If All the Snowflakes Were Lemon Drops and Gum Drops...

Ok, ok, I know those aren't the REAL lyrics... but if all the snowflakes were actually lemon drops and gum drops, the northeast would be really really fat right now.  Reports are that this January, New York City received more snow in one month than any other month ever... NOT COOL!  At least if you're stuck inside you should be stuck inside with some yummy food to enjoy!!  See how I stayed warm and dry:

I had 1/2 box of orzo left over from my cooking lesson last week, so I decided to make it.  I chopped up some leftover fresh parsley and added some lemon juice.

Mmmm mmm...

I mixed in some frozen (thawed in the microwave) Green Giant Baby Sweet Peas. (Does it annoy anyone else that a lot of products still have the old Points Values on them?)

And the final product was 1 cup of orzo (5 PointsPlus) and 1/2 cup of peas (1 PointsPlus) for a really satisfying and surprisingly flavorful pasta dinner.

The next night I decided to use up some couscous that's been sitting in the cabinet for who knows how long.  I drizzle with some lemon juice and topped with pineapple chunks, and this whole plate (1 cup of couscous) was 6 PointsPlus.

On the nights that I don't get home from work until late, I have to give in to my laziness and grab a frozen dinner.  I must admit though, these things aren't half bad.  This doesn't look like a whole lot, but it really did fill me up, and it was only 6 PointsPlus.  Healthy Choice has a great selection of low PointsPlus frozen dinners.  Even if one doesn't fill you, have a salad on the side or grab a piece of fruit.

Another quick and easy meal I love is oatmeal.  Quaker has a new line of what they call "Hearty Medleys."  The two flavors are Banana Walnut (which I am obsessed with) and Apple Cranberry Almond (which is just OK since I don't really like almonds).  The good news is that each of them is only 4 PointsPlus when made with water.  What I like to do with the banana walnut oatmeal is slice up a fresh banana and mix it in to make the serving last longer and fill my tummy better.

Another amazing discovery I made this week is that unsweetened applesauce is 0 PointsPlus!! Check the ingredients, and as long as it's just apples, water, and maybe some citric acid, you're good to go.  Think it's bland?  Add some ground cinnamon to spice it up and artificial sweetener to trick yourself into thinking it's dessert.  I also like to pop it in the microwave for a minute.

Ever since my cooking lesson last week, I've wanted to try to make crepes on my own.  I found a recipe for Chocolate Crepes with Raspberry Sauce on Taste of Home.  (Just found this site, and already I'm in love with it - they have a TON of healthy recipes.)  I used strawberries instead of raspberries, and 2 crepes are only 5 PointsPlus - and the filling is 90% fruit.  I used a little extra Fat Free Reddi Whip and some Hershey's Lite Chocolate Syrup on mine, so I counted mine as 6 PointsPlus - not to mention all the batter I "test-tasted."

Anyway, this is how I plated my mom's:

This is how my brother plated his:

And this is how I plated mine:

Which one looks the best?  You probably said "all of them," but really, which one looks the best?

So that's the story how I entertained myself while trapped inside during the nonstop snowstorms we've had.  It helps to have some Nestle Fat Free Hot Chocolate (0 PointsPlus!!) and lots of fresh fruit on hand.

So until next time... Happy Eating,

Steph =)