Comfort Food

Thought for the day:

"Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice."


-Wayne Dyer



Today was tough, I was HUNGRY all day! It was really a challenge to stay on program, I was also feeling nostalgic; for comfort food.


I don't know why, maybe it's the cooler weather, or the falling leaves, whatever; I just want the kind of yummy stuff I ate as a kid. I want a hot dog, a bowl of alphabet soup, celery sticks, apple slices and a cupcake.


Hey! That was one of my favorite Grade School lunches. The hot dog was wrapped in a slice of white bread that had been spread with mustard, then it was baked until the bread was crisp and toasty. The celery sticks  were spread with either peanut butter or "Cheese Whiz" and we all ways got a couple of oatmeal cookies or a cupcake for dessert.


Thanks to Hebrew National 97% fat free all beef hot dogs, Healthy Life bread, Campbell's, and Laughing Cow products this meal is do-able for about 7 points, even with the cupcake.


Here is how it happens and the Grand kids like it too.


Campbell's Vegetarian Vegetable soup prepared has only 90 calories per cup and with only 0.5 gm of fat and 2 gm of fiber it amounts to 1 Weight Watchers point.


Hebrew National 97% fat free all beef hot dogs have 40 calories and one gm of fat per hot dog and are 1 Weight Watchers point. Microwave for 1 minute.

Healthy Life White bread has 40 calories, 1 fat gm and 5 gm of fiber and is not quite a point.
Spread yellow mustard on one side of the bread and wrap it around the hot dog securing with a toothpick. Spray with butter flavored cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees in a toaster oven for about 5-7 minutes or until toasted.
 
 
Laughing Cow Lite cheese wedges are 35 calories and 1 gm of fat for 1 Weight Watchers point.
Just spread a wedge of the cheese on one rib of celery and cut into 2 inch long pieces.
 
 
Slice up an apple. 1 Weight Watchers point.
 
 
 
Surprise Cupcakes
 
1 box of Jiffy Yellow cake mix
 
1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce
 
1/2 tsp. baking powder
 
1 egg white
 
1/2 cup of water
 
1/4 cup of sugar free jelly or jam any flavor
 
1cup of Cool Whip Free
 
1 container sugar free Jello Vanilla pudding
 
Pre-heat over to 350 degrees. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper cupcake liners.
 
In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix and baking powder. Add the applesauce, egg-white and water, then stir until blended. Evenly distribute the cake mixture among the cups. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool.
 
Place the jelly/jam in the bottom corner of a plastic bag. Snip the corner off with scissors. You will use this to pipe the jelly/jam into the cupcakes. (A pastry bag fitted with a 1/4" tip could also be used)
 
Use a knife to poke a small hole in the center of each cupcake. Use the plastic bag to squeeze the jelly/jam evenly into the holes you made in the cupcakes.
 
Fold the pudding into the Cool Whip and use this to frost the cupcakes.
 
Makes 12 cupcakes
Each cupcake counts as 2 Weight Watchers points
 
 
These are so yummy! For variety you could also use sugar free/fat free pudding as filling.