Chicken Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Sausage Breakfast Braid for 6 Points

Oh my gosh! This is a huge Family Favorite and it's only 3 Weight Watchers points per slice!  I've even made this just before going to bed and it heats up in the microwave just Fine the following morning because who likes to use an oven in the morning? Not me.

I'll take more photos of this one in the process of prepping in case anyone needs it the next time I make it.

I use a roll of sausage and double up the fixings for the sausage mixture portion so that I can then divide it up for different braids on different days. I just withhold the addition of the egg until after I divide the sausage mixture, rather than cooking up 4-oz portions of sausage. I have yet to find a version of the sausage with jalapeno peppers premixed into it so I just add my own jalapeno peppers to the pan as it is cooking.

Ingredients:

1 13.8-oz. can refrigerated pizza crust dough
Cooking Spray
1 Tbs olive oil
1/4 c chopped onion
4 oz chicken sausage with jalapeno peppers, chopped
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c (2 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c chopped seeded jalapeno pepper
1 large egg white, lightly beaten


Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Unroll the dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray and pat into a 15 x 10-inch rectangle.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sausage and cook 9 minutes or until lightly browned.  Stir in eggs and cook 1-1/2 minutes or until set and remove from heat. (My version: Cook sausage, chopped jalapeno, and onion until cooked through/slightly browned for whole sausage roll and then divide mixture up into servings for this recipe. Add sausage back to pan and then add eggs.)

Sprinkle Monterey Jack cheese lengthwise down center of dough leaving about a 2-1/2-inch border on each side.  Spoon egg/sausage mixture evenly over cheese and then top with cheddar over the egg mixture and top with jalapeno pepper.  (Since in my version I've added the jalapeno pepper into the sausage mixture myself, I do not add more jalapeno).

Make 2-inch-long diagonal cuts about 1 inch apart on both sides of dough to within 1/2 inch of the filling using a sharp knife or kitchen shears (I recommend the shears!). Arrange strips over filling.  Press ends under to seal.  Brush with egg white and bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Let stand 5 minutes .  Cut crosswise into 8 slices.

YIELD: 8 slices

Servings: 4 servings
Serving Size: 2 slices

Points: 3 points per slice

Nutritional Information:  Calories 246, Fat 15.6 g (sat 6.3 g, mono 6.6 g, poly 1.5 g); Protein 15.9 g; Carb 11 g; Fiber 0.2 g; Chol 147 mg; Iron 1.2 mg; Sodium 516 mg; Calc 173 mg

Pumpkin Smoothie for 4 to 6 Weight Watchers Points

I modified this pumpkin smoothie into a pumpkin pie smoothie that has a hint of orange flavoring via the orange juice because it makes so much and the kiddos didn't really like it as written, so I'll include the original and how I modified it.  I added a dollop of whip cream on top for the kiddos too, but at 1 extra point, you may be able to do so on your own as well.

One servings of this smoothie gives you all the vitamin A you need for a day and almost half of your daily requirement of vitamin C!! BONUS! It also serves up 5 grams of protein!

The whole smoothie batch comes out to 24 points, so if you divide it up into 6 servings, each serving is 4 points.  Divide it up into 4 servings, and each serving is therefore 6 points.  Divide it into 2 and each serving is now 12 points.

Ingredients:

1 15-oz. can pumpkin, chilled
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk, chilled
1 cup orange juice, chilled
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 medium banana, cut into chunks (optional as written) (I added banana for body)
Ice cubes (optional, but I added for body)
Ground nutmeg or cinnamon (optional as written)  (I added 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, and 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
Orange wedges (optional as written)


Directions:

Combine pumpkin, evaporated milk, orange juice, brown sugar, and, if desired, banana. Blend until smooth.

If desired, serve smoothies over ice cubes or blend them in and sprinkle each serving with ground nutmeg and garnish with orange wedges threaded onto a skewer.

Serves: 4 - 6
Points: 4 servings=6 points each, 6 servings=4 points each

Nutritional Information:  188 calories, 5 g total fat (3 g saturated), 17 mg cholesterol, 71 mg sodium, 34 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein

Breakfast Smoothies for 2 Weight Watchers Points

I've been wanting to try tofu and found a recipe in my smoothie book that contains it for that extra punch of protein.  It's VERY low in points too--BONUS!  Seeing how I bought a bunch of cherries on sale, I Figured this would be the one. The smooth tofu available to me in my local store is a little too smooth/soft I think because even after freezing the cherries it doesn't have a lot of body to it, but the photo in the pamphlet has it looking very thick.  It's good though with the cherry and orange juice being the predominant flavors and doubling it up is only 4 Weight Watchers points!  The good news is I can get the kids to drink it too.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup soymilk or milk (I went with the soy)
3/4 cup orange juice, chilled
3/4 cup frozen unsweetened, pitted dark sweet cherries whole, or strawberries or peach slices
1 medium carrot, cut up and chilled
1/4 cup soft tofu (fresh bean curd)
1 Tbsp. honey (optional)

Directions:

Put all ingredients into the blender EXCEPT the honey and blend until smooth.  Add in 1 tablespoon of optional honey and blend again.  (Putting honey into smoothies atop frozen items can cause it to seize a little and not blend very well.)

Serves:  2
Points: 2 point per serving

Nutritional Information:  124 calories, 3 g total fat (0 saturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 225 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber, 6 g protein

Poached Egg-Arugula Meal Salad for Only 6 Weight Watchers points!

I adore this meal salad. I can whip it up at any time of the day (and I just did)....breakfast, lunch, or dinner...take your pick. I can also prepare it with one egg for a single serving or double it up accordingly.


You can prepare your egg so that the yolk is runny in a number of ways, obviously, but I prefer to poach mine to save any points preventing pan-stick while saving the most yolk as possible.  The egg and egg yolk can be mixed into the greens to accent/blend with the olive-oil-vinegar dressing or be spread across the toast like I prefer to do to then cut up and have a little sumpin' sumpin' in every single bite.

Salad Ingredients:

1 poached egg for 2 points
1 slice of 1-point whole wheat toast for 1 point
1/2 Tbs. of whipped Land O Lakes sweet cream, salted butter for 1 point
1 ounce of baby arugula for zero points
1 ounce of shredded fresh Parmesan cheese for 3 points or 0.5 ounce for 1.5 points (optional)
salt
pepper

Dressing Ingredients:
equal parts white wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil

For one serving:

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil for 4 points
1 Tbs. white wine vinegar for 0 points


Directions:

Toss 1 ounce of baby arugula with HALF of the dressing for 2 total points.  Place your buttered toast atop the arugula (now at 4 points) and the poached egg atop the toast (now at 6 points). Salt and pepper to taste. If points allow, you can add freshly grated Parmesan cheese accordingly.  If I were to add about 0.5 ounces, it would bring the total up to 7.5 points and a whole ounce up to 9 points.

If points allow, you can double up the eggs, butter and toast atop a 2-ounce, zero-point bed of baby arugula and use the whole single serving dressing batch above for a total of 12 points withOUT the cheese. Topping THIS with a whole ounce of freshly grated Parmesan cheese comes out to 15 points.

Fab Grab Smoothie Option for Only 3 Weight Watcher Points

I would never pay Full price for this product because I am Frugal, but because they were on sale at my local grocery store for $1.79 each AND I had a coupon for $100 off of 2, I bought 14 of 'em to try out.  Each cost me just $1.29.  It is definitely a time-saver 'cuz there are no glasses or blenders to clean from making my own!

I had originally bought them for my picky daughter because they have some veggies in them and Greek yogurt protein in them, but after I Figured out the points, I knew this could be a Fab Grab item for when I am on the go.  In Fact, I may stop off at grocery stores to buy them with some single-serve apple juice when I'm on long drives and Find myself Feeling snacky, and for the kids too.  We have a long drive coming up soon, so I may try that out.

This particular Blue Power Dole Shaker boasts B6 and B12 and is labeled is a fruit and veggies smoothie with Greek yogurt, blueberry, banana, and red beet.  The back of the container indicates it is all natural fruits and veggies plus Greek yogurt with pre- and probiotics plus 100% DV of vitamins B6, B12, AND folic acid. It says there is 180 calories as prepared and 5 grams of protein.  It also happens to say that satisfaction is guaranteed. There is a little window on the back as well, the bottom of which is the Fill line for an extra thick consistency, and the top of which is the Fill line for a thick consistency.  One cup of apple juice took mine to the thick consistency, the top of that window. 

This particular Dole Shaker is only 3 Weight Watcher points for me, and that includes the 1 cup of apple juice.  It comes out to 1 point for the Shaker and 2 points for the juice.  I had this for a snack option today.  You can use a Few different juices to mix with them too.  The bottle says you can use apple, pineapple, or your Favorite juice. 

They come in many Flavors.  Here is a picture of those I chose to try out in the Future.

 (This is my garage Fridge, so don't judge!)

Update:  I just checked the Peach Mango flavored Shaker.  If the full cup of apple juice was added to it, it would be 4 points total. The Blue Power alone is 1 point, but this peach-mango alone is 2 points.  I'll update with the rest of the points values for the rest of the flavors I have shown.  It's just too cold to go out to the garage fridge this time of night. ;)

A Few Fab Grabs by Quaker and Planters to Share

Yes, you can buy granola cereal in many forms, but this is a great grab-and-go option when you are on the run, pre-measured to boot.

I had some coupons for the Quaker Warm and Crunchy granola cereal (which you can eat cold by the way or even add to some plain nonfat vanilla yogurt) that allowed me to buy a bunch of boxes for $1.50 each when combined with a sale.  The Apple Cinnamon version of the Quaker Warm and Crunchy granola cereal is only 3 points per serving.

The Cranberry Almond version of the Quaker Warm and Crunchy granola cereal is only 4 Weight Watchers points for me.

 

When I look back at the 1.4-oz., 3-point packet of granola cereal I got on the NutriSystem plan, the Apple Cinnamon at 1.69 oz. and the Cranberry Almond at 1.76 oz. seems fair, as each provides a bit more per serving.

Another great Fab Grab is the NUT-rition bars Planters makes.  For example, this cranberry-almond-peanut bar is only 3 points for me.  Fits great in a purse! It is 1.23 ounces. 

 So there you go....three new Fab Grab Options for those busy moments when you don't want to cave and grab something Fast and totally crappy for you.

Blueberry Muffins for 3 Weight Watchers Points

I made my kids a batch of blueberry muffins from a recipe my youngest brought home from school when they had a blueberry day.  A coworker's of Mr. F's owns a blueberry Farm, and I have about 8 pounds of blueberries yet to use up in my Freezer from last season.

I decided to Figure the points out when I remembered that blueberry muffins were an actual breakfast entree while on the NutriSystem plan (as I covered in this post).  Turns out the points value for me was 3 points per muffin.  Guess what?  They were 3 points on the NutriSystem plan too, so why not?  Mine were Fluffier, less dense, bigger, and tasted better with none of that "diet" taste.  I had a hard time swallowing their version and HAD to drink something to help it go down. lol

Here is what the muffins looked like on the NutriSystem plan (and that is a 1-cup measuring cup), and as you can see, I counted my Weight Watchers points while on their plan:

Their packaging says each muffin was 2 ounces. Each of my muffins weighed in at 1.8 to 2.0 ounces too.

As you have probably noticed by now, I prefer to use "normal" ingredients.  Faux sugar/sugar substitutes scare me (and give me heart palpitations), so I stick with normal, unmodified sugar, which is 15 calories per tablespoon with 0 grams of Fat and Fiber.  Because 1/2 cup of sugar (equal to 8 tablespoons) would be 120 calories, I assign the sugar in this recipe 8 points (1 point per Tbs.). Because this recipe makes a dozen muffins, there is less than a tablespoon of sugar in each muffin.  They may technically be less than 3 points each at 2.5 points.

Ingredients:

1 c. blueberries - 1 point
1/4 c. melted butter, - 12 points (I use Challenge organic butter, which is
           higher in points than Land O'Lakes)
1-3/4 c. unbleached all-purpose flour - 14 points
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder - 0 points
1/4 tsp. salt - 0 points
1/2 c. sugar - 0 points/Tbs, but I give 1 point per Tbs. at 120 calories, so
          8 points
1 egg - 2 points (could use egg white substitute and save a point)
1/2 c. 1% milk - 1 point

(38 points total divided by 12 muffins = 3.1666~)

Directions:

Combine the dry ingredients and add the melted butter. Add egg and milk and beat until smooth. Stir in the blueberries.  Divide evenly among muffins tins.  Bake 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

Makes 12 muffins.
Serving Size: 1 muffin
Points: 3 points per muffin

A Biscuit AND Gravy for 7 Weight Watchers Points!

This is why I love Weight Watchers.  You don't have to deny yourself anything.  Biscuits and gravy is a Favorite of mine, which I usually only make and eat on holiday mornings and once during an annual vacation.

Because I had biscuits and gravy on Nutrisystem, albeit for 3 Weight Watcher points, I decided to see how many points I could make it from scratch with items I had on hand.  (See the NutriSystem version in my post here.)

Turns out that even while baking up some store-bought large homestyle biscuits, the biscuits themselves are 4 Weight Watchers points each.  That puts the biscuit alone at 1 point higher than the rehydrated NutriSystem biscuit and gravy entree in its entirety shown here, but because my breakfast smoothies ring in at 5 to 6 points and there would be none of that preservative crap happening, I kept going.

I pulled aside some sausage after browning an entire batch, added 2 tablespoons of Flour, and 1.5 cups of milk.  The gravy, made without any special weight- or health-modifying ingredients, clocked in at 9 points total.  There was enough gravy to divide into 3 even servings, which I weighed out and placed in storage containers.

I knew that the gravy would thicken upon standing and storing and that I would need to add a splash of milk upon reheating to thin it.  Because the gravy came out to 9 points, when divided by 3 servings, it comes out to 3 points per serving. I do not count the "splash."

So there it is, *A* biscuit and gravy (I would normally eat 2 in a serving) for only 7 Weight Watchers points.

I bet you or I could make it for less by tweaking some ingredients, but I'll wait to try that out for when my points range changes.  Let me know if you do it First!

As it stands, here are the ingredients and my directions:

Follow package direction for biscuits of choice and Figure points.

2 ounces of breakfast sausage drained on paper towel - 5 points
2 Tablespoons of unbleached all-purpose flour - 1 point
1.5 cups of 1% milk - 3 points
salt and pepper to taste

Cook sausage until slightly crispy in a frying pan breaking it apart into bits as it cooks.  Place 2 ounces of sausage onto a paper towel to drain and pat to remove grease.  Place the 2 ounces of sausage into a small saucepan.  Add 2 Tablespoons of flour to hot fully cooked sausage in small sauce pan and stir to coat sausage crumbles.  Stir in 1.5 cups of milk and stir over medium heat until boiling and thickened.  Divide gravy mixture evenly into 3 separate storage containers.  Add in a splash of milk while reheating your individual serving for consumption. Enjoy what most consider a lost treat while dieting, or at least what I consider a treat! It has to be the southern part of my heritage that makes me love it so, right? ;)

I will make up an entire 12-oz batch of sausage turning it into 15 individual servings.  I bake the biscuits and place them in the freezer on a cooled cookie sheet to freeze them individually.  I also place the individual containers with gravy into the freezer.  Once all are frozen, I place 1 biscuit and 1 batch of frozen gravy into a Food Saver baggie and seal.  

Nutella-Coconut Smoothie for 5.5 Weight Watchers Points

I named this the Funky Mud Smoothie so as to be more attractive to the kids.

Ingredients: 

1/2 banana (about 2 oz.) for 1 point
1/2 cup sweetened almond milk, sweetened chocolate almond milk, or Fat-Free milk for 1 point
1 Tablespoon shredded coconut (I keep mine in the freezer) for 1 point
1 Tablespoon Nutella for 2.5 points
1/8 tsp. vanilla extract, coconut extract or both for 0 points

Remember....spinach is 0 points too and that is why mine looks Funky/muddy, and because I used the sweetened chocolate almond milk. Baby spinach does not affect the taste, however, and it's a great way to work in a serving of vegetables.

Fast Tip:  Place your banana chunk(s) topped with 1 Tablespoon of Nutella on a cookie sheet and place them (nontouching) in the freezer.  Once frozen, place in individual baggies and throw in a tablespoon of shredded coconut.  Seal the baggies and put back in the Freezer for a quick way to blend up that smoothie. Here are my Frozen bananas, Nutella, and coconut batches that I just throw into the blender as they are and add the remaining ingredients.

Fab Grab Breakfast of Instant Oatmeal for 3 points - Maple & Brown Sugar

'Nuf said I suppose.  I'm posting to share due to the ease.  I used to eat this flavor of oatmeal on NutriSystem too with their morning shake, but this serving is a bit more.  It's also only 3 Weight Watcher points for me!

I also like to keep my breakfast and lunch low in points when I know my dinner will be higher.  For instance, tonight I had a HUGE taco salad. 

Grinch Smoothie for 3 Weight Watcher Points

Update 2/10/15:  I'm so excited that I took the time to refigure the points on this smoothie.  Somehow I had marked on the bag of flax meal that the two-tablespoon serving was 4 points. It is NOT! The two-tablespoon serving size is only 1 Freakin' point! It must've been blonde math that made me quadruple the points in my notes/translation rather than divide it into Fourths. At any rate, it's almost an entire two points less than I originally thought! Lately, now that I'm working on improving my cholesterol numbers, I've been adding 1/4 c. of pomegranate juice for 1 point.

***********


Here are the ingredients to make a single serving with a slight banana flavor:

2/3 c.vanilla almond milk (1 point rounded up from .67)
1 oz. banana*
1 c. raw baby spinach loosely packed (0 points)
1/4 c. unpeeled (skin on) green apple (about 1 oz.)*
1/8 avocado (about 1 oz.)* (1 point for the 3 fruits combined)
1/2 rounded Tbs. flax meal (0.25 points per 1/2 Tbs.)
1/2 Tbs. honey (0.5 points)

* I have assigned the three-fruit combo a single point, as it is 0 points individually, but it's fruit! (The old WW Plan has points for fruit. I understand newer points systems have fruits as freebies)

Take all ingredients and blend well.

On my old Weight Watchers plan, this comes out to just over 3 points for me, at 3.25 points.  

Each tablespoon of ground flaxseed contains about 1.8 grams of plant omega-3s, which have been shown to have heart-healthy effects.  Flaxseed contains 75 to 800 times more lignans than other plant foods. Flaxseed contains both the soluble and insoluble types of fiber too.  Research indicates that flax may reduce risks of certain cancers, as well as cardiovascular disease and lung disease. For more on flax, check out this information at WebMD. I also add it to other things where it fits.  They say 2 tablespoons a day offers a healthful heart benefit.

I adapted the above recipe into a single-serving size, but there's no issue with using a whole tablespoon of flax in it either.  Now that I fixed the points on this smoothie, I, as you, can double it up or have it again later in the day should I find myself hungry in between meals. 

Tip:  Freeze ingredients! I put the apple, banana, and avocado on a cookie sheet and freeze them in piles (per smoothie).  I put the spinach into individual bowls/cups and freeze that too! When all four items are frozen, I take one serving of the raw, frozen baby spinach and put it into a Food Saver bag with the pre-portioned, Frozen apple, banana, and apple and then add the flax meal to it too.  This way, all I have to do is cut open a bag, plop it into the Blender, add the almond milk and the honey, blend, and voila!

Fab Grab Breakfast of Kashi Go Lean Crunch for 3 Points

Kashi GoLean Crunch cereal is the cereal that offers the biggest bang for it's buck!  Compared to the NutriSystem approximately 1/2 cup of cereal serving sizes, you can have an entire cupful of this for only 3 points, and if you have the points allowance, double it up and have two cupfuls for only 6 points (before milk choice)!

I didn't take a picture, but will the next time.  It completely fills up my large soup bowls at a double serving.

I also don't like milk, so I consume approximately 1/2 cup of almond milk when eating a double-serving of this cereal, for a grand total of 7 points! (Half serving is only 4 points for me).

 

Banana Bread Mini Muffins - 2 Weight Watchers Points Each

I just adapted an old Weight Watchers Banana Bread recipe into mini-muffins.  I always had the worst time trying to figure out how to cut the bread loaf into 24 equal servings.  This seems to do it.  Just a smidge over 2 tablespoons into each muffin tin (24) did the trick.

Here's one in my hand, and when I compare that to the NutriSystem Banana Nut Muffin here, it's just a bit smaller, but it's also a point less (on the old WW plan).  Mine tastes better though in my opinion and has no perservatives. ;)

Ingredients:

2/3 c. sugar
1/3 c. butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1/2 c. fat-free buttermilk
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. toasted wheat germ
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray mini muffin cups with nonstick baking spray.  With a wooden spoon, beat the sugar and butter in a large bowl until creamy.  Add the eggs, bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla.  Beat until combined.

Combine the flour, wheat germ, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in another bowl.  Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and stir just until combined.

For mini-muffins:  Spoon the batter by about 2 Tbs. at a time into each muffin cup or fill an icing bag with batter and distribute evenly amongst the cups.  Makes 24 mini muffins.

For a loaf:  Spoon the batter into a loaf pan.  (To be cut into 24 slices)

Bake until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean...about 15-20 minutes for mini muffins (my oven is on the Fritz so start checking yours at around 15 minutes), and the loaf for about 45-55 minutes.

Cool the loaf in the pan on a rack and remove muffins to cool on the rack.

YIELD:  24 servings
SERVING SIZE: One loaf slice or 1 mini muffin
POINTS:  2 points

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:  104 Calories; 4 g Fat (2 g saturated); 25 mg Cholesterol; 123 mg Sodium; 16 g Carbohydrates; 1 g Fiber, 3 g Protein, 24 mg Calcium

Greek Yogurt w/Fruit on Bottom

I take plain nonfat yogurt and strain it through a coffee filter to make Greek yogurt.  I let it strain overnight.  When finished, I transfer it to a container and scoop out individual servings in about 3 Tbsp. servings.  I add fruit on the bottom, top with 1 Tbsp. of honey, and a pinch of toasted sliced almonds. Delish!

Here is what it looks like once strained, i.e. nice and firm.

I adapted this from a Weight Watcher recipe into single-serving sizes so as to not waste any.  Only 2 of the 5 of us will eat this.

In this situation, I put strawberries and blueberries on the bottom.

(Excuse the mess in the background, my son's bedroom furniture is still in our dining room. We should be finished with his room tonight)

On the old Weight Watchers plan, this works out to 3 points per serving.

NutriSystem Food - Breakfast - NutriFrosted Crunch Cereal

This is a filler item I buy from Big Lots on the cheap when I find myself out of breakfast entrees and yet still have entrees left for the remainder of the day.  This serving size fits into a 1/2-cup measure. I don't like milk, but I add just enough to wet it a bit, and you have to eat it quickly before it gets soggy, so don't dally on the cereals.

NutriSystem Food - Breakfast - Banana Nut Muffin

Here is the NutriSystem Breakfast Entree banana nut muffin in the package.

Here it is in a 1/2-cup measuring cup. 

and here it is pictured with my breakfast in total today with the chocolate spinach NutriSystem shake.

NutriSystem Food - Breakfast - NutriCinnamon Squares Cereal

You may be wondering what the heck this is, as this isn't what you get in your Big Brown Box.  It's an old NutriSystem plan entree that you can buy on the cheap from Big Lots.  It's marked for $1, but they have sales that can allow you to get them for $0.25 each.

You may be wondering why I have it as well, and I'll explain.  Every day I'm on NutriSystem, the day starts off just fine and completely on plan.  Then something pops up that requires me to be on the run for the remainder of the day or I simply leave home and walk straight out the door completely forgetting the bag of food I had prepared to keep on plan while on the run.  This means that I sometimes wind up with 18 dinners and 20 desserts untouched and no breakfasts, shakes, or lunches to round out for a complete NutriSystem day, so I buy these to save money over the a'la carte items directly from NutriSystem.

This, like all of the cereals I've tried from them are similar in size.  This is a snack-size bowl.  You are allowed to add milk, but I don't like milk, so I just add a splash; just enough to get it wet. Since I consume alongside my spinach protein shake, it is completely satisfying.

NutriSystem Food - Shake

This is a NutriSystem Vanilla shake blended up with a cupful of baby spinach.  Surprisingly, you cannot taste the baby spinach at all and it's a great way to work in a serving of the numerous vegetable servings the plan calls for throughout a day.

We are supposed to consume one of the shakes daily according to my plan diary.  I mix the baby spinach in with the chocolate-flavored and strawberry-flavored shakes as well. My meal tracker also has this shake listed for consumption with breakfast, so that is what I do, but you can move it to another time of the day.  

I use a Magic Bullet blender, and this is one of the cups it comes with.  You blend right in the cup.  The Bullet whips it up a bit too so that the consistency is more shake-like.  I don't like the shaker that NutriSystem provided.  It was like drinking a thick drink and was like "Eh."