Weekly Recipe: Healthy Stuffing

Healthy Stuffing
Serves 16

1 Tbsp light butter
14 oz stuffing bread (such as Pepperidge Farm or Mrs Cubbison)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced mushroom
2-3 cloves of garlic
2- 2 1/2 cup chicken broth
poultry seasoning to taste (1-2 tsp)
pepper to taste around 1 tsp

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a large saute pan; once heated add butter and spray with cooking spray. Add carrots and saute; add celery, onion, garlic and mushroom, cooking until veggies are tender. Remove from heat and transfer to bowl and allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl add bread stuffing and veggies; toss together, season with pepper and poultry seasoning. Add chicken broth, mixing until moist but not soaking. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Add stuffing mix and cover with foil. Bake 20-25 minutes; uncover and cook additional 10 minutes or until slightly crispy on top.

Serves around 1/2 cup each serving.

Calories: 106.1, Total Fat: 1.4 g, Sodium: 406.4 mg, Dietary Fiber: 3.9 g, Protein: 2.8 g

Newsletter, week of November 15th

Last Week

Holiday season is about traditions - old and new ones. You might have to ask for help if you'd like to adopt some newer healthier habits.

This Week

It's back! Our annual Thanksgiving dinner meeting. Come prepared to be shocked at how quickly the Points add up! Bring a friend - they can weigh in and stay for the meeting with no obligation.

Kudos

Jessica celebrated her 5% target, Trista reached 50 pounds lost, and Marianne has now been at goal for 2 years! Nice work ladies.

WW Product of the Week

Check out our cookbooks! All of the cookbooks in our meeting rooms are 50% off, so you can get a boatload of recipes for as little as $5! Consider these for holiday gifts, or just a reward for sticking with your plan through the holidays. Sale ends December 8th.

Weekly Potpourri

I mentioned in the meetings this week that there will be a Weight Watchers contingent at a few local events on Thanksgiving day. You can join our very own Fern at the Run for the Hungry 5K and 10K downtown at 8:15 on turkey day. It'll be a healthy start to the day...what you do with the rest of it is up to you!

What's Hot at WW.com?

You know it's flu season. But did you know that when you get active your immune system can get stronger? I know I keep banging the drum about getting active, but that's because it's worth it for so many reasons!

Quote of the Week

Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone. - Pablo Picasso

Weekly Recipe: Turkey Meatloaf Muffins

This is a recipe that Anna shared with me, courtesy of eTools

Turkey Meatloaf Muffins
POINTS® value 3
Servings 12

2 pound lean ground turkey
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 medium garlic cloves, finely minced, or more to taste
12 oz cremini mushrooms, or other mushrooms, diced (about 2 cups)
1 tsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sherry cooking wine
1/2 cup parsley, fresh, minced

Preheat oven to 350ºF and fill 12 muffin holes with liners. Coat a large bowl with cooking spray.

Place turkey in prepared bowl; season with salt and pepper, mix until incorporated and set aside.

Place butter and oil in a large frying pan and cook over medium heat until butter melts; add onion. Sauté onion over medium heat until wilted and translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms begin to give off moisture, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add soy sauce and sherry; cook until mixture begins to resemble a paste, about 5 to 10 minutes. Toss in parsley and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.

Add mushroom mixture to turkey and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Drop by heaping tablespoons into prepared muffin tins until 2/3 to 3/4 full. Bake muffins until center seems firm to the touch and turkey is completely cooked through, about 22 to 27 minutes. Yields 1 muffin per serving.

These muffins can be made ahead and warmed in minutes in the microwave. Pop extras in the freezer for fabulous fast-food. The addition of 1 1/2 tablespoons of cranberry sauce per muffin increases the POINTS value to 4 per serving.

OMG

I am so pissed at my email hosting software right now, you don't even know. I apologize for how crappy the emails from me look this morning. They just "upgraded" and while I thought it was impossible, the interface is even more unfriendly than it was before. It looks like you're seeing raw HTML.

You should hear the words coming out of my mouth right now....

Newsletter, week of November 8th

Last Week

Motivation is key to get you through the upcoming holidays. I hope you're thinking about what you'd like to achieve by the end of November. Make it happen!

This Week

Another way to keep on track through the holidays is to make sure you stay active. We'll talk about how you can keep that up, including how to add activity to your normal holiday celebrations.

Kudos

This week we gave a five pound star to Velma who reached 60 pounds lost. She's worked hard on those last five pounds, so she was quite excited.

WW Product of the Week

While you're out running around on those holiday errands, you're taking steps. Our pedometer can keep track of those for you, and tally up not only how far you've walked, but if you've earned any Activity Points!

Weekly Potpourri

HEADS UP! The week of November 15th is the week we'll do our annual "Turkey Dinner" and discuss the Points values of all that traditional stuff. This year I want to make this meeting more successful than ever, so I'm putting the word out now.

If you know someone who is thinking about joining, is curious about our program, or if you're reading this and haven't been in the meeting room in a long time, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE. Guests are always welcome to attend a meeting for free, but at my meetings that week (Monday, 11/16 6:30pm in Lemon Grove and Wednesday, 11/18 6:30am in Clairemont) I will allow guests and you lapsed folks weigh in with no obligation. That's not usually allowed! If any guest is interested in signing up, they'll have to pay the standard fee, but if not, they can walk out the door with no penalty. Spread the word!

What's Hot at WW.com?

Since we have been talking about the Good Health Guidelines a lot lately, I wanted to remind you about our liquid guideline. I think I posted this article before, but it's a good reminder of why that cup of joe can now count as a liquid, but that martini can't.

Quote of the Week

Every achiever that I have ever met says, "My life turned around when I began to believe in me." - Dr. Robert Schuller

Recipe Swap Index

Here's a summary of all the collected recipes. Bon appetit!

Broccoli, Cauliflower and Swiss Quiche

Lentil Spinach Soup

Mushroom Barley Soup

Orzo Salad with White Beans

Chicken Penne Casserole with Tomato & Goat Cheese

White Chicken Chili

Baby Pumpkin Cheesecakes

Chicken, Mango & Black Bean Salad

Layered Mexican Chicken

Mexican Beef Over Polenta

Lentil Tacos

Tuscan Beans with Sage & Pancetta

Tuscan Chicken Sausage Stew

Quick Caldo Verde

Quinoa Pilaf

Thai Broccoli Salad

Mini-Meat Loaves

WW One Point Hearty Chili

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach & Rice)

Cheesy Eggs Ole

Thank you to all who participated. I've tried a handful of these already, and so far they have all been winners!

Broccoli, Cauliflower and Swiss Quiche

Broccoli, Cauliflower and Swiss Quiche
Serves 6
Points Value: 3

2 cups fresh broccoli florets
2 cups fresh cauliflower florets
1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
5 slices turkey bacon, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups low-fat (1%) milk
2 tsp spicy brown mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne (substitute or add nutmeg)
2/3 cup shredded low fat Swiss cheese (substitute mozzarella OK)
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 1/2 inch deep-dish glass pie plate with nonstick spray.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cauliflower; cover and return to a boil. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bacon, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally until the onion is softened and the bacon is browned, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and cauliflower; cook, stirring occasionally, until any cooking liquid is absorbed and the flavors are blended, about 5 minutes. Transfer the vegetable mixture to the prepared pie plate.

Whisk the eggs, egg whites, milk, mustard, salt, and cayenne in a bowl. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetable mixture; sprinkle with the Swiss and Parmesan.

Bake until the quiche is set and the tip of a small knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Let cool slightly, about 15 minutes. Cut into 6 wedges. If making ahead, let cool completely. Transfer the wedges to an airtight container. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days. To serve, wrap each wedge in wax paper and microwave on High until heated through, 1-1 1/2 minutes.

Lentil Spinach Soup – from Marta

Lentil Spinach Soup – from Marta
Serves 6
3 Points value

5 cups warm water (can replace one cup with chicken broth)
1 cup brown lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
5 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 large tomato, diced
2 Thai, cayenne, or Serrano chiles, minced
1 tsp salt
1 (10 oz.) bag triple-washed spinach, rinsed and coarsely chopped

Bring 4 cups of the water and the lentils to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the lentils are tender, 20-25 minutes.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and sizzle just until fragrant, 10-15 seconds. Immediately add the onion and garlic and stir-fry until golden brown, 3-4 minutes.

Stir in the tomato, chiles, salt, and the remaining 1 cup of water; bring to a boil. Pour the tomato-onion mixture into the saucepan with the lentils. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 15 minutes. Stir in the spinach just before serving.

Mushroom-Barley Soup – from Marta

Mushroom-Barley Soup – from Marta
Serves 8
2 Points value

1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups finely chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1 (12 oz.) package pre-sliced button mushrooms
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ cup uncooked pearl barley
2 garlic cloves, minced
5 ½ cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 Tbsp minced fresh chives

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat 1 minute. Add onion; cook 9 minutes, stirring often. Add button mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Add barley and garlic. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add chicken broth. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 30 minutes or until barley is tender. Sprinkle with chives.

Orzo Salad with White Beans – From Marta

Orzo Salad with White Beans – From Marta
Serves 6
3 Points value

You can double the serving size and serve this Greek-style pasta and bean salad as a main dish for a POINTS value of 6.

2/3 cup uncooked orzo
1 cup diced cucumber (about 1 small)
½ cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 (15.8 oz) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup reduced fat olive vinaigrette
1 Tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp coarsely ground black pepper

Cook orzo according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain and rinse with cold water. Drain.

Combine pasta, cucumber, and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl, tossing gently. Combine vinaigrette and next 3 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Add vinaigrette mixture to pasta mixture, tossing gently to combine.

Chicken & Penne Casserole with Tomatoes & Goat Cheese – from Marta

Chicken & Penne Casserole with Tomatoes & Goat Cheese – from Marta via a WW Cookbook
Serves 6
5 Points value

2 cups penne
2 tsp olive oil
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup diced cooked chicken breast
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup fat-free egg substitute (or 2 eggs)
½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 ounces reduced-fat goat cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp plain dried bread crumbs
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a 7x11 inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

Prepare the pasta according to package directions, omitting the salt if desired. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and onion; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the mushroom mixture to the pasta. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken, beans, egg substitute, and broth. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish; top with the goat cheese.

Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley with remaining 1 tsp oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the casserole. Bake, uncovered, until the topping is browned and the filling is hot and bubbly, about 40 minutes.

White Chicken Chili - from Karen

White Chicken Chili – from Karen
Serves 8
3 Points value

1 can chicken broth (original recipe called for 4 cups, I thought it was too soupy)
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 15oz cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
2 medium zucchini, diced
2 onions, diced
1 Tbsp ground cumin (I use cumin seed and crush it with a mortar & pestle, you can use a rolling pin also)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chili powder
1 cup frozen corn kernels (white is nice if you can find it)
½ cup fat-free sour cream
½ tsp salt
Cilantro for garnish
Lime wedges for garnish

Sauté the chicken and onion in a pan sprayed with PAM. (if it’s too dry add a little of the chicken broth) Add the remaining broth, beans, zucchini, cumin, garlic, and chili powder. Cook on medium until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about ½ to 1 hour. (I like it cooked down a bit. When I double or triple the recipe it takes longer to do that!)

Stir in the corn and sour cream; cook until heated through, about 5 minutes longer. Season with salt & pepper. Serve garnished with cilantro and lime wedges.

Per serving: 193 calories, 3g fat (1g sat fat), 264mg sodium, 6g fiber

Baby Pumpkin Cheesecakes - from Marta

Baby Pumpkin Cheesecakes – from Marta, cobbled together from the memory of an old recipe
Serves 24
2 Points value

16 ounces light cream cheese
2/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1Tbsp vanilla
½ cup eggbeaters
15 ounce can pumpkin puree
24 gingersnap cookies

Preheat oven to 350. Spray mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Place one gingersnap in each muffin tin.

Cream together all the ingredients. Spoon into muffin tin on top of the cookie, which will become the crust of the cheesecake.

Bake for 20 minutes, turn, and cook for 30 more minutes.

Newsletter, week of November 1st

Last Week

We discussed the remainder of the Good Health Guidelines, and I challenged you to try and satisfy as many of them as you can. You can do it!

This Week

Whether you're ready or not, the holiday season is almost underway. We'll talk about how to keep you motivated for the rest of the year, and hang on to your momentum.

Kudos

Jessica, Aubrie and Lucresia all received their first five pound stars. And Irma got her 10% keychain!

WW Product of the Week

Points Clicker and 3 Month Journal - a great way to keep momentum is to make sure you keep monitoring yourself. We've got several methods, from the quick to the more in-depth. Choose the one that's right for you.

Weekly Potpourri

I stumbled across this link last week, which apparently was "Fat Talk Free Week." How often do we make disparaging remarks about ourselves, or think them, anyway! There are people out there who are trying to combat this using anonymous notes that tell people they are beautiful. A neat concept, I think.

What's Hot at WW.com?

I think we can say that it's now fall here in San Diego. That means it's apple time! Check out this collection of awesome looking recipes that will use the bounty of the season. Tasty!

Quote of the Week

Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or to lose. - Lyndon B. Johnson

Recipe Swap Part One

As if it isn't obvious, I have started posting the recipes from Wednesday's recipe swap. I'm probably a bit over halfway done, but I have some other things to do today*! So I'm going to take a break and post the remainder some other time - but soon! I have a few questions on a couple recipes, so I'm reaching out to those of you that submitted them to get resolution.

Once all the recipes are posted, I think I'm going to do a Recipe Swap Index - I'll make an entry with links to all the recipes, so you can quickly look at the list and get directly to what you want.

Have a great weekend!


* I'm actually headed to a "vino and vinyasa" event - two fabulous things (wine and yoga if you're not on the same wavelength) that until today I've never put together.

Chicken, Mango, and Black Bean Salad - from Marta

Chicken, Mango, and Black Bean Salad - from Marta
Serves 4
5 Points

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 small jicama (about 1 lb) peeled and diced
15.5oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into chunks
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

Combine the lime juice, oil, salt, and chili powder in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

--from Everybody Loves Chicken page 61

Layered Mexican Chicken – from Marta

Layered Mexican Chicken – from Marta, via a WW cookbook
Serves 12
6 Points value

2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts
3 cups fat-free sour cream
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 (4 oz.) cans chopped green chiles, drained
2 cups shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
2 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp black pepper
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, cut into 2-inch strips
1 cup salsa

Combine the chicken and enough cold water to cover by 1 inch in a large saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is just cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature (reserve the cooking liquid for a soup or stew).

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces and return to the bowl. Add the sour cream, beans, chiles, 1 cup of the cheese, the cumin, and pepper; toss to combine.

Place half of the tortilla strips in an overlapping layer in the bottom of the pan. Spoon half of the chicken mixture on top. Place the remaining tortilla strips over the chicken mixture in an overlapping layer; top with the remaining chicken mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of the cheese. Bake until heated through and the cheese is melted, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes, then cut into 12 portions and serve with the salsa.

Mexican Beef over Polenta – from Minna, via eTools
Serves 6
5 Points value

1 pound uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)
1 small onion, chopped
14 ½ oz. canned diced tomatoes, with chiles, drained, reserve 1 Tbsp of liquid
1 cup canned yellow corn, drained, or frozen, thawed corn kernels
10 olives, Kalamata, sliced
2 Tbsp canned jalapeno peppers, pickled, chopped (optional)
3/4 tsp table salt, divided
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup polenta, quick-cooking
3 cups canned chicken broth
1/3 cup salsa
1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese
2 Tbsp cilantro, or scallion, fresh, chopped (optional)

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook beef and onion, stirring frequently, until meat is fully cooked, about 5 to 7 minutes; drain off any liquid. Stir in tomatoes and reserved liquid, corn, olives, jalapenos (if using), 1/4 teaspoon of salt, cumin and pepper; simmer 5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Meanwhile, in a small pot, combine cornmeal, broth and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt; stir well. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until cornmeal is thick, about 5 minutes.

Spoon polenta onto a large serving plate and top with beef mixture. Top with salsa, cheese and cilantro (or scallion).

The polenta will still be soft after cooking but will firm up if allowed to stand for a few minutes before serving.

Lentil Tacos – from Marta via Patty

Lentil Tacos – from Marta via Patty
Serves 4
5 Points value

1 tsp olive oil
1 cup minced onion
½ cup minced celery
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup red lentils
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup salsa
8 La Tortilla Factory small wheat tortillas
Shredded lettuce (optional)
Chopped tomatoes (optional)

In a large frying pan over medium heat, add olive oil and sauté onions, celery and garlic for 5 minutes. Stir in lentils, chili powder, cumin and oregano. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Remove the lid and cook, stirring often, until the lentils are thickened, about 10 minutes. Add salsa. Warm the tortillas and fill them with lentil mixture. Top with shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes.

Tuscan Beans with Sage & Pancetta – a Marta classic

Tuscan Beans with Sage & Pancetta – a Marta classic, via My Turnaround Program cookbook
Serves 6
2 Points value

1 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, cut into strips
2 (15 oz.) cans cannellini or Great Northern beans, drained (do not rinse)
¼ cup fresh sage leaves, chopped
½ tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 3 minutes.

Add the beans and sage; cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 10 minutes. Stir in the salt & pepper.

Tuscan Chicken Sausage Stew – from Minna

Tuscan Chicken Sausage Stew – from Minna via In No Time cookbook
Serves 4
5 Points value

6 oz. fully cooked Italian-style chicken sausages (preferably artichoke & garlic), diced
10 oz. package sliced mushrooms
1 medium zucchini, diced
15.5 oz. can cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed & drained
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with roasted garlic & onion
8 oz. can tomato sauce
¼ cup water
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 cups baby arugula

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray; set over high heat. Add the sausages, mushrooms, and zucchini; cook, stirring frequently, until the sausages and vegetables are lightly browned, about 6 minutes.

Stir in the beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and rosemary; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the arugula until it wilts, about 1 minute.

Quick Caldo Verde – from Marta

Quick Caldo Verde – from Marta, via a WW cookbook
Serves 4
4 Points value

½ pound turkey kielbasa, sliced
5oz. container refrigerated chopped onions
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 (14.5 oz.) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth
18 oz. bag refrigerated fully-cooked sliced potatoes (or equivalent amount of cooked red potato)
4 cups fresh cut-up kale

Spray a large saucepan with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the kielbasa and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 4-5 minutes; transfer to a plate.

Add the onions and paprika to the skillet; cook, stirring, until the onions are crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Add the broth, 1 cup water, and potatoes; bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are very soft, 4-5 minutes. Coarsely mash the potatoes with a wooden spoon. Stir in the kale and return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the kale is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the kielbasa and cook until the flavors are blended, about 5 minutes longer.

Marta also recommends adding some cannellini beans. If you do, be sure to adjust the Points value accordingly.

Quinoa Pilaf – from Karen

Quinoa Pilaf – from Karen
Makes 3 cups
4 Points per cup (recipe has 14 Points total)

1 cup quinoa (rinsed in a fine strainer if not already pre-rinsed, many brands are!)
½ large onion, diced
2 cups broth
1 tsp herb of choice if you like, thyme is good

Heat skillet with a small amount of olive oil. Add quinoa and onion and stir over medium heat until the quinoa is brown and the onion is translucent. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until all of the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes if you have the time.

Thai Broccoli Salad – from Marta

Thai Broccoli Salad – from Marta
4 Points value

1 ½ cup Trader Joe’s organic broccoli slaw
1 Tbsp Trader Joe’s no salt or low-salt roasted peanuts
2 Tbsp Trader Joe’s spicy peanut Thai vinaigrette
1 Tbsp golden raisins

Mix together. You can add 2-3 ounces of chicken, and adjust Points accordingly.

Mini-Meat Loaves – from Minna

Mini-Meat Loaves – from Minna via Weight Watchers Magazine Mar/Apr 2009
Serves 6
4 Points value

1 slice whole-wheat bread, torn into pieces
1 shallot, quartered
2 cups baby spinach
1 lb. ground skinless chicken or turkey meat
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp salt
½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
6 Tbsp ketchup

Preheat the oven to 450. Lightly spray 1 (6-c) muffin tin with nonstick spray. (You can make them smaller and use 12-c muffin tin, then I make them 3 Points.)

Finely crumble the bread in a food processor. Transfer to a large bowl. With the machine running, add the shallot through the feed tube and process until minced. Add the spinach and pulse until finely chopped. Add the bread crumbs, chicken, cheese, egg, paprika, salt & pepper; pulse until blended. (I just mix with my hands like making meatloaf)

Fill each prepared muffin tin with ½ cup of the mixture. Bake until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of a mini-meat loaf registers 165 degrees, about 30 minutes. Top each loaf with 1 Tbsp of the ketchup. If making ahead, let cool. Wrap each loaf in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days. To serve, microwave, a loaf at a time, on high about 1 minute.

Per serving (1 mini loaf): 170 cal, 7g fat (2g sat fat), 528mg sodium, 1g fiber

Weight Watchers One-Point Hearty Chili – from Marta

Weight Watchers One-Point Hearty Chili – from Marta
Serves 20
1 Points value

10 ounces extra-lean ground turkey breast
1 medium onion, diced
2 (28 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
2 medium zucchini, diced
2 medium yellow squash, diced
1 (15 oz.) can black beans
1 (15 oz.) can fat-free, reduced-sodium beef broth
4 celery stalks, diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
1 (1 ¼ oz.) package dry chili seasoning

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and onion and sauté until browned, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the browned turkey and onion mixture to a large soup pot and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup – from Jill

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup – from Jill
Serves 8
1 Points value

1 onion, diced
Spritz of cooking spray
28 oz. can of plain pureed pumpkin
28 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 cup of canned black beans, rinsed
6 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable stock
Salt & pepper to taste

Sauté onion over medium heat until translucent. Add broth, pumpkin, tomatoes, black beans, salt and pepper. Simmer at least 10-15 minutes. That’s it!

Variations: add curry spice, or chopped ginger for a different spin

Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach & Rice) – from Karen

Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach & Rice) – from Karen
Serves 8
2 Points value

1 cup long grained brown rice
2 ¼ cups water (or stock)
1 bunch spinach
1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion (chopped)
1 lemon (juice & zest)
¼ cup dill (chopped)
¼ cup fat-free feta (crumbled)
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the rice in the water as directed. (45-60 minutes on the stove or bake it or steam it – whatever your preference)

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and spinach and cook just until the spinach wilts. Add the lemon juice, dill and feta and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cheesy Eggs Ole – from Jeanne

Cheesy Eggs Ole – from Jeanne
Serves 1
4 Points value

Great for breakfast or light supper with 1 Point Thomas’ English muffin

2 oz. fat-free egg substitute
1 wedge Laughing Cow Light Creamy Garlic & Herb
1 Morningstar Farms sausage patty
2 oz. salsa
2 Tbsp fat-free milk
2 second spray PAM cooking spray

Spray pan with cooking spray. Heat on medium; add egg substitute and milk; stir and cook until done. Microwave Morningstar Farms sausage 1 minute and cut into pieces. Add cheese and sausage to eggs and stir. Top with salsa and enjoy!

Newsletter, week of October 25th

Last Week

We tackled part one of the Good Health Guidelines - these are key to weight loss, weight management, and overall good nutrition. Make sure you're attempting to get them in!

This Week

Surprise, surprise, we tackle the remaining GHGs. If you have any questions at all about any of these guidelines, these are the perfect meetings to raise them.

Kudos

This week's celebrations aren't necessarily scale-centric. We have some athletes in our midst! Both Trista and Anna competed in a triathlon last weekend, and came in this week to tell us about it. Great work, ladies!

WW Product of the Week

Since the liquid guideline is one that we'll be discussing this week, it seems perfect to mention our 24 ounce mug. Just 2 of these a day will satisfy the guidelines. See? It's not that much!

Weekly Potpourri

Looking for the weekly recipe? Well sit tight, because I have a bevvy of recipes for you. Wednesday morning group did a recipe swap, and I have a bunch that I will be posting this weekend when I have the time. It's fun to see who the chefs are in the group. All I know is that I'd love to have dinner with you folks - these recipes are almost all exactly the kind I'd pick for myself!

What's Hot at WW.com?

Since it's flu season, it's probably a good time to think about how your exercise routine might be affected if you come down with something. Here is a great chart that will tell you whether to stay home or suck it up and sweat it out.

Quote of the Week

Every decision you make - every decision - is not a decision about what to do. It's a decision about Who You Are. When you see this, when you understand it, everything changes. You begin to see life in a new way. All events, occurrences, and situations turn into opportunities to do what you came here to do. - Neale Donald Walsch

Newsletter, week of October 18th

I'm headed out of town, so this is coming at you a little earlier than usual....

Last Week

It's important to take time for yourself - it doesn't have to be a lot, but you can't take care of everyone else if you're falling apart!

This Week

The Good Health Guidelines are an important part of our program. This week we'll tackle half the list and discuss why they are so great and how you can fit them in.

Kudos

This week we gave Monica a 5 pound star, Estella a 10 pound star, and Irma and David both got the 16 week Stay and Succeed award. Candy reached 75 pounds lost, and Jill reached her goal weight!

WW Product of the Week

Smoothies! These are a great way to get your milk servings in, so that's why we mention them this week. They are also currently on sale for just $5 a box, marked down from $7.50. Be sure to try our seasonal White Chocolate Peppermint - I love it!

Weekly Potpourri

Okay, special thanks to Debbie for sending me this link. I'd seen something like it before, but couldn't remember where it was! Since this week we were all about the Halloween Candy Handouts, this is fitting: How far do you need to walk to burn off that candy corn? This nifty calculator will show you how far you need to walk to burn the calories in different types of candy. And FYI, you'll need to walk a mile to burn off the 100 calories in 20 pieces of candy corn. Yikes!

What's Hot at WW.com?

One of the most common questions I get surrounding Activity Points is "how do I know what intensity level I'm working out at?" Well, this article describes a few of the ways you can figure out the answer to that question. Now, be honest!

Quote of the Week

When you face your fear, most of the time you will discover that it was not really such a big threat after all. We all need some form of deeply rooted, powerful motivation - it empowers us to overcome obstacles so we can live our dreams. - Les Brown

Weekly Recipe: Skillet-Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Skillet-Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Serves 4
1 Points value

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
1 cup water
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sprouts begin to brown, 3-4 minutes. Add the water, bring to a boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water is almost evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender and lightly browned, 5-6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

Per serving: 81 cal, 3g fat (1g sat fat), 3g fiber, 203mg sodium

Newsletter, week of October 11th

Last Week

Routines are good, but boring is bad. Small tweaks to your eating or activity can make the difference between following the plan and abandoning it out of sheer boredom.

This Week

You all have a million things to do. Hopefully one of those things is to take care of yourself! Make a point to do just that by attending this week's meeting!

Kudos

Sharon received her first five pound star, and Elizabeth reached her 15 pound milestone. Great job!

WW Product of the Week

Fruities and Cappuccino Cremes - If you just need "a little something" you've got to give these a try. Each sleeve adds up to only 1 Point, and will keep your mouth busy for a good long time.

Weekly Potpourri

All right, I have a confession. It's really HARD to come up with something new to highlight or link to each week. Favorite food? New online tool? I GOT NOTHIN' this week.

Did you know that YOU can help me though? You can even drop me a comment on these entries. I'd love to know what new foods, new things, new healthy websites or articles you're digging right now. I'll help spread the word!

What's Hot at WW.com?

It's time to highlight a success story. Many of you know that I lost 26 pounds, and there might be a handful of you who think that if your total is more than that we won't relate. Somehow I doubt it, but if you want to read about someone who has lost over 100 pounds, check out Blenda's story. If she can do it, so can you!

Quote of the Week

Obstacles in life are like logs in your path. You can step over it or move it out of the way. You could cut it up and make firewood. - Unknown

Weekly Recipe: Tabouli

Tabouli
Makes 5 servings
5 Points value

This is a recipe that Marta gave to me - I tweaked it a little bit and ran it through the recipe builder. Note that if you make the recipe as stated and have 1/5 of it, you're getting one teaspoon of healthy oil!

1 cup bulgur
3 bunches parsley, washed well and finely chopped in a food processor
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1/4 cup mint, finely chopped
4 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 cup scallions, finely chopped
1 cup garbanzo beans
5 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Put bulgur into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Cover the bowl and let stand for 10 minutes. Check for tenderness. If the bulgur is still crunchy, add a bit more hot water and let it sit, covered, until it absorbs the water and becomes tender, not mushy. (Alternatively, you can cover the bulgur with cold water and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight while it absorbs the water. Either way, depending on how far in advance you think about it.)

Combine all ingredients and let sit for 20 minutes to allow flavors to combine.

Per serving: 246 cal, 5.8g fat, 9.1g fiber

September Update: Goals 2009

So, Stephanie. It's October. How are you doing on those goals you set at the beginning of the year?

Well, if you must know, I've spent the past nine months basically circling around them. Well, okay, I drink a lot less diet soda than I used to. But the weight loss? I've not really done so well, if I'm honest. In fact, I weigh a couple pounds more now than I did at the start of January.

So what gives? What have I been doing with all these months? I don't really know, but it wasn't what really needed to happen.

About a week and a half ago, I decided something needed to change. I went to a website that I'd heard about for helping people lose weight. Obviously, I'm not talking about the Weight Watchers website - this time I'm talking about SparkPeople. I'd heard it was a great tool for tracking what you eat.

Yes, I know Weight Watchers has a tool that does exactly that. And I've used it for many years. But I needed something...different.

I've been tracking with it for about a week and a half, and so far it has been helpful at keeping my eating in check. Does it give me anything I didn't know before? No. Although now I actually know how many calories I eat, rather than Points. But it's not a huge revolution in the diet industry. It was just a change. I needed to use a new, shiny tool, or see things in a slightly different manner.

Don't get me wrong - I am still looking at Points values. I am still following the Good Health Guidelines. In fact, I'm going to be fiddling around with the new eTools application on my husband's iPod Touch because we'll be traveling in a few weeks and I want to be able to look up Points while we're eating away from home.

To please the Weight Watchers gods, I would like to state for the record that SparkPeople's database of foods cannot hold a candle to Weight Watchers'. I tried building a recipe at SparkPeople...and couldn't find scallions. The whole process took much longer than it takes me on eTools, and is sometimes an exercise in frustration.

What I hope to distill from all of this (and what I hope you'll take away from this) is not that Weight Watchers is lacking in anything. It's that sometimes you need to make a change. Sometimes you need to shake things up. Sometimes you need to look at things differently. Sometimes using the same tool gets boring.

Coincidentally, this week's topic is going to be about fighting boredom when it comes to following the program. Obviously that can extend beyond just food choices and exercise options. If you've been craving a change, I hope you'll consider a change that still involves our Weight Watcher meetings and can still fit within what I believe is one of the smartest weight loss programs out there. Let's light this fire together.

Newsletter, week of October 4th

Last Week

Find out why you're turning to food when you're not hungry, and you've taken the first step to not doing it again. What could you do instead that would give you the same positive feeling but not the negative calorie result?

This Week

You join WW, you find some low Point foods, you eat them. And you eat them again. And again. Bored yet? We'll talk about ways to keep from getting bored with your routine so you keep wanting to be in it!

Kudos

Erika, Estella and Julie all got their first 5 pound stars, Cathy reached 10 pounds lost, and Lurenette got her 5% star. And Heidi reached a wonderful milestone - 110 pounds lost!

WW Product of the Week

We try to help you fight boredom by rotating the flavors of our snacks that we sell in the meeting room. Have you tried the pizza pretzels yet? How about the red velvet bar? My favorite still, and will always be, Peanut Butter Bliss. Oh yes. I don't think I'll ever get bored with that one.

Weekly Potpourri

I stumbled onto an article yesterday that says too many Americans still don't eat enough fruits and vegetables. Not even a third of us meet the 5 a day target? Good grief!

Chances are that if you've willingly set your browser to a domain called Outsmart the Fat, you aren't one of those people that the CDC is talking about. But it wouldn't surprise me if you know someone who is! Maybe you even live with one. It looks like we've still got work to do, and Weight Watchers won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

What's Hot at WW.com?

I love to cook, but maybe some of you don't. Or you just don't have the time. Don't forget your microwave! You'll find some time-saving ideas...so there's no excuse!

Quote of the Week

If you're coasting, you're either losing momentum or else you're headed downhill. - Joan Welsh

Weekly Recipe: Pumpkin Pie Pancakes

Pumpkin Pie Pancakes
Serves 4
5 Points value

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3 Tbsp packed brown sugar
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
4 tsp unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
4 Tbsp maple syrup

Whisk together flours, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk the buttermilk, pumpkin, butter and egg in another bowl until blended. Add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture, stirring until just blended.

Spray a large nonstick skillet or griddle with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. When a drop of water sizzles on it, pour the batter onto the skillet by scant 1/4 cupfuls. Cook just until bubbles begin to appear at the edges of the pancakes, 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook until golden, 2-3 minutes longer. Repeat with the rest of the batter, making a total of 8 pancakes. Serve with the syrup.

Per serving: 222 cal, 6g fat (3g sat fat), 2g fiber, 383mg sodium

Newsletter, week of September 27th

Last Week

One of the best ways to make sure you succeed is to set some goals. What goal did you set for yourself this week?

This Week

It's common to mistake emotional hunger for physical hunger. This is one of our heavier topics, but for many of us, managing this issue is key to conquering our weight issues.

Kudos

This was a big week! We celebrated Linda's 5% achievement, and gave Trista a 45 pound star. Trina received her 50 pound star AND reached her goal weight. And Rosemary became a Lifetime member! I think these gals knew all about setting goals, don't you?

WW Product of the Week

Weight Watchers Walking Kit - one way to handle emotional eating is to distract yourself. What better way to do that than by burning calories instead of eating them? This kit will help you develop a walking plan, or give you an interesting twist to your existing routine.

Weekly Potpourri

Okay, so Lose For Good is clicking right along, and some of you know that our very own Fern is responsible for working with the charity that is receiving food donated to our Clairemont center. Well, the bins were full, so we snapped a photo before they came to pick it up. 451.5 pounds of food so far! Thanks for all your donations, and remember, you have until October 17th if you'd still like to participate.



Incidentally, that's a photo posted on my Weight Watchers Facebook profile. Yes, I know, that's probably overkill. But if you want to add me, click on the badge to the right side of my main blog page, or look for "Leader Steph", or use my zerneeak email address. Also know that you'll probably easily find my personal profile, but if you're looking for weight-centric stuff, my first name is Leader. Ha!

What's Hot at WW.com?

Why aren't you losing weight? If you've ever asked yourself that question, please read this article. It might give you some things to target if you're looking to get back on track. Some of these are things we don't even notice!

Quote of the Week

The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible. - Richard M. DeVos

Weekly Recipe: Spaghetti with Creamy Spinach Sauce

Spaghetti with Creamy Spinach Sauce
Serves 4
6 Points value

8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti
2 1/2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
8 ounces fresh baby spinach
1 1/4 cups fat-free ricotta cheese

Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Transfer the spaghetti to a large bowl and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat; add the onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is tender, 6-8 minutes. Add the spinach, in batches if necessary, and cook, stirring constantly, until the spinach is wilted, 2-3 minutes. Add the spinach mixture and the ricotta to the spaghetti; toss to coat, adding the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to make a creamy sauce.

Per serving: 321 cal, 4g fat (1g sat fat), 11g fiber, 468mg sodium

Newsletter, week of September 20th

I'm headed out of town for a few days, so this is coming out a bit earlier than usual.

Last Week

Red light foods can trigger overeating. But there are tips to deal with them, and you can decide to focus on the green light stuff - that's right, Filling Foods!

This Week

Goals - they're important, right? I think so and we'll discuss why. Goals don't need to be focused entirely on the scale read-out, so we'll discuss non-scale goals as well.

Kudos

This week we gave five pound stars to Ginger and Ellie, and celebrated a 5% award with Tracy.

WW Product of the Week

This week we'll be sampling our new Pizza Pretzels. Come get your free taste! You might find it's a good alternative to something that might otherwise be a trigger food.

Quote of the Week

If you develop the habits of success, you will make success a habit. - Michael E. Angier

Weekly Recipe: Persian Spiced Carrots

Persian Spiced Carrots
Makes 4 Servings
1 Points value

1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 pound carrots, sliced on the diagonal 1/4 inch thick
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 bay leaf

To prepare the dressing, toast the cumin and cinnamon in a small skillet over medium-low heat just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Combine the spices with the lemon juice, oil, honey, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the carrots, garlic, and bay leaf; return to a boil and cook until the carrots are tender, 4-5 minutes. Drain the carrots; discard the garlic and bay leaf.

Toss the carrots with the dressing to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Per serving: 92 cal, 2g fat, 3g fiber, 205mg sodium

Newsletter, week of September 13th

Last Week

Restaurant dining can be tricky, but with our tips we can make sure we don't accidentally go overboard.

This Week

You might know that there are certain foods or situations that "set you off" - we'll talk about how to deal with them, or to figure out what those things are if you haven't identified them yet.

Kudos

Bernice received her 20 pound star this week!

WW Product of the Week

Easy Measure Serving set - sometimes your eyes are bigger than your stomach, and you'll find that your portion sizes might be bigger than you think they are. These serving spoons not only look good, but keep you from dishing up more than you need!

Quote of the Week

There are only two options regarding commitment; you're either in or you're out. There's no such thing as life in-between. - Pat Riley

Weekly Recipe: Hogazas with Sausage and Peppers

Hogazas with Sausage and Peppers
Serves 4
2 Points per serving

2 ounces chorizo sausage
1 red bell pepper, roasted
8 (2-inch) slices Italian bread
1 Tbsp minced cilantro or parsley

Peel the papery casing from the chorizo and pierce the sausage all over with a fork. Place in a nonstick skillet with enough water to cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a cutting board. Finely chop the sausage and the roasted pepper and combine them in a small bowl.

Toast the bread slices until golden. Spoon the chopped sausage and pepper mixture on the toasts. Sprinkle with the cilantro.

1 serving is 2 hogazas.

Tenterhooks!

If you read last week's entry with my goal updates, I'm certain you've been waiting breathlessly to know what happened at the scale this week.

I lost 4.2 pounds.

That's 0.2 shy of what I gained last week, but close enough. See? Temporary! Incidentally, today's weight (137.8) is the lowest I've weighed in at since the end of May. So either that tells you how rough the summer has been, or how well I've done in the last couple of weeks (I'm more inclined to the latter). I do feel like the last 2 weeks have been more in control, so I'm hoping to continue that momentum into September - I have a few trips coming up that will challenge me, so I need to be on my game before I leave!

Happy Labor Day, all.

Newsletter, week of September 6th

Last Week

We kicked off our 2nd Lose for Good campaign. Now is the time to make sure you're in weight-loss mode. For you and for others!

This Week

Is dining out causing you to fall off program? We'll discuss ways to handle restaurant eating, since it's unlikely we can avoid them forever!

Monday group: remember, we are closed for the holiday. You are welcome to attend a different meeting next week, but come back the following week and tell us about it!

Kudos

Ettie received her 10 pound star, and Jill received her 20 pound star. Both ladies fought hard for these last five pounds, so the victory is sweet.

WW Product of the Week

Dining Out Companion - one of the mistakes people make is ordering a dish without thinking how many Points it's going to cost. This book takes some of the guesswork out by providing Points values for lots of different restaurants. It's an extremely valuable tool if you like to dine out.

Quote of the Week

To think that you are not going to fail is an illusion. Fail faster, you will only be closer to what you want. - Unknown

Weekly Recipe: Banana Pudding Pops

Banana Pudding Pops
Serves 8
1 Points value

1 envelope (4 1/2 cup servings) reduced-calorie instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups skim milk
2 bananas, peeled and cut into 4 chunks each

Prepare the pudding with the milk, following package directions.

Push 1 wooden ice-cream stick into each banana chunk; place each in one 5-ounce plastic drinking cup. Pour the pudding into the cups, filling each two-thirds full. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Per serving: 59 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 192mg sodium

August Update: Goals 2009

August sure got away from me quickly, so it's time for another update on my 2009 goals.

1. The weight thing

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I was actually doing pretty well in August, and lost 0.4 pounds 3 weeks in a row. So there I was at the scale yesterday, anxiously awaiting the results, thinking I'd have some progress to report.

142

In the past 7 days I gained 4.4 pounds.

Now you know me, I'm a numbers person. This means (in theory) that I took in 15,840 more calories than I burned. I guarantee you this did not happen - I'm pretty sure I'd remember that. Therefore, we're talking some sort of water weight thing. And this is the same thing I'll tell you guys at the scale. You don't just gain multiple pounds of fat (or muscle) that quickly.

So I just have to take this for what it is, stay focused, and boy oh boy should next week's weigh in be a doozy. I hope. I'll let you know.

2. The diet soda thing

I think when I started this goal in January, I honestly thought I'd be drinking virtually zero diet soda. So I think I probably drink more diet soda than I originally figured I would be. But compared to the 32 ounce fountain drink I had every day (and sometimes more) my intake is still well below what it once was. I don't subscribe to the "diet soda is pure evil" camp, so I still think I'm doing just fine.

Newsletter, week of August 30th

The newsletter has been working hard all year, so for the next month or so you'll see an abbreviated version. Still the things you NEED to know, but fewer random links and features.

Last Week

Continuing the quest to get back on track after summer, we discussed how to learn from experience and manage our environments to see success.

Next Week

Lose for Good is back! If you don't remember it from last year, we'll introduce the program, but also discuss "losing for good" as a weight loss concept as well. Let this be the last time you join Weight Watchers.

Kudos

Apologies to the Monday night group for missing this week's meeting. That means you'll have to catch me up on your successes next week! But on Wednesday Tracy received her first five pound star.

WW Product of the Week

You'll see some information about the Lose for Good campaign in our latest issue of Weight Watchers Magazine. You'll also find some meal plans, recipes, and success stories. Pick one up if you haven't already.

Quote of the Week

I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed. - Michael Jordan

Weekly Recipe: Two-Fruit Fool

Two-Fruit Fool
Serves 4
3 Points values

1 8-ounce container frozen fat-free nondairy whipped topping, thawed
3 Tbsp blueberry preserves
3 Tbsp apricot preserves

Divide the whipped topping between 2 bowls. With a rubber spatula, gently fold the blueberry preserves into one bowl, and the apricot preserves into the other.

Gently spoon the blueberry mixture evenly into the bottom of 4 glass sundae dishes (or wine glasses!). Spoon the apricot mixture evenly over that. Serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Per serving: 147 cal, 1g fat, 1g fiber, 35mg sodium

Newsletter, week of August 23rd

Last Week

Hitting plateaus is pretty common. Overcoming them sets you apart from the rest. Use the tips we shared and you'll be able to stay on track.

This Week

Building on last week's topic, we'll talk about some of the mental aspects of getting back on track.

Kudos

Michele got her first 5 pound star, Doni reached 15 pounds lost, and Candy has now lost 70.0 pounds! (yes, that's an exact amount - =p )

WW Product of the Week

We've received our new fall products, and among them you'll find the cookbook I mentioned in this week's recipe post, red velvet 1 Point mini bars, pizza flavored pretzels, and our fall smoothie - white chocolate peppermint. I just had the smoothie for breakfast, and it's really good! I typically enjoy the fall seasonal flavors since they mimic fancy coffee drinks. Check them out!

Weekly Potpourri

Some of you know that Amber and Dan from our Wednesday group are training for the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk. This is their second year participating, and they are co-captaining their team. If you're a fan of cancer research, please consider visiting their team page and making a donation. Or be even crazier, and sign up for it yourself! If the pocketbook won't allow, just contemplate...walking 60 miles in 3 days. Pretty good, huh?

What's Hot at WW.com?

It's time for another success story. Many of us have said "I know what I need to do, I just can't get myself to do it." Well, that's what Teresa said, because hey, she's a registered dietitian! But sometimes it's more than just knowing the facts, right?

Quote of the Week

Everyone's life is under someone's control - it might as well be under your own so that you can direct your destiny. - Harry Tucker

Weekly Recipe: New Orleans Muffaletta Sandwich

This is from our newest cookbook Comfort Classics, and I can't stop looking at the picture - there's no way this won't taste good.

New Orleans Muffaletta Sandwich
Serves 4
6 Points value

1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1/2 cup giardiniera, rinsed, drained and chopped
1/4 cup pimiento-stuffed green olives, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch dried oregano
1 8-ounce whole-wheat french bread loaf or round, halved horizontally
4 ounces (4 slices) reduced-fat deli provolone
6 ounces (8 slices) deli turkey ham

Stir the celery, giardiniera, olives, garlic, and oregano together in a small bowl.

Remove and discard some of the soft crumbs from the center of the bread. Spoon the celery mixture evenly on the bottom of the bread. Top evenly with the cheese and ham. Cover with the top of the bread. Cut the sandwich into fourths and serve at once. Or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 6 hours.

Per serving: 274 calories, 11g fat (5g sat fat), 2g fiber, 1,105mg sodium

Newsletter, week of August 16th

Last Week

Cravings are unavoidable. Respond to them in a variety of ways, but don't ignore them! That's a recipe for disaster.

This Week

Are you having trouble getting or staying on track? Stalls in weight loss are common, but we have tools to help you refocus and get where you want to be.

Kudos

This week we gave a 5 pound star to John, a 10 pound star to David, 15 pound stars to Doni, Tauni and Gretchen, and gave a 25 pound star to Alma. Doni also celebrated reaching her 5% target. And Karen is our newest Lifetime Member!

WW Product of the Week

Three Month Journals - if you're "not on track" you're likely not keeping track. If you pick one of these up, there's really no excuse - you have the ability to track 12 weeks of information, plus you'll find motivational quotes and recipes when you flip through. Check it out!

Weekly Potpourri

I do a lot of reading about food, food issues, that kind of thing. Many of you have probably heard of books like Fast Food Nation or The Omnivore's Dilemma (and if you haven't, check them out!). But I'm turning the tables today. I'd love to hear from YOU. Have you read any interesting food or weight related books lately? Let me know in comments. There's always room in my budget for another book purchase!

What's Hot at WW.com?

When we discussed cravings this week, we said that one of the causes can be that we are overly restricted. So when I stumbled onto an article titled The Post-Weigh In Free For All it seemed rather relevant. There are some good tips at the end that...ahem...it wouldn't hurt me to pay attention to as well!

Quote of the Week

Be careful the environment you choose for it will shape you; be careful the friends you choose for you will become like them. - W. Clement Stone

Weekly Recipe: Stuffed Chile Peppers

This recipe is courtesy of WW coworker Debbie (some of you know who I mean!) and I think it sounds awesome.

Stuffed Chile Peppers
This will stuff 5-6 peppers depending on their variety and size.
Serving size: 2 stuffed peppers
2 stuffed peppers = 8 WW points
1 stuffed pepper = 3 WW Points

½ cup yellow summer squash, cut in small pieces
½ cup zucchini, cut in small pieces
½ cup onion, diced
½ cup carrots, diced
½ cup bell pepper, diced
½ cup broccoli, chopped
2 Tbsp oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp pepper
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp ground thyme
¼ tsp ground cumin
¾ tsp chili powder
14 oz can diced tomatoes
6 oz mozzarella cheese – or other cheese of choice
Poblano peppers – or other pepper of choice
½ cup canned (or homemade) enchilada sauce

Preheat oven to 350.

Prepare vegetable filling by tossing all the cut vegetables with all of the oil, garlic, herbs and spices until evenly coated and place onto baking pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Keep warm, set aside.

Cut the chiles lengthwise for stuffing. Remove the seeds. Poach the chiles in boiling water for 5 minutes, remove from water and drain on paper towel.

Toss the vegetable mixture with 3 ounces of the cheese and the tomatoes.

Line the bottom of a hotel pan with the enchilada sauce.

Fill each chili with about ½ cup of the vegetable stuffing and place in the pan of enchilada sauce. Top with remainder of cheese.

Bake 20 minutes.


Optional: when serving, spoon some of the enchilada sauce over the top and garnish with a green onion sprig or herb of choice – be creative with your presentation.

Newsletter, week of August 9th

Last Week

I hope you enjoyed sharing food ideas with each other. Remember, you're always welcome to bring in a food package for show and tell. We never get tired of talking about food, and we can always use new ideas.

This Week

Cravings - they strike fear in the heart of anyone trying to eat less. We'll tackle the topic and how to try and get them under control.

Kudos

Stephanie and Kaitlyn received their first 5 pound stars, Erica reached 15 pounds lost, Dawna reached 43 pounds lost, and Heidi has now lost 105 pounds! We also gave out 16 Week Stay and Succeed charms to Jack and Connie, and awarded August Lifetime at Goal stars to Marianne and Lynn. Wednesday free Lifetimers - and I know there are plenty of you - I think we forgot about this! Make sure you get yours next week - remind me if I forget!

WW Product of the Week

Now through the end of August, all of our 2 Point bars and baked snacks are on sale. Essentially, anything we sell at $4.50 a box (pretzels, cheddar twists, apple cinnamon bar, etc.) is now $1.00 off, priced at $3.50. If there's something you love, now is the time to stock up, since it will save you money!

Weekly Potpourri

I linked to a Glasbergen comic in one of my newsletters a year or two ago, and it ends up being my most popular page according to my stats counter - this guy is pretty well known and sought out, I guess. You can check out a bunch of health and weight related comics, like this one at his website: Randy Glasbergen.

What's Hot at WW.com?

The dairy GHG is usually a troublesome one for many members. We specifically talked about it Wednesday, and someone mentioned an article on the Weight Watchers website. Well, out of the kindness of my heart, here you go. It not only talks about why dairy is beneficial, it also has tons of ideas to make it happen.

Quote of the Week

You cannot change anything in your life with intention alone, which can become a watered-down, occasional hope that you'll get to tomorrow. Intention without action is useless. - Caroline Myss

Weekly Recipe: Duck Tostadas

Here's something different. This isn't personally tested, but it caught my eye as something out of the ordinary. You could substitute boneless chicken thighs if you can't find duck.

Duck Tostadas
Serves 4
5 Points value

1 pound boneless duck breast (skin on)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 (6 inch) fat-free flour tortillas
4 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
1 apple, cored and sliced into thin wedges
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Make about 4 diagonal slashes 1/4 inch deep in skin of duck breast. Sprinkle the duck with the salt and pepper. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the duck and cook until cooked through, 4-5 minutes on each side. Place the duck on paper towels and let stand about 5 minutes. Remove the skin, then thinly slice the duck across the grain.

Meanwhile, cook the tortillas, one at a time, in a medium nonstick skillet, over high heat until crisped, about 40 seconds on each side. On each tortilla, spread 1 tsp mustard and sprinkle 2 Tbsp cheese. Evenly arrange the duck slices and apple wedges alternately in a circular pattern over the tortillas; sprinkle with the cilantro.

Per serving: 245 calories, 4g fat (2g sat fat), 2g fiber, 819mg sodium

July Update: Goals 2009

Here we are, another month gone. So how am I doing at achieving the goals I set back in January?

1. Get back down to 130 (then later revised to try and break it down 2 pounds at a time)

I started the month at 138.6, and just 30 minutes ago I checked in at 138.0. So at least I'm lower than when I started. I think honestly, I'm just not "discontent" enough to really make it happen.

I don't really have any enlightened thoughts on all of that right now, but I do think this is a relevant place to mention that today's weigh in now marks my twelfth anniversary at goal. I'm not sure I ever believed back then that I'd be able to keep this up for so long. And I sure never envisioned that I'd be leading meetings and loving every second of it. But here we are.

So as much as I still struggle with my personal goal to get to a vanity weight, I think it's good to stop and reflect on everything I've accomplished. I'm certain that living 12 years at a healthy weight has been beneficial for my long-term health and wellness. It's enabled me to run 5 marathons. Which means...I'm an athlete. I get to spend some time helping other people make positive changes in their lives, and along the way I've met some pretty special people (some of whom are probably reading this right now!).

How's that for a little positive self-talk?

2. Lay off the diet soda

I'm still clicking along well on this one - I think in July I did a much better job at limiting my sodas to eating in restaurants, and not sneaking an extra one in here and there.

Since diet soda spawned my last entry on sodium, it might be good to reflect that since I don't drink a 32oz fountain soda every day now, I'm saving hundreds of milligrams of sodium each week. That's not too shabby, though I wish it was as easy to save a few hundred calories!

The Scoop on Sodium

This past week I was talking with a member, and she made a comment about how much sodium there was in diet soda. Frankly, this surprised me. When people pooh-pooh diet soda, it's generally not because of the sodium content. I am by no means an expert on sodium - I've never had to really pay attention to my intake - it's something that's just background noise for me. So I decided to look into it, and I'm sharing some of my findings with you.

Sodium - it's an element that our bodies need to function properly. The body uses it to regulate blood pressure and blood volume. Our muscles and nerves also apparently need it. But too much sodium can have negative effects. It can raise blood pressure, and for those with congestive heart failure or kidney disease it can lead to fluid build-up. Those with high blood pressure are at higher risk for heart disease and stroke, so sodium is definitely an area of concern.

How much is enough? The dietary guidelines published by the US Government recommend no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium each day. Folks with high blood pressure and other at-risk groups should have even less. 2,300 milligrams of sodium is the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of table salt. That's not a whole lot!

Now that I've set the stage, let's get back to the diet soda. It turns out that the USDA has a nutrient database (that you can see for yourself here) and you can view sodium content for all sorts of foods sorted either alphabetically or by sodium content.

I set out to find not only the diet soda, but some other exciting examples. From lowest to highest, here are some selected items:

0mg - 1.5 ounces of 90 proof alcohol (gin, vodka, whiskey, rum)
15mg - 12 ounces of cola containing caffeine
28mg - 12 ounces of low calorie soda containing caffeine
39mg - 1 boiled beet
50mg - 1 raw carrot
104mg - 1 slice reduced-calorie white bread
206mg - 1 plain hamburger bun
316mg - 1 ounce feta cheese
402mg - 2 slices dry salami
513mg - 1 beef frankfurter
718mg - 1 cup canned garbanzo beans
918mg - 1 cup lowfat cottage cheese
1010mg - 1 cup canned vegetable soup
1108mg - 1 fast food cheeseburger (with condiments and vegetables)
1323mg - 1 cup home-prepared potato salad
1560mg - 1 cup canned sauerkraut
2325mg - 1 teaspoon table salt
3132mg - 1 packet dehydrated onion soup mix**

So there you have it. Diet soda? Not sodium-free, but in fact it is low enough in sodium per serving that the FDA allows the manufacturers to claim it is a low sodium beverage - check for it the next time you see a can of Diet Coke. But some of these items above surprise me. I think most people figure canned soup and sauerkraut is going to be salty. But cottage cheese? And even a raw carrot! Most fruits and vegetables show up on the database way at the end, with fewer than 10mg of sodium.

The biggest contributor to sodium content is salt that is added - mostly during food processing, rather than salt that occurs naturally. Frozen foods, canned foods, prepared foods and the like are pretty much uniformly higher in sodium than their fresh counterparts. If you need to reduce your sodium intake, those are the labels you definitely need to be reading.

And that, kids, is what you get when I do about 30 minutes of high quality internet research! Got a health-related question like this that you'd like me to tackle? Let me know, and I'll do the Google legwork for you. :)


** This amuses me - I know the serving size is different, but all I can think of is "Onion soup mix - it's saltier than salt!" I'm sure the ad wizards at Lipton will be stealing that from me shortly.



Sources of information include the American Heart Association, the National Institutes of Health, and the US Department of Agriculture websites. I also discovered you can download the full 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans - an 80+ page PDF - from the Department of Health & Human Services website. I haven't read it all yet, but just you wait!

Newsletter, week of August 2nd

Last Week

Lose your weight FOREVER. Think about eating and moving in a sustainable way. This is a lifestyle, not a temporary solution.

This Week

FOOD SWAP! Virtually, not really. But bring in labels, containers, or at the very least specific details about your favorite foods. If you're in a food rut, this is not to be missed.

Week 4 of the Fruits and Veggies challenge - get 5 servings of fruits & vegetables a day - AKA our Good Health Guideline. For advanced members, try getting ALL the guidelines met this week.

Kudos

Sharon got her first 5 pound star, Kim received a 15 pound star, Trina hit 45 pounds, and Kim got her 10% target award. Strong week for our ladies.

WW Product of the Week

Since we're talking food, let's highlight all of the WW food products. Whether it's a snack (check out our bars or baked snacks), a breakfast (check out our smoothies and our oatmeal), a dinner (remember our sides?) or even something to chew on (think Fruities and Cappuccino Melts) there is something for everyone. Portioned out, Points values figured, what more could you want?

Weekly Potpourri

I'm going to do something a little different this week. A conversation about sodium got me curious, and I'm going to hold off putting anything in here in favor of a longer, separate entry. Look for that maybe by the end of today - my "real job" beckons for now....

What's Hot at WW.com?

There's never enough time in a 30 minute meeting to really discuss everything. So in honor of last week's topic, this is a fantastic article that really fleshes out why looking at this process as a permanent lifestyle change is the way to go. It also busts some myths that might be keeping you in that diet mindset.

Quote of the Week

Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there. - John Wooden

Weekly Recipe: Indonesian Rice

We're going in the Way Back Machine today for this recipe. This is from the Simply the Best cookbook, which came out in 1997 when Points were first introduced - it also happens to be the year I became a Lifetime Member. August marks my 12 year anniversary at goal! So here's a bit of nostalgia....

Indonesian Rice
Serves 4
5 Points value

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 Tbsp mango chutney
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp curry powder, or to taste
4 cups hot cooked brown rice

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring as needed, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the bell peppers, celery, chutney, soy sauce and curry; cook, stirring as needed, until the vegetables are tender, 5-6 minutes. Stir in the rice and fluff with a fork.

Per serving: 304 calories, 5g fat (1g sat fat), 5g fiber, 253mg sodium

Newsletter, week of July 26th

Last Week

Keep your exercise plan consistent this summer. That might mean having backup plans for when it's too hot, or just having fun outside because you can.

This Week

Are you still in the diet mindset? This week we'll make sure you're all here For The Very Last Time (if you know what I mean).

Fruit & Veggie Challenge - this week's challenge is to try a fruit or vegetable you've never tried before. I think I'm going to hit up 99 Ranch or Zion Marketplace to see if I can find something interesting. Be ready to report your findings!

Kudos

This week's winning losers are Kendria, Kaithlyn and Elizabeth who got their week 2 bookmarks, Nellie who is at 16 weeks, Erica who reached her 5% target, Trista who has lost 40.6 pounds, Velma who has now lost 55.2 pounds, and Kim who is a Lifetime member back at goal!

WW Product of the Week

Sustainable weight loss means a lifetime of healthy eating. If you're bored with your meals, check out our cookbooks. I personally own probably 99% of the cookbooks we've sold in the meeting room in the last 5 years, and I can tell you they are full of GREAT recipes. (Pro Tip: a lot of the recipes I post here come from my huge stash!)

Weekly Potpourri

I know I've posted this product before (and even did a blog entry about a recipe I used it in here, but it bears repeating. The folks at Bell Plantation have found a way to make powdered peanut butter that is WAY lower in calories and fat than the regular stuff.

You take a spoonful of this stuff and mix it with water. Voila, you've got real peanut butter. And if you read about those peanut butter cookies, you'll know that I think it tastes like the real thing. I'm posting about this again because now they have a chocolate peanut butter that leaves me beside myself with anticipation.

You've got to order this stuff online, and you will pay for shipping, so it might be best to gather your buddies and order in bulk. You can also order a sample to see if it's really to your liking.

What's Hot at WW.com?

Ah, summer. There can be pitfalls when it comes to your eating, but this article will help you steer clear of them.

Quote of the Week

Every man is the architect of his own fortune. - Sallust

Weekly Recipe: Strawberry-Raspberry Granita

Strawberry-Raspberry Granita
Serves 8
1 Points value

1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup raspberries (about 1/2 pint)
1 (1-pound) container strawberries, hulled
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Combine water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; refrigerate until cool, about 20 minutes.

Put the raspberries in a food processor and puree until smooth. Press through a sieve set over a medium bowl and discard the seeds; add to the cooled syrup. Puree the strawberries in the food processor; add to the syrup. Stir well; pour into a 9-inch square baking pan.

Cover the pan with foil; place in the freezer until the fruit mixture is frozen around the edges, about 2 hours. With a fork, stir the frozen edges in toward the center of the pan. Cover and freeze until completely frozen, at least 3 hours or up to overnight.

Let the granita stand at room temperature to soften slightly, about 15 minutes. With the tip of a spoon, scrape across the surface of the granita, transferring the shards to chilled dessert dishes or wineglasses.

Per serving: 75 cal, 0g fat, 2g fiber, 2mg sodium

Newsletter, week of July 19th

Last Week

Vacation doesn't need to be a dirty word when it comes to weight loss. It can be a great excuse to take care of yourself or get more active!

Your fruit & veggie challenge for this week - fill your plate half full with fruits and vegetables!

This Week

It's been warm lately, but that doesn't mean your activity has to suffer. No matter what the forecast, we can Move More. Be there this week to learn how!

Kudos

Maureen and Jeff both reached their 5% targets. Candy received her 65 pound star.

WW Product of the Week

Whenever we talk of activity, it's a good excuse to remind you all of our helpful products. Given the weather, maybe an indoor workout is in order. Check out our DVD that can give you a variety of workouts year-round no matter what the temperature is outside.

Weekly Potpourri

This is by any stretch of the imagination completely unrelated to Weight Watchers. But did you know that this weekend is the annual US Open Sandcastle Competition? My "real job" is a sponsor, which is how I caught on to this. Get outside and enjoy the day - strap on some good walking shoes and we can call it WW-related!

What's Hot at WW.com?

Since we were talking travel this past week, here's an article with some travel tips. We covered the food part in the meeting room, this will help you with the actual act of traveling.

Quote of the Week

If you believe you can, you probably can. If you believe you won't, you most assuredly won't. Belief is the ignition switch that gets you off the launching pad. - Denis Waitley

Weekly Recipe: Zucchini Crust Pizza

Zucchini Crust Pizza
Serves 6
4 Points value


3 cups shredded zucchini
3/4 cup egg substitute
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 small tomatoes, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup julienned green pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, combine zucchini and egg substitute. Stir in flour and salt. Spread onto the bottom of a 12-in. pizza pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake at 450° for 8 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°. Sprinkle with the mozzarella, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, oregano, basil and Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until onion is tender and cheese is melted. Yield: 6 slices.

Per serving: 190 calories, 8g fat (5g sat fat), 2g fiber, 431mg sodium

This is a great recipe to help you meet our weekly fruits and vegetables challenges.

Find more recipes like this one at Taste of Home.

Newsletter, week of July 12th

Last Week

We kicked off the 4 Weeks to 5 Servings by talking about the benefits of fruits and vegetables, how to get them in, and why we might want to shoot for a variety of colors. Your challenge this week - 3 different colors every day.

Next Week

For many of you, summertime is vacation time. We'll talk about how vacations can actually help your weight loss efforts, and discuss strategies for success.

Kudos

Ana and Ettie received their first 5 pound stars, Sara, Erica and Jeff reached 10 pounds lost. Our huge celebration for the week was for Heidi - she's now lost 102.6 pounds, and is mighty close to goal. Awesome!

WW Product of the Week

If you're away from home, you might want to bring along some Weight Watchers tools. Something like our Points Clicker or Points Calculator can help you track and calculate, even when you're not in your normal routine.

Weekly Potpourri

In our discussion of vegetables (and whether or not they are funny), Marianne posed the question "why is it called eggplant?" Well, I did a quick bit of research (aka see if the folks at Wikipedia have already addressed it) and here you go: The name eggplant developed in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada because the fruits of some 18th century European cultivars were yellow or white and resembled goose or hen's eggs.

What's Hot at WW.com?

I sometimes hear about people jazzed about buying an "at goal" wardrobe. But what happens if you're not there yet? Depending on how much you have to lose, you're going to need some clothes along the way. Here's an article with some tips.

Quote of the Week

Winners are losers who got up and gave it one more try. - Dennis DeYoung

Weekly Recipe: 10-Alarm Turkey Chili

I'm taking the lazy route today and linking you to the recipe, which comes from Hungry Girl.

It's easy, it's tasty, it uses the crock pot. And it got tastier the more days it sat in the fridge. That's my kind of recipe! Plus, it will help you get those 3 colors this week!

One modification I made - I used ground chicken instead of turkey. It bugs me that ground turkey only comes in 1 1/4 pound packages, so when I saw that Henry's carried ground chicken in 1 pound packages, I was sold. I hate having 1/4 pound of ground meat leftover. And while I'm usually good at organization, the thought of smooshing together a 1/4 pound chunk 4 times to have a full pound the 5th time I use ground turkey just isn't my bag, baby.

Newsletter, week of July 5th

Last Week

Summer celebrations are a perfect excuse to break out the grill. They're also no excuse for blowing it, since summer foods can be tasty and light! Have fun and be healthy.

This Week

We're introducing a July challenge this week - 4 Weeks to 5 Servings: A Fruits-and-Veggies Challenge. The goal is to get you up to speed on the benefits of these foods health-wise AND weight-loss-wise.

Kudos

This week we celebrated a 10 pound star for Kim and a 60 pound star for Candy. There may have been more celebrations on Monday, but since I was behind the counter - I didn't get to hear one peep of the meeting! Sorry if I've left you off this week's list.

WW Product of the Week

If we're looking to increase our intake of fruits and vegetables, we might need some recipes. Take a look at the Weight Watchers magazines and our various cookbooks. You'll find plenty of ideas to up your intake!

Weekly Potpourri

If you weren't at the meeting this week, here's what you missed:


Yep, I added yet another headband to my arsenal. Incidentally, during this "photo shoot" my husband suggested that I wink at the camera. The result is just too absurd not to share:

What's Hot at WW.com?

I love baseball, so I was tickled to find an article on it here. Remember, if it's fun, you'll be happy to exercise!

Quote of the Week

Many people like to think that they'll find balance AFTER they find success. But in reality, achieving balance IS success. - Brian Koslow

Weekly Recipe: Beet Salad with Avocado and Goat Cheese

Beet Salad with Avocado and Goat Cheese
Serves 4
2 Points value

4 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 cups mixed baby salad greens
14.5 ounce can sliced beets, drained
1/2 small avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced
1 ounce fresh (mild) goat cheese, crumbled

To make the dressing, whisk together the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl.

Put the salad greens in a large bowl. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of the dressing; toss to coat. Divide the salad greens evenly among 4 plates; top with the beets and avocado, dividing evenly.

Drizzle the remaining dressing over the beets and avocado; top with the goat cheese. Serve at once.

Per serving: 102 calories, 7g fat (2g sat fat), 4g fiber, 341mg sodium