: 6.0 g • Protein: 3.2 g • Carb: 13.0 g • Fiber: 3.6 g  Sugar: 1.2 g
Sodium: 137.8 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 9 oz frozen corn, thawed
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 small hass avocado, diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 scallion, chopped
• 1 lime, juice of
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp cilantro
• salt and fresh pepper

Directions:

Combine beans, corn, tomato, onion, scallion, cilantro, salt and pepper. Mix with lime juice and olive oil. Marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes. Add avocado before serving.

Black Bean, Avocado, Cucumber and Tomato Salad

A touch of lime and a little cilantro makes this a perfect companion for grilled chicken or steak. Serve this as a side dish or also delicious served as a dip with nachos. My girlfriend made this recently at a party and I couldn't stop eating it. I knew I had to make it here. The cucumbers give this a wonderful fresh summer flavor. If you like this, you may also like my Southwestern Salad made with corn. 


Black Bean, Avocado, Cucumber and Tomato Salad
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes 
Servings: 10 • Serving Size: 1/2 cup • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 126.9 • Fat: 5.7 g • Protein: 5.0 g • Carb: 16.0 g • Fiber: 6.7 g   

Ingredients: 

• 1 seedless cucumber, peeled and diced
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes, diced
• 2 hass avocados, diced
• 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp red onion, minced
• 2 tbsp cilantro, minced
• 2 limes, juice of
• salt and fresh pepper

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Makes 5 cups.

I think these all count on The Daniel's Fast? I hope so.... 

Thrifty Decor Chick: Organize It Party!

Thrifty Decor Chick: Organize It Party!

For my B.U.T.T. Girls... LOL

I have been working on my weight loss for a while, well almost 8 mths, and I am really really getting burned out. I saw this tip from Dr. Oz today and I thought I would share.  Good Luck on your continued weight loss.. Valerie

Loss of Motivation Tips, Diet Pitfalls, Eating in Restaurants, and Eating Right On A Busy Schedule

As seen on the July 11, 2011 Dr. Oz Show

On todays 7/11/2011 Dr. Oz show he gives you tips about how to eat in restaurants, diet pitfalls, and loss of motivation tips.  Dr. Oz conducted a poll on his website asking you what your biggest pitfalls are.  Below are the 3 biggest diet pitfalls from the poll, and tips to overcome them.

Diet Pitfall #3 – Overeating When You Eat At Restaurants

Dr. Oz asked a guest to come up on stage. He then asked her how often she eats out at restaurants. She said that she usually eats out 3-5 times per week.  She said that while her intentions were good, she usually makes wrong decisions. She says that using unhealthy sauces is one of her biggest pitfalls.
Dr. Oz’s tip to overcome the pitfalls of overeating at restaurants

• Tip 1 – Check online and see if the restaurant you are going to has a menu.  There have been actual studies done that show that people eat less calories when they pick out their food in advance. It may be because that aren’t nearly as hungry when they pick out their meal in advance.
• Tip 2 – Make the appetizer your main course, along with two sides of vegetables.  Dr. Oz says that if you do this you will reduce the amount of food that you eat by 1/3. Not only will you eat less your average caloric intake will be 371 calories as opposed to 947 calories.
• Tip 3 – Dr. zOz said that you shouldn’t take home leftovers. He says that you will probably be tempted to eat the other half once you get home.

Diet Pitfall #2 – Dr. Oz Tips To Overcome “A Busy Schedule” That Ruins Your Diet
Tip #1 – Marinate your fish and meats in the morning. Dr. Oz says that if you have your meals set up in the morning you will be pleasantly aware that you are only 10 minutes away from eating your meal. You will be less likely to make bad choices when you get home from work and are hungry.
Tip #2 – Make yourself and “Exercise Box”. Dr. Oz says to write down different exercises that you like to do and put them in the “Exercise Box”.  Each morning pick out an exercise from the box and do it first thing in the morning. Dr. Oz says that working out in the morning will boost your metabolism and you will have already gotten some of your exercise regime out of the way already.

#1 Diet Pitfall – Loss of Motivation

Dr. Oz gives some tips on what to do if you encounter Loss of Motivation
Tip #1 – After you have your weight loss goals you should set up a party or some kind of celebration after you meet your goals. Dr. Oz says that when people make an actual commitment are 20% more successful than those whose goals are made on a day to day basis.
Tip #2 – Buy a dress (or a suit) in the size you want to be. Plan to wear that dress on your party that you have planned!  (I REALLY LIKE THIS ONE)

Sgt. Yarbrough: 1,000 Card Challenge!

Sgt. Yarbrough: 1,000 Card Challenge!: "The battle for Josh is just as much mental as it is physical and the more support he feels and SEES the better his drive and determination w..."

What a wonderful Day...

 Roo swimming in the pool with mommy---------------->




 <----------------------Daddy and Roo

LUNCH R.I.P. Little friends, you were quite tasty.....

We all had a blast at our Madden Crawfish Boil today, Steven cooked up lotts of those little mudd bugs..



The kids were having fun playing with the little guys before they went into the pot. Maddy told her mommy that crawfish made good pets and that when you took them to the vet it was cheep and that the food they ate was only .70 cents.  There was soooooooo much food Aunt Shelly made like 4 diffrent kinds of salads to go with the crawfish. The kids got into the swimming pool (still a little cold) and I let Riley get in, well we were holding him, he just loved it so much, well until he got to heavy to hold and he had to come out. He was VERY VERY MAD!!! I would love to show pictures but I have no clue how to get them off of the memory card,but I will let Jay do that.. What a day, I LOVE LOVE my family and I am so blessed to have them... Night Love, Valerie............

FIRST BLOG EVER

Hello, This is a test page for my new blog. A word of warning this blog will be mainly about my life with my Riley. So if you don't wish to read about " The Life of Riley" then this blog might be something you might want to pass up. If not then welcome aboard my crazy life that has just started with the birth of my sweet son "Riley Scott" Have a wonderful day Best Wishes, Valerie