Wow, a weekend!
It just so happened that this weekend I had two dinners to attend. I usually try to make sure that big dinners like this are more spread out, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out that way. Good for the foodie in me; bad for the weight loss planner in me.
Saturday night we had our annual progressive dinner. My cousin, parents, and I have been doing this for the last 7 years or so. We begin at one house for appetizers, move to another house for the dinner, and then finish at the last house for the dessert. Because I’m the youngest and the least experienced cook, they always let me do the appetizers, and then my mom and my cousin trade off between the dinner and the dessert. Both my cousin and my mom are incredible cooks, and they take great pride in composing amazing meals. It’s almost like they try to out do the other, and my dad and I get to reap the benefits. It’s nice that we all live within 5-10 minutes of each other.
This year I didn’t host the apps at my house because of the neighbors (not quite fit for a fancy party), so my cousin agreed to let me bring the appetizers to his house, and since he and I live literally 3 minutes (by car) apart, it worked out perfectly. The meal was really phenomenal, and I just have to share it with you:
Appetizers (me): WW mini cheese balls. Even though these are a WW magazine recipe, they taste really decadent. They’re a real crowd pleaser, and I’d recommend them for any upcoming holiday parties you may have. My mom asked me to make them again for Christmas Eve, and I think next time I’m going to use the same recipe but make one cheese log, and use a combo of nuts and parsley on the outside.
Dinner (cousin): my cousin is a true gourmet cook. He came up with this meal after having one similar to it on a recent cruise that he went on. He has hopes of retiring from his corporate job as a finance guy and opening his own catering business. I think he’d make a fortune!
1st course: soup – a chicken-based broth with ginger, garlic, bamboo shoots, chantarelle mushrooms, and savoy cabbage – amazing
2nd course: salad with mixed greens, shaved fennel, oranges, and hazelnuts with a light vinaigrette
main course: grouper (first time I’d ever had this) with a salsa of mangoes and pineapple, saffron-infused jasmine rice, and swiss chard
Dessert (Mom): Paula Deen’s pumpkin gingerbread trifle – decadent, delicious, and very fattening.
The dinner “cost” me 28.5 points, and it was one to remember. I was so full afterward that I really didn’t feel good, but it was a delightful evening.
Sunday brought another dinner – this one to celebrate my niece T’s birthday. My mom asked T what she wanted for dinner and T immediately replied, “ravioli!!!” Even though this was “just a family dinner,” my mom went all out (as she always does) with setting the table. I really wish I would’ve taken a photo of the table, because it was absolutely gorgeous! We started with ham and cheese pinwheels that my sister made and for dinner we had ravioli, bread, Italian sausage, and salad with fennel and blue cheese. I was so stuffed and uncomfortable after this 23-point dinner than I ended up leaving before we had dessert.
The main thing I realized this weekend was that I can’t eat like I used to. It was unpleasant to be as full as I felt at both dinners, especially the one on Sunday night. And I didn’t even eat the same portions as I usually would have! I think it’s just a matter of my stomach being much smaller than it used to be. Plus the fact that I try to eat lighter at dinner and have more of my points throughout the day.
It’s weird that I felt so full both nights. I’ve had many special meals in the last year, yet I really cannot remember feeling so full. Not sure exactly what it means, but I know I don’t want to feel that way again. I guess I can look at it as an NSV of sorts; I really can’t eat like I used to, and that’s a good thing!
These two dinners were a good prelude to the holiday season that is quickly approaching! I did a good job of saving my points on both days, and while I did use many of my WPAs, I didn’t go over my weekly allotment of 35. My main goal for the holiday meals is to stop eating before I get to the point of feeling so overstuffed that I feel sick.
This Wednesday’s weigh in should be interesting. I’ve all of my points, sent Scale Warfare my food journal each evening, “closed the kitchen” and avoided nighttime noshing — all good things. What I wasn’t able to do because of my cold is workout. I did do the Wii Fit Plus on Sunday for 1 hour (the longest I’ve ever “played” it – I earned 4 Activity Points!) and 30 minutes again on Monday night. I’m planning on doing it again for at least 30 minutes on Tuesday, as well. I don’t feel up to doing more than a low-intensity workout, and I’m just hoping it’s enough to keep the scale from shocking me again this week. Wish me luck!
What are your biggest challenges when you have special/holiday dinners?
Your contribution was WW friendly, sometimes that’s all you can do
No matter what the scale says tomorrow, the double whammy of events is over.