Welcome to #FriendFriday where each week I’ll be sharing a delicious recipe from one of my Instagram friends! I find so much inspiration and friendship in the Instagram community so I’m looking forward to sharing some of that here with you. I’m excited for you to get to know some of my friends, I know you will find them as motivational as I do! Be sure to find them on Instagram so you can follow their journey and find more of their delicious meal ideas!
Today you are meeting Alison who has one of the most magical Instagram accounts I’ve ever seen – from her delicious recipes to her amazing travel photos, you don’t want to miss out on following her! You can follow her on Instagram at @runningwithfrosting and you can check out more on her brand new blog, Running With Frosting!
Hi, Alison, tell us about yourself!
Hi guys! My name is Alison and I’m so excited to introduce myself to you today! Thanks Rachel!! I’m a Los Angeles native, just turned 30 a few weeks ago, got married in June of this year and have been on my weight loss journey for a little over two and a half years. I started my Instagram, @runningwithfrosting, as a way to share my journey with others. I never imaged that it would turn into something so special one day. In the past two and a half years, I’ve gone from someone who never opened up the oven and didn’t even know where my pots & pans were kept (true story) to someone who finds so much joy in playing around the kitchen and sharing my creations with others.
What motivated you to change your lifestyle?
I grew up being an active child (hello swimming, water polo, surfing, basketball, dance.. you name it). In my late teens and early twenties, I developed a severe drug addiction and in 2011, after completing 4 months of rehabilitation, I found myself gaining upwards of 60 pounds in just a few short months. I spent the next several years in a tormented spiral of loving everything sobriety had bought to my life, but also being miserable about what I had become physically. I had traded one addiction for another, reached the highest weight I had ever been, and was embarrassed to go out in public. In February of 2016, at almost 5 years sober, I knew it was time to make my next big life change. I had conquered my drug addiction and now it was time to conquer food. I tried a million different “quick fixes” for weight loss. Diet pills, juice cleanses, cutting out specific foods. But similar to what I found when trying to get sober, nothing works unless you put in the work. I joined WW and finally found what I had been searching for. I have lost 50 pounds with hard work and dedication, was able to enjoy my wedding this past summer feeling completely confident and comfortable in my body, all while enjoying delicious food!
What are you favorite foods to cook?
I am a firm believer that healthy food does not have to be a boring plate of chicken and vegetables. I enjoy all things pizza, pasta, burgers, pancakes, donuts, mac n cheese, etc. As I mentioned before, I have tried every type of diet. And what I have found out about myself is simple: I enjoy eating and I don’t like to feel deprived. Isn’t that the case for all of us? Some of my favorite creations are fun & healthy twists on favorites. Pizza with two ingredient dough, shrimp alfredo with carba-nada pasta, turkey burgers on sweet potato buns instead of bread, tacos in lettuce cups instead of tortillas. I am constantly searching for ways to turn all my “unhealthy guilty pleasures” into healthier versions that fuel my body & my mind.
What is one piece of advice you’d give someone just starting out on a health journey?
My one piece of advice for those of you who are just starting out on your health journey is to never give up. Remember why you started and what is driving you to succeed. Don’t look at the big picture because that can often be daunting. Instead, set smaller goals for yourself that are easier to achieve. Meal plan and, if you’re using a tracking app, always pre-track your days. This make the accidental “off-plan” meal less likely to happen. Above all, remember that if the accidental splurge does happen, YOU ARE GOING TO BE OKAY. No one’s health journey is the same and I promise you that no one’s health journey is perfect. Showing up for life isn’t always easy but it’s always worth it.
Tell us about the recipe you are sharing today!
Today I want to share with you guys my creamy homemade caesar salad dressing! I absolutely love caesar salads but the good ones can get pretty caloric and high in points. When WW launched Freestyle and announced that nonfat greek yogurt is now zero points, I immediately knew I want to play around with a cream salad dressing. A few attempts later… Viola!
Alison’s recipe is 1 WW SmartPoint on both the Blue and Green WW plans – enjoy! Keep up with her journey and find more of her delicious creations at @runningwithfrosting on Instagram and on her blog!
- ⅓ cup 0% greek yogurt
- 1 tsp anchovy paste
- 1½ tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- dash salt & pepper
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
- Whisk until mixed thoroughly.
- Toss into salad.
Note: Since the base of the dressing is yogurt, it will be creamier and thicker than your average caesar salad.
The entire batch of dressing is 3 smart points: 1½ tsp oil (2 sp), 2 tbsp cheese (1 sp), everything else (0 sp).
Nutritional information is calculated with MyFitnessPal and may vary based on brands used. Smart Points information is calculated with the Weight Watchers app and may also vary based on brands used.
