Week 4 Calendar Tasks

Sorry gals! It's been go-go-go at my house & I apologize for the delay. We're on our last week! My, how the time flies. Also, it's time to start thinking about HH Round 3. Let me know if you're game for another round. Things will basically stay the same; maybe a few minor food list changes and I'm going to have Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day all be FREE days! You'll still get your 5 Free Meals as well + your floating FREE day. We're starting on December 12th and ending on January 11th. Who's with me?!

And here's what you've all been waiting for . . . the 9 calendar tasks that will take us through the end of the competition.

* In honor of my teammate, cousin and friend, Krista, who is celebrating her 32nd Birthday on Monday, everyone can enjoy 3 FREE foods + 2 FREE "tastes"
* Wish Krista a Happy Birthday (via text, email, in person, card, etc.) on or before December 3rd
* Pamper those feet! Get a pedicure, paint your toes, soak your tootsies, get a foot rub, etc.
* Work on a Christmas Project (buy/make a gift, order your Christmas cards, make cookies, etc.)
* Complete a Christmas project (mail your Christmas cards, wrap a gift, deliver neighbor gifts, etc.)
* Surprise a family member by doing one of their chores (ie: your hubby takes out/brings back the trash cans to/from the curb, so you do it for him)
* Watch a Holiday movie with your family/hubby/kids/grandkids etc.
* Make your bed
* Spend 30 minutes relaxing! Nap, read, take a bath or sit quietly in a glassy-eyed stupor and think about nothing...  Your Choice!

Week 2 Results

Hope everyone's had a fabulous Thanksgiving! Here are the results for week 2

Once again, we've got a 3 way tie for first place:
kick-butt cousins, FTF & Sweet Potatoes all came in at 1380
Dark Chocolate Divas - 1378
the Fruitcakes - 1375
Christmas Crazies - 1332
A&E - 1195

Week 3 Calendar Tasks

Be sure to email or text me the total number of pounds you've lost in the last 2 weeks. Results will be posted Wednesday afternoon.

We're going to switch things up a little this week! Thanksgiving is a FREE day, so enjoy your holiday. However, as this is a day we tend to eat ourselves silly {and maybe sick} I'm offering this little incentive to help counteract the damage we might inflict upon our waistlines...

**BONUS POINTS**  If you exercise for 25 minutes or longer on Thanksgiving, give yourself 25 bonus points {this is an all or none bonus}. Getting your heart pumping and your muscles working will help your body use up those extra calories, as opposed to storing them for later food storage. :)  This can be time at the gym, a walk after you eat all that delicious pie, some time doing yoga - whatever you'd like. As this is a BONUS, there isn't a spot on the tracking sheet, so just tack it on there somewhere. You CAN count the minutes from this day towards your total for the week. Also, it's not mandatory. If you can't or choose not to work out on Thursday, don't stress about it.

Ever want to just taste something? It looks so yummy... but is it worth 2 points? Or a free meal? Or, like me, do you eat it all, even after you're full, because it's costing you those 2 points? Or it's part of your free meal, so you don't want to waste it? With that in mind, here's the calendar tasks for this week...

* Express Gratitude to 7 people who are important to you
* Write down or vocalize your gratitude for 10 blessings in your life
* Do an act of service for someone {maybe wash the dishes for a tired T-day hostess, serve at a soup kitchen, rake leaves for an overworked neighbor, etc.}
* 5 free tastes. You can sample 5 different items, 1-5 bites of a super delicious item, or anything in between. Keep your "taste" to a reasonable portion though.
* Make your Christmas List & give it to your hubby. Or your mom.
* Make a shopping or to-make list for the people on your "to get Christmas gifts for" list.
* Buy or make a gift for at least one person on your list.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Week 1 Results

Congrats on a great first week ladies! We actually ended up with a 3-way tie for 1st place. Looks to be another competitive round. :)

FTF {Jen & Leslie are fighting the fat} - 1380

kick-butt cousins {Krista & Erica} - 1380

Sweet Potatoes {Erin & Cassie} - 1380

DCD {Dark Chocolate Divas Denise & Amy} - 1371

Christmas Crazies (Emily & Kristen} - 1328

the Fruitcakes {Jenn & Suzanne} - 1328

A & E {Andrea & Emilia } - 1130 

Remember that next week you'll send me your points & your total pounds lost for the first 2 weeks. 

Week 2 Calendar Tasks

* Watch a movie
* Spend 30 minutes working on a hobby
* Organize something; a cupboard, shelf, drawer, closet, etc.
* Mop the floor in any room of your house
* Enjoy a free food {can be a dessert, beverage, side dish, etc - but just 1 item}
* Make a healthy recipe posted on the blog {that you haven't tried} & leave a comment
* Write & deliver/mail a letter {to a missionary, Santa, friend, child, etc}

Erica's Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal

Like Jenn, I realized I also don't have a great selection of healthy holiday recipes. I'm working on that. Until then, here's another baked oatmeal recipe from one of my favorite food blogs - budget bytes.

I love oatmeal. I love apples. I love apple pie. I love a healthy, filling breakfast... Ta da!

Total Recipe cost: $4.76 
Servings Per Recipe: 8 
Cost per serving: $0.60 
Prep time: 15 min. Cook time: 45 min. Total: 1 hr. 

APPLE BOTTOM INGREDIENTS		COST
2 medium	apples	$1.81
1 Tbsp	lemon juice	$0.06
2 Tbsp	brown sugar	$0.04
1 Tbsp	corn starch	$0.06
1/2 tsp	cinnamon	$0.03
1/8 tsp	ground cloves	$0.02
OATMEAL INGREDIENTS		COST
2 large	eggs	$0.50
1.5 cups	unsweetened applesauce	$0.93
1 tsp	vanilla extract	$0.28
1 tsp	salt	$0.05
1 tsp	baking powder	$0.04
1 tsp	cinnamon	$0.05
1/4 cup	brown sugar	$0.08
1.5 cups	milk	$0.38
2.5 cups	old-fashioned rolled oats	$0.43
TOTAL		$4.76

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut the apples into cubes. Place them in a bowl along with the lemon juice, corn starch, 2 Tbsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp ground cloves. Toss to coat. Place the seasoned apples in the bottom of an 8x8 inch casserole dish that has been coated with non-stick spray. 

STEP 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, apple sauce, vanilla, salt, baking powder, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and 1 tsp cinnamon. Add the milk and whisk again. Finally, stir in the dry oats. Pour this mixture over the chopped apples in the casserole dish.

STEP 3: Bake the oatmeal for 45 minutes at 375 degrees or until the top is light golden brown and no longer wet in the center. Cut into eight pieces and serve or refrigerate until ready to eat. 

Emily's Low-fat Quiche

Quiche is my go to healthy dinner recipe when I haven't thawed any meat, or put much thought into dinner.  Quiche for dinner, you say?  We love it with a salad and fruit.  Lots of veggies and protein:)

Basic Low Fat Quiche Mixture – this, along with your additives will fill a 9” pie pan or quiche dish.  Do not use the quiche pan with the removable bottom as there is no crust and the liquids will leak out.  You don’t want to have to clean up that mess!

1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
1 cup low fat yogurt
3 eggs
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, depending upon other ingredients
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper

(I add 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 cup wheat flour to this)

Additives

2 to 3 cups vegetables and/or meat such as cooked chicken, bacon, ham, etc.

(I usually do zuchinni, mushroom, onion, spinach- or whatever else I have around)
4 ounces cheese such as cheddar, swiss, pepperjack, provolone, feta, gouda, grated- if it is a salty cheese may use less salt

(usually do feta, and cheddar)
1 to 3 tablespoons of fresh herb or herb mixture such as parsley, basil, etc. (half this if using dry herbs), optional

(I usually add 1 tbsp parsley and some cilantro)

Bake at 350 for 40 - 50 minutes

Hope you enjoy