Brownie in a cup....

A single serving size is perfect...


That way I'm not tempted by a whole pan of brownies calling my name (yes, they really do know my name!) The only ingredients are No Pudge Brownie mix and fat-free yogurt (fat-free Cool Whip optional). I always use the 1-point containers of Weight Watchers yogurt - they taste fantastic and they have a great variety of flavors!


Put 2 tablespoons of No Pudge and 1 tablespon of yogurt into a small serving dish or cup. (The box calls for fat-free vanilla, but I have to tell you that I use whatever flavor I have in the fridge [in this case Boston Cream Pie] and they turn out great no matter what flavor I use!)


Blend the brownie mix and yogurt....

... and microwave for 1 minute...

Top with fat free whipped topping and you have a great 2 point* brownie dessert!!!

* The No Pudge brownie mix is 2 points. The yogurt is 1 point for the whole container, and since this recipe only calls for 1 tablespoon, I don't add any points for it. But if you round up your points, consider it a 3 point dessert!!

The No Pudge website has lots of recipes, so definitely check them out!

And be sure to stop by My Little Cottage in the Making on Wednesday for Joanne's "Better Me" post! I think Joanne's first "Better Me" post was the gentle nudge (kick in the pants) that I needed to get back on track! I was even able to list another weight loss in my weekly sidebar tracker today. So thanks, Joanne!

Donna

Guilt free cake! Use diet soda in place of oil and eggs....

Doesn't this look good??? And it's only 3 Weight Watchers points!


I joined Weight Watchers several weeks ago. What I love about WW is that nothing is restricted as long as you count it (and you still need to follow healthy eating guidelines!)


(Ingredients... I used a Reduced Sugar mix this time, but any boxed cake mix will do)
About seven years ago I had great success with Weight Watchers. And then I got lazy - lazy about going to meetings, lazy about tracking points, lazy about exercising... just plain lazy! Needless to say, when you stop being accountable for what goes into your mouth and you stop moving, the weight comes right back on, and I was no exception...


Pour 1 can diet soda of your choice into cake mix (no eggs or oil - JUST the diet soda!). I use dark soda for chocolate cake mixes, light soda for yellow/white cake mixes.
So when Joanne at My Little Cottage in the Making blogged about starting an on-line support group called "A Better Me," I was thrilled! I really look forward to her Wednesday "Better Me" posts... (Of course I look forward to all of Joanne's blogposts!!


(Mix according to directions on box)
I'd encourage any of you who are interested in the topic of diet and/or exercise to visit Joanne's blog and tell her you'd like to join in. It's a very relaxed atmosphere. You can e-mail Joanne your weight loss (or gain) for each week (but that's optional, not mandatory), and sometimes she posts the group loss for that week.


Pour into a pan that has been sprayed with Pam (or something similar)
I hope this is the last time I have to fight the battle of the bulge. I was pretty disgusted with myself when I gained back all the weight that I'd originally lost on Weight Watchers, but I reminded myself that I didn't quit smoking the first time(s) I tried either (although in July of 1994 I finally did quit for good!)

(Bake according to instructions on box . From personal experience, I've found I usually have to put the cake in for an additional 5 minutes, as my toothpicks don't come out clean when I first test the cake)... Let cool before cutting.
To keep myself on track, I have become very aware of what I put into my mouth.. not just the types of food, but also the portion sizes. I've also started listing my weekly weight change (hopefully mostly losses) in my sidebar as a bit of an incentive to keep myself going. Since I see it every time I open my blog, it's a good reminder.

Cut cake into 12 serving sized pieces (3 points per piece). Add a dollop of Cool Whip Free (0 points, although I must admit that looks like an awfully LARGE dollop in the photo!!)...

Enjoy!!!

And good luck to everyone on their own quest to become "A Better Me"...

Comment Response: MC, you bring up a very valid point. MC pointed out that it is unhealthy to be putting all these artificial ingredients into one's body, and she is right. My intent in sharing this recipe definitely was not to encourage anyone to start drinking/using diet soda (I am assuming that is the artificial ingredient that she is referring to)... Unfortunately, I do drink diet soda, and although it's something I'd like to cut back on, the fact is I still do drink them. Therefore, putting it into the cake mix (for me) is no different than opening up a can of soda to drink. This was a recipe I had from years ago when I originally joined Weight Watchers (this is not an official Weight Watchers recipe - it's just a recipe that someone in the group shared) and I'm afraid I didn't give much thought to how "healthy" it was before I posted it (which I will do in the future!). And MC, please don't feel you had to post anonymously. I have no problem with the concern you raised. It's a valid point.

Donna

A guilt-free dessert and two lovely awards...

A few weeks ago I joined Joanne's "A Better Me" program (see the link on my sidebar). If you'd like to join, please do - the more the merrier!! In a nutshell, Joanne is an incredible cheerleader for all of us who are on a journey to become a healthier version of ourselves. Now for me, that means losing weight and exercising regularly (rather than sporadically). Joanne is so warm and supportive! But even if you don't join "A Better Me," by all means visit Joanne's wonderful blog, My Little Cottage in the Making! She blogs about her beautiful home, her family, her crafts, and she shares information about shops, eateries, and all sorts of interesting places in southern California, where she lives.

I've actually had great success with Weight Watchers in the past, so I've started back on that program. (Several years ago I stopped tracking, stopped going to meetings, and pretty much stopped being accountable for what went into my mouth. Needless to say, I gained back the weight I had lost. But I now have a new mindset, I'm back on track, and it's already starting to pay off!)


I definitely have a sweet tooth, so I thought I'd share this simple 3-point dessert with you... (It looks extra special in this beautiful "D" mug, a Christmas present from my good friend, Jill... Thank you, Jill!!!).


I really love Weight Watchers yogurt. They have such a wide variety of flavors (I used White Chocolate Raspberry, but you can use any flavor you like!) In a mug or bowl, mix together one WW yogurt (1 point) and one cup of seedless grapes (1 point).


Add a dollop of Cool Whip Free (0 points) and sprinkle .2 oz of crushed walnuts (1 point) over the Cool Whip. This is really filling and really good!!!

Awards

I also received awards from two lovely blogging friends....



I received this beautiful Butterfly Award from Claudia at Mockingbird Hill Cottage (don't you love her blog name?) Claudia's blog is so much fun to visit... She and I are both animal lovers (we even have the exact same robin's egg blue/cottage flowered dog bed for our pets!)... She normally blogs about her home, her wonderful husband, and her fur babies in New York, but right now you can read about her west coast adventures (you won't believe how she turned a temporary furnished apartment into a cozy cottage retreat!) Thank you so much for this award, Claudia!

I also received this beautiful Special Friends award from Michelle at I'm A Little Teapot (another blog name that I love - that phrase brings back childhood memories for me!) Michelle is also a pet lover and she shares her love of family (and Rob's good taste in gifts!), and some incredible cross-stitch creations on her blog (she even cross-stitched ornaments for everyone this past Christmas - how special is that!)... She also shares amazing photos from various outings and trips (I want to move into one of the German villages she recently posted pictures of).

This award is given to... "Blogs that are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbon's of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these kind writers. When you pass the award along please include these guidelines."

As I have done with awards in the past, I would like to pass these two on to all the incredible blogger friends listed in my sidebar, whose blogs I love to visit and who share so much with all of us. Thank you all! And thank you, again, Claudia and Michelle!!!

Donna