Roasted Green Beans with Mushrooms & Red Onion

Late last week I made a huge veggie haul at the grocery store. Vegetables are very low in calories, but also very filling, so it makes sense that they would make up a huge part of my diet. And, contrary to popular belief, they don't have to be boring!

Tonight I paired fresh green beans with mushrooms and red onion. I roasted them in the oven with a dressing of balsamic vinegar, and, let me tell you, the flavor combination did not disappoint! This recipe was extremely simple, and could easily serve 4 if you're serving it as a smaller side dish. But if you're like me and tend to go heavy on the veggies to save some calories, you will probably only get 2 servings out of this recipe. I ate half the pan tonight and plan on finishing it up tomorrow!
 
 

I'm in a New Relationship...

...with FOOD! Two pregnancies over the course of three years has definitely taken it's toll on my body. It was time to make a change. And not just for the purpose of losing weight, but even more importantly for my health's sake. I know most Mom's would agree having small children can be physically draining. And it's hard to maintain lasting stamina when you're grabbing a bag of chips here and a coke there. I had gotten into the terrible habit of snacking throughout the day instead of eating healthy meals. And my body was paying the consequences. No matter how much coffee I pumped into my body, I still felt tired and weak all the time. 

Now don't get me wrong, the fact that I have some cute pants in my closet that I can't button is also part of the motivation to make a change. It's no secret that I have more than a couple of pounds to shed to get back into those.

Can I just mention here that I hate the word diet? It's like anytime someone mentions the "D" word I wanna run to the nearest bag of chips and devour the whole thing. Maybe it's my personality or maybe it's just human nature, but if you tell me I can't, that's what I want. Lord, have mercy!

So a few of my friends have been on the Weight Watchers diet, and I've seen some great results. And what I kept hearing was, "You can eat whatever you want, you just have to watch your portions." Ok. Nothing is off-limits. Sounds doable, right? So last Thursday Kevin agreed to keep the boys so that I could try out a local Weight Watchers meeting. And can I tell ya'? I absolutely loved it. The speaker was so motivational and encouraging. I left the meeting all pumped up and ready to start. Do I realize this excitement may not last forever? Yes, I do. But week 1 has been great! Haha! 

I'm blogging about this in part to possibly inspire others, but for the most part to keep myself accountable. It's my goal to write about my progress in the weeks to come, but no promises about how often those posts will be. Did I mention I have 2 small children?

Anyway, so far so good. This week has mostly been a learning week. I spent way too much time at the grocery store yesterday with my calculator figuring out points, but it was (and will be) well-worth it. (Thanks, Mom, for watching the babes!) 

And just to show you that eating healthy doesn't have to be boring, here are some of our dinners this past week:

1. Delish Turkey Burgers

2. Yummy Asian style meal:

 

One thing that I'm really lovin' about Weight Watchers is that I can do everything from my phone (track points, calculate points, find recipes, etc.). It makes it so easy for me. Instead of having to write everything down or keep track of numerous calculators and guides and books, I just have to pull out my phone and everything is there. I would definitely say that it's "Mom-friendly."

 

So, anyway, food and I are in a new relationship, and I'm already reaping the benefits! Hoping the relationship lasts!