Super Bowl Munchies on the Slim

With the new year bringing many slimming down goals, Super Bowl weekend can be an eating nightmare. Here are a few Weight Watcher recipes that will keep everyone fed, with none the wiser that it's actually somewhat healthy! You can search the site for many more.

Fresh Corn Salsa, Pepper Swiss Mango Quesadillas, Chocolate-Chile Cookies
Beef Nachos
Baked Honey Mustard Chicken Bites
Hot Fiesta Dip
Grilled Corn and Avocado Salsa

Are you serving burgers but don't want the huge buns? I found these amazing buns from Earth Grains that you can sub instead. (The site has a 75 cent coupon!)

Happy eating!

Where In the World Is Weight Watcher Wednesday?

I guess now is the time to tell you-- I'm the newest receptionist at our local Weight Watcher meetings (which is part of why I am so dang busy lately)! So, I will no longer post my WW-specific posts, but I will occasionally write about healthy living. Honestly, I was struggling under the weight (no pun intended) of expected weekly posts, so this break is a bit of a relief for me.

So, how is my journey going? Yesterday marked the end of my 6-week maintenance period before hitting Lifetime! I am now officially a Lifetime member. WOO-HOO! I am beyond excited. Unfortunately, my workouts have really hit the skids with my packed schedule. With the half marathon in a month and a half, I should really be running. Now that our snow moved through last weekend, we've got sun on the horizon. I'm committing to you that I will run today. I ask that you smack me around a bit if I don't follow through. Danica, Cyndi-- that's you!! Sometimes you need a swift kick...

Weight Watchers Wednesday

I didn't gain or lose at Weight Watchers this week, but I still left with an unsettling feeling in my stomach. After 8 years of "leading", our group leader has given her resignation to Weight Watchers. Her back-up that is replacing her can only hold meetings on Tuesday nights. Because of the schedule change, two of the meeting volunteers had to quit volunteering. Weight Watchers has told the new leader that if she doesn't find 4 volunteers (which have to be at goal AND meet WW "standards"-- whatever that means), then our local Weight Watchers chapter will have to close. I am so bummed. There have been several new members start within the past couple of weeks, and I know that I would be devastated if I just decided to take on this huge challenge to find out that the help I finally asked for was no longer available. It just breaks my heart. I'm thankful that I found WW when I did, but I feel awful for those who are just now trying to fight that battle. I have offered up my time, but I have to hear back from WW about my application. We'll see what happens.

Now... on to this week's recipe:

Classic Shepherd's Pie

Was POINTS® Value: 9 Now POINTS® Value: 5 Servings: 6 Preparation Time: 25 min Cooking Time: 42 min Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Seasoned meat and vegetables are nestled under creamy mashed potatoes and then baked to form a sensational, savory pie.

Ingredients

	2 large potato(es), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
	1/4 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
	1 tbsp reduced-calorie margarine
	1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
	2 tsp olive oil
	1 cup(s) onion(s), chopped
	2 medium carrot(s), diced
	2 medium stalk(s) celery, diced
	1 pound(s) uncooked ground turkey breast
	3 tbsp all-purpose flour
	1 tbsp rosemary, fresh, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
	1 tsp dried thyme
	1/2 tsp table salt
	1/4 tsp black pepper
	2 cup(s) canned chicken broth, or beef broth

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400ºF.
  
  
• Place potatoes in a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover potatoes. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain potatoes, transfer to a large bowl and add sour cream and margarine; mash until smooth, season to taste with salt and set aside.
  
  
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Add flour, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper; stir to coat. Add broth and bring to a simmer; simmer until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.
  
  
• Transfer turkey mixture to a 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate. Spread mashed potatoes over top and using the back of a spoon, make decorative swirls over the top. Bake until potatoes are golden, about 30 minutes. Slice into 6 pieces and serve.

Enjoy!

Weight Watchers Wednesday

I reached my lifetime goal this week!! YAY! I am overjoyed. Now, I just have to stay within two pounds up or down for six weeks, and then I will no longer have to pay to attend the meetings. Woo-freakin'-hoo!

Okay... on to this week's recipe: Chocolate Mint Brownies

POINTS® Value: 3 Servings: 24 Preparation Time: 15 min Cooking Time: 35 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

Replacing regular butter with apple butter makes these brownies much lower in fat, as well as moist and rich.

Ingredients

	1 cup(s) cake flour, sifted
	1 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa
	1/4 tsp table salt
	1 cup(s) fat-free egg substitute
	1 cup(s) packed brown sugar, dark-variety
	3/4 cup(s) dark corn syrup
	3/4 cup(s) apple butter
	2 tbsp vegetable oil
	1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate square(s), melted
	36 piece(s) Cambridge Brands Junior Mints, candies, chopped (about 6 small boxes)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
  
  
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together egg substitute, sugar, corn syrup, apple butter, oil and melted chocolate. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just blended.
  
  
• Pour batter into prepared baking pan and sprinkle with candies. Bake until firm, about 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting into 24 squares. Yields 1 square per serving.

Enjoy!

Weight Watchers Wednesday

Apparently my chili-cheese dog Sunday afternoon didn't help my Monday weigh-in! :) I should have known! I'm so close to my lifetime goal that I can taste it, yet I continue to sabotage myself. The goal this week is to add more exercise. I have definitely been slacking in that department. One day a week of skiing isn't getting the job done. Enough griping... here's this week's recipe:

Hungry Girl's Cheesy Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:
1 tray Green Giant Just for One! Broccoli & Cheese Sauce
1/2 cup light (plain) soymilk
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese, chopped into pieces
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
To prepare Broccoli & Cheese Sauce, pull film back slightly to vent. Microwave for 1 1/2 minutes. Pull film back all the way (but do not remove), and stir in cheese wedge pieces. Place film b ack over the tray, and microwave for an additional 45 seconds. Mix well, and allow to cool slightly. Place broccoli/cheese mixture in a blender with soymilk. Blend at medium speed until desired consistency is reached (blend very briefly if you like broccoli pieces in your soup -- blend longer for fully pureed soup). Transfer soup to your favorite microwave-safe bowl (or your second-favorite one, if your fave isn't clean). Heat soup in the microwave for 45 seconds, or until hot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Then slurp it up! MAKES 1 SERVING

Serving Size: 1 cup (entire recipe)
Calories: 125
Fat: 5.75g
Sodium: 796mg
Carbs: 11.5g
Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 4.5g
Protein: 7g

POINTS® value 3

I haven't tried this one yet, but I am dying to. Enjoy!

Weight Watchers Wednesday

Weigh in this week went well--surprisingly so. I had hoped that I had maintained and not gained after our trip to Aspen. Instead, I lost 1.8 pounds! I am within 1.4 lbs of my lifetime goal for Weight Watchers (which means if I keep up the good work and stay within 2 lbs of that goal for 6 weeks after I hit it, then I no longer have to pay!) I was within 0.2 before and then gained, so I'm extra determined to hit that goal now to begin the six week period. I need to get back into the exercising mindset that I was in before winter hit. I actually think that getting out and skiing a bit last week helped me lose, so I've asked Jen to go skiing with me again this weekend. Every little bit helps, and it's so much easier to exercise when you have a friend with you! (This is when J would tell that skiing is fun not exercise, but when you're usually skiing alone like me, you can get bored.)

As promised, here's this week's recipe:

Cobb Salad

POINTS® Value: 6 Servings: 4 Preparation Time: 15 min Cooking Time: 0 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

	8 cup(s) romaine lettuce, chopped
	1/2 pound(s) deli-sliced turkey, cut into thin strips
	1/4 pound(s) low-fat Swiss cheese, cut into thin strips
	1 large tomato(es), diced
	8 slice(s) cooked crisp turkey bacon, crumbled
	2 large egg(s), hard-boiled, diced
	1/2 cup(s) fat-free blue cheese dressing

Instructions

• Arrange lettuce in 4 salad bowls. Evenly divide turkey, cheese, tomato, bacon and egg among bowls.
  
  
• Spoon 2 tablespoons of dressing over each salad just before serving. Yields 1 salad per serving.

Weight Watchers Wednesday

J and I were on our way to Aspen during the scheduled Weight Watchers meeting this week, so I don't have a weigh-in update for you. Instead, I'll leave you with another recipe! I picked a sweet one in honor of the upcoming Valentine holiday. Enjoy!

Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes with Cookie Crusts

POINTS® value | 3 Servings | 12 Preparation Time | 15 min Cooking Time | 0 min Level of Difficulty | Moderate

Ingredients

• 12 items chocolate wafer(s), about 2 1/2 oz
• 8 oz Neufchatel cheese, softened
• 1 cup 2% reduced fat milk
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
• 1 cup water, boiling

Instructions

• Line 12 muffin tins with paper muffin liners. Place a wafer in the bottom of each of 12 muffin tins (or custard cups); set aside. (If the wafer doesn't fit in bottom of muffin liners, break into pieces to cover bottom.)
  
  
• Place cheese in bowl of a food processor and process until loose. With food processor running, pour milk down feed tube.
  
  
• In a separate medium bowl, mix together sugar, gelatin and cocoa with a fork or spoon. Slowly add boiling water, mixing as you go; mix quickly until gelatin has completely dissolved.
  
  
• With food processor running, slowly add cocoa mixture through feed tube; process thoroughly, about 1 minute.
  
  
• Fill each muffin liner (or custard cup) with about 1/3 cup of cheese mixture. (Muffin tins will be filled up to the top; custard cups should be about 2/3 full.) Chill for a minimum of 2 hours. Yields 1 per serving.

Notes

These easy-to-make cheesecakes can be made a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. If you're a coffee lover, add a teaspoon of instant espresso to the cocoa mixture for an extra kick.

Weight Watchers Wednesday

Again, I gained. This time-- a whopping 2 pounds. I know that drinks with the girls Friday night (and the apps that came with them) and also the cheese dip fest during the Superbowl certainly didn't help. Honestly though, I've been a slug. I've had a hard time breaking out of my winter funk. I did go skiing with Jen on Sunday and had a blast, but other than that, I was a log. My focus needs to be moving. That's my biggest problem right now.

How have you been doing this winter? Have you been having an activity funk too?

Here's a recipe to try this week:

Ooey-Gooey Chili Cheese Nachos
(found via Hungry Girl)

Ingredients: -1 bag (7 oz.) Guiltless Gourmet Tortilla Chips, Yellow Corn flavor -1 package Boca Chili -4 oz. 8th Continent Light Vanilla Soymilk -3 oz. fat-free block cheddar cheese -2 oz. Velveeta made with 2% Milk -2 tbsp. fat-free cream cheese -2 tbsp. fat-free sour cream -3/4 cup Newman's Own All-Natural Bandito Salsa Directions: Melt all three cheeses in a saucepan with the soymilk; stir to combine. Prepare chili according to the directions on the box. Microwave chips until warm, and place on a large platter. Pour your low-fat cheese sauce all over your chips. Cover your chips with chili. Spoon salsa on top, along with a few dollops of fat-free sour cream, and, voila, there you have it! Makes 5 servings. *Feel free to use other brands as desired. Nutritionals will vary.

Serving Size: 1/5th of recipe Calories: 260 Fat: 4.5g Sodium: 962mg Carbs: 44g Fiber: 6.5g Sugars: 5g Protein: 16g *5 Points

Weight Watchers Wednesday

I apologize for not posting a WWW post last Wednesday. I had been out of town for my weigh in, so I completely spaced the post. I did however make it to this week's weigh in-- and was up 1 ell-bee. No biggee. I blame it on all of the sweet tea I drowned myself in during my trip home.

This weekend is a bit of a junk-food mecca with the Superbowl happenings. I found this amazing recipe via The Culinary Adventures of a New Wife blog. Considering my love of all things cheese and this weekend being Superbowl weekend, I couldn't help but repost. I haven't taken the time to calculate the Points value of this one, so eat at your own risk! (But how can you not eat queso?!)

Chile Con Queso with Baked Lime Tortilla Chips
Eating Well, Feb '09

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup light colored beer
1 1/2 cups milk, divided
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 3/4 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1 10 oz can Rotel (drained)
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
cayenne pepper to taste
1/4 cup scallions
2 tbsp fresh cilantro

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion & garlic, and saute until beginning to soften and brown. Add beer and cook until reduced slightly, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup milk and bring to a simmer.

2. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to the saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, until bubbling and thick, about 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat to low, add cheese and cook, stirring until melted. Add tomatoes, lime juice, salt, chili powder and cayenne (if using). Serve warm, garnished with cilantro & scallions.

Chile-Lime Tortilla Chips
12 6 inch corn tortillas
cooking spray
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1. Coat both sides of tortillas with cooking spray and cut into quarters. Place wedges in an even layer on 1-2 cookie sheets. Combine lime juice & chili powder in a bowl. Brush the mixture on the tortillas and sprinkle with salt.

2. Bake tortillas until golden & crisp, about 15-20 minutes. Try flipping them mid-bake to get an even crispiness.

Weight Watchers Wednesday

I'm keeping this post short since I'm traveling today. The Momentum book this week focused on keeping your food journal and tracking your points. If you're just starting Weight Watchers, you'll find that it's very easy to overindulge if you don't track points-- completely on accident. It's amazing how quickly the points will add up when you're not paying attention.

I am exactly .2 pounds from my final, ultimate weight goal that I assigned myself at my WW weekly meetings. Once you reach your final goal, you must be a paying WW member for the next six weeks and stay within two pounds of that goal... your reward-- lifetime status and free membership! Unfortunately, I have to miss next week due to travel, but I've got my fingers crossed that I'll start my six week countdown the following week.

With the Super Bowl coming up, I thought this recipe was fitting. As promised-- your weekly recipe.

Buffalo Wings with Blue Cheese Dip

POINTS® Value: 4 Servings: 4 Preparation Time: 12 min Cooking Time: 20 min Level of Difficulty: Easy

Don't succumb to traditional, artery-clogging wings. Simply bake them in a tangy rub and then dip them in lightened-up dressing.

Ingredients

	1 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray, or enough to coat sheet
	12 oz uncooked skinless chicken wing(s)
	1 1/4 oz Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix, or similar product
	1/2 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
	2 tbsp blue cheese, or gorgonzola, crumbled
	2 tbsp fat-free skim milk
	4 medium stalk(s) celery, cut into 2-inch pieces

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.
  
  
• Place chicken wings in a zip-close plastic bag, add taco seasoning, seal bag and shake to coat. Transfer wings to prepared baking sheet and bake until cooked through, about 18 to 20 minutes.
  
  
• Meanwhile, to prepare dip, whisk together sour cream, cheese and milk.
  
  
• Serve wings with dip and celery on the side. Yields about 3 wings, 3 tablespoons of dip and 1 celery stalk per serving.

Weight Watchers Wednesday

About 20 minutes before I had to leave for my weekly Weight Watchers meeting, J called to tell me that we were going to have some guests for the night. While I really wanted to just skip the meeting, I did not. Aren't you proud of me? I have actually only missed a meeting if I've been out of town and couldn't get to another meeting. So, I didn't want to break my streak now... especially when breaking the streak might cause me to go into a downward spiral of denial. ;)

So, I went to the meeting and weighed in. Surprisingly, I was down .8. Who would have guessed? I have to be honest... I abandoned counting points more than a month ago, as well as the gym. I missed a couple of days and the spiral began, hence my not wanting to miss a meeting, too-- that would only make the situation worse. Despite all of this, I have actually managed to still be down almost all of the total weight that I had lost to date. I'm telling you-- it's the change in my lifestyle and mindset! I'm just flat-out eating better and smaller portions. I still have cheese dip every now and again, but that's okay! I'm not going to live the rest of my life without eating food I love every once in a while. That, my friends, would be a diet.

I did manage to grab the weekly pamphlet on my way out the door. (I weighed in but skipped the actual meeting to go clean house for our unexpected guests.) This week's theme: Eat Out and On the Run. The gist:
-Before you go, Prepare:

• Plan ahead about what you'll eat
• Prepare your mind for success

-When you get there, Be Smart:

• Practice portion control
  
• Fit in splurges with extra Points values

So... without further ado, a recipe from Hungry Girl.

HG's Make-Mine-Mint Cookie-rific Ice Cream Freeze

PER SERVING (entire shake): 159 calories, 3.25g fat, 164mg sodium, 26.5g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 12g sugars, 6g protein -- POINTS® value 3

Ingredients:
5 ounces (1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp.) light vanilla soymilk
1/4 cup fat-free vanilla ice cream
1/2 pack 100 Calorie Packs Oreo Thin Crisps or 3/4 sheet (3 crackers) chocolate graham crackers
1 tsp. Coffee-mate Sugar Free French Vanilla powdered creamer, dissolved in 2 tbsp. warm water
2 no-calorie sweetener packets (like Splenda)
5 to 8 ice cubes or 1 cup crushed ice
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring
Optional Toppings: Fat Free Reddi-wip and additional cookie (or graham cracker) crumbs

Directions:
Lightly crush cookies or graham crackers and set aside. Place all OTHER ingredients (except for the optional toppings) in a blender. Blend on high for 45 to 60 s econds, until mixed thoroughly. Pour into a tall glass and stir in the crushed cookies or graham crackers. If you like, top it all off with some Reddi-wip and chocolate cookie/cracker crumbs. Mmmmmm!

MAKES 1 SERVING

Weight Watchers Wednesday

I gained 1.6 big ones in the past two weeks... which I think is pretty darn good considering all of the chips and queso I ate during my trip to TX... and the candy at the airport when I was rerouted... and the chocolate that 3 people decided to give me for Christmas. (I gave the chocolate that was left to our neighbor tonight just to get it out of reach!)

I had promised to give you insight into each week's pamphlet, but honestly, all of that typing got to be too much... and I think I lost most of you doing it. So-- week 3: Stay ahead of hunger-- teaches you to recognize the signals your body is sending you and not to go to long between meals. Week 4: Habits of successful members-- gives examples of members that had lost weight and what they have done to keep it off.

On to your weekly recipe:

Creamy Cucumber Dip

Ingredients:
2 cups low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 cups reduced calorie mayonnaise
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups English cucumber, diced
1/2 cups red onions, diced
6 tbsp mint leaves, fresh, chopped
6 tbsp dill, fresh, chopped

Instructions:
In a medium bowl, stir together yogurt, mayonnaise, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper until smooth.

Add cucumber, onion, mint, and dill; stir to mix.

Points value: 2; Servings: 8

Weight Watchers Wednesday: Momentum Wk 2

After three weeks of gaining little by little (a total of 1.8 ell-bees), I finally had a loss at the weekly weigh-in on Monday... 2.2! This week's loss brings me to a total of 14 pounds lost. This month has been a struggle, so my basic thinking is "get through December and you'll be okay"! It's important to remember that you will not lose weight every week. You have to take the good with the bad and be okay with an occasional set-back.

As promised, I plan to give you some insight into the second week pamphlet of the new Momentum program. This week's was called "Start Moving More", so I don't think I need to elaborate too much.
Per WW:
Understanding Why Activity is Important:
Activity burns calories. Plus, it builds, preserves, and tones muscle tissue. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat does-- even when the body is at rest. Exercise helps you look and feel great while losing weight.

And then there's activity's biggest benefit: It will help you keep the weight off once you've lost it. 90 percent of people who've kept weight off successfully include regular activity in their lives.

If you feel like you're working out, you are. All types of movement count-- aerobic activities, strength training, yoga, sports, and other flexible activities. Even housework and yardwork count!

Starting out? Start slow. Exercise is probably very new to many of you. And for many of you who are actively exercising now, activity was very new to you, too, when they were first getting started.

Jumping straight into an intense exercise regimen when you've been otherwise sedentary is a mistake. The notion of "no pain, no gain" is a thing in the past. The better approach is to start slow.

All at once or break it up? Smaller bouts of exercise added up provide the same benefits as longer sessions, as long as the bits are at least 10 minutes long. So, if breaking up your exercise into bouts is more doable for you, do it. Just track each bout, and at the end of the day, add them up.

Now... for your weekly recipe!

Seven Layer Mexican Dip

Ingredients

• 1 cup fat-free sour cream
• 2 Tbsp reduced-sodium taco seasoning
• 9 oz fat-free bean dip, about 1 heaping cup
• 6 oz guacamole, about 3/4 cup
• 1/4 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 medium scallion(s), chopped
• 1 small tomato(es), chopped
• 6 medium olive(s), black, sliced

Instructions

• Combine sour cream and taco seasoning; mix well.
  
  
• Spread bean dip on bottom of a 12-inch round glass serving bowl or edged-platter. Top with guacamole, sour cream, cheese, scallions, tomatoes and olives. Yields about 1/4 cup dip per serving.

POINTS^® value | 2
Servings | 12
Preparation Time | 15 min
Cooking Time | 0 min
Level of Difficulty | Easy

Weight Watchers' New Plan

I had some questions regarding Weight Watchers' new plan, Momentum. If you have no desire to hear about Weight Watchers, feel free to skip this lengthy post.

Over the next nine weeks, in my Weight Watchers Wednesday posts, I will try to give you a snippet of the pamphlet I'll be receiving in my Weight Watchers meetings. As the new program was just implemented nationally this past week, I received the first week's pamphlet at my meeting last Monday. To catch you up, I'm giving you last week's snippet today:

Per Weight Watchers:
The key to successfully losing weight and keeping it off is to find a sustainable plan. Something that doesn't leave you hungry. Something that doesn't leave you deprived. Something healthy. Successfully losing weight and keeping it off is not an activity you do for a few weeks and then stop. To truly succeed, you need to find an effective plan that you can make second nature. One that allows you to live your life the way you want...

The Momentum plan is the plan. It combines the very best of nutrition research with 45 years of experience helping million of members around the world lose weight. We'll teach you a more satisfying way of eating- guiding you toward healthy foods that will help you feel fuller longer. And when you're satisfied, you'll have staying power on your side. You'll be more likely to stick with it. And if you stick with it, you'll be more likely to succeed...

The Momentum plan puts you in control and helps you build the skills you need to achieve your goals and live healthier.

Every day, we're faced with many food choices. Which foods should we eat, and how much of them should we have?

• The Points System helps you evaluate the weight-loss impact of foods
• The Filling Foods help you keep hunger at bay
• The Good Health Guidelines help you make sure you're meeting your body's needs
• And, the weekly Points Allowance helps you prevent feelings of deprivation

Every food has a Points value. Points values serve as a shorthand way to understand calories in and calories out, and also take into account fat grams and fiber, which are important for good health.

Why pay attention to fat & fiber? Foods that are high in fat tend to be less healthy and have more calories. Points values factor in fat so that they'll help limit the amounts of these foods that you eat. Similarly, naturally occurring fiber-rich foods tend to be more nutritious, and lower in calories. Adding fiber to the equation guides you to these options, because their Points values are lower.

How many Points values should you eat a day? Use this to determine your daily Points target:
1. What do you weigh? Enter the first 2 digits of your weight in pounds.
2. Are you Female? Add 2
Are you Male? Add 8
3. How old are you?
17-26: Add 4
27-37: Add 3
38-47: Add 2
48-58: Add 1
Over 58: Add 0
4. How tall are you?
Under 5'1": Add 0
5'1"- 5'10": Add 1
Over 5'10": Add 2
5. Do you spend most of your work day:
Sitting down: Add 0
Occasionally sitting, but mainly standing: Add 2
Walking most of the time: Add 4
Doing physically hard work most of the time: Add 6
6. For nursing moms only, are you:
Solely breastfeeding: Add 10
Supplementing breastfeeding with some solid foods or formula: Add 5

Add up your points. If your total is less than 18, your daily points target is 18; if your total is more than 44, your daily points target is 44.

Stay ahead of hunger by choosing Filling Foods. Knowing the Points values of foods will help you make smart choices. Sometimes, though, foods have low Points values, but lack staying power. Five jelly beans, for example, have 1 Points value. But how effectively will jelly beans keep you feeling satisfied? Before long, you may need another snack, for more Points values.

Filling Foods, on the other hand, keep hunger at bay longer. They're great sources of protein; or they're packed with water, fiber, and sometimes air- elements that fill you up and keep you satisfied.

Choose foods that are Filling Foods, and you'll stay satisfied even as you're taking in fewer calories so you can lose weight. People tend to eat the same volume of food each day-- by filling their stomachs with food, they avoid feelings of hunger. If you eat foods that are high in volume, but low in calories, you'll feel satisfied even as you do what you need to do to lose weight: cut calories. Filling Foods are low in energy density-- low in calories relative to their volume. They'll fill you up in fewer calories.
Examples of Filling Foods:

• Whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, potatoes and grains
• Vegetables and fruits
• Whole-grain cereals-- without added sugar, nuts or dried fruit
• Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, beans and meat substitutes, such as tofu
• Fat-free milk and milk products
• Soups, made with filling foods

Filling Foods help you stretch your Points values. For example-- these two breakfasts contain the same Points value, but which do you think will make you fuller?

Breakfast 1-
2 slices of toast, no butter or spread: 4 points

Breakfast 2-
Omelet with fruit:
1 egg: 2
1 egg white: 0
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms: 0
nonstick spray: 0
1 slice of fat-free cheese: 1
1 1/2 cups of strawberries: 1
Total: 4 points

That's it for this week's "lesson". Stay tuned for next week's on Wednesday!

Which Beer Is Better... For You?

Not that any beer is GOOD for you-- but if you like to drink beer, you might as well be drinking one that won't give you a ginormous beer belly. Right?

Check out this post on FitSugar for the top 10 highest and lowest caloric beers. I'm happy to say the Amstel Light I was downing on Halloween made second place on the low end of the scale.

Weight Watchers Wednesday

Those of you who are participating in Weight Watchers probably already know that the program was revamped this week. Before you could either do the Flex Plan (where your food is worth points) or the Core Plan (where you eat certain approved foods until you feel full). Now, the new program, called Momentum, combines both concepts, and the other two programs have gone away. I, personally, don't think this will make much change for me.

Full disclosure: I gained 0.4 ell-bees since the weigh-in before Thanksgiving. (I missed last week's meeting due to working late.) Honestly, my first thought was "that's all?" I was even wearing jeans, and I normally wear climbing pants. I was shocked I hadn't gained more. This time of year is hard for everyone, as it's so easy to overeat. So, I was happy that's all I had put on-- especially since my exercise routine has gone to pot the past three weeks.

Enough of that... here's your recipe of the week!

Mexican Meatloaf

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1/2 lb. extra lean ground beef
1/2 lg. lean ground turkey breast
2 large egg whites
2 oz. cornbread stuffing dry mix (about 1 cup)
1 medium chopped onion
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp ground cumin
4 oz. canned green chili peppers, diced
8 oz. canned enchilada sauce

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix beef, turkey, egg whites, stuffing mix, onion, chili powder, cumin, chilies, and half of enchilada sauce together. Shape into an oval with your hands and place on prepared broiler pan. Cook for 1 hour, top with remaining enchilada sauce and bake for 5 minutes more.

Servings: 6, Points Per Serving: 3

Weight Watchers Wednesday

Last week, our meeting leader discussed food pushers and guilt distributors. I have to admit that there are certain people I don't discuss my Weight Watchers journey with. I really hate to admit that one of those people is a bridesmaid. She is really good at trying to make me feel guilty about trying to better myself. I don't really understand it, so I've done my best not to bring it up around her. Unfortunately, she brings it up every time she sees me. When I got the girls together to give them their bridesmaid cards, she said, "Are you done with this crazy diet thing?!" I thought I was going to come unglued. Weight Watchers is not a diet. I eat everything I want to. I eat cheese dip and brownies. I eat bread, crackers, and chips. The difference between what I used to eat and now... portion control. So, naysayer... shut the hell up! If you are trying to better yourself, those close to you should be happy for you. It's hard to deal with it when they're not. Do your best, and don't let the naysayers get to you. They're just not on the same wavelength as you.

Here's another great recipe for your dining pleasure. This recipe is not from Weight Watchers. It's actually from Everyday Food, Martha's recipe magazine. I LOVE this recipe. I've eaten it three times in the past three weeks. Enjoy!

Shrimp Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, lighten beaten
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, and coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 2 scallions, sliced on the diagonal, white and green parts separated
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (I used ground ginger instead)
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (I used concentrate)

Directions:

• In a medium saucepan, bring 8 cups salted water to a boil. Add rice, and boil until tender, 12 to 14 minutes. Using a fine-mesh sieve, drain and immediately rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside.
  OR follow directions on container of rice.
  
• While rice is cooking, heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Add eggs; cook until set, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer eggs to a cutting board (reserve skillet). Cool eggs, then cut into 2-by-1/4 inch strips.
• In reserved skillet, heat remaining teaspoon oil over medium. Add shrimp, carrots, scallion whites, garlic, and ginger. Cook, tossing frequently, until shrimp are opaque and carrots are crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, soy sauce, lime juice, and cooked rice. Cook, tossing to heat rice through, about 1 minute. Serve garnished with scallion greens.

Serves 4. Prep Time: 15 minutes. Total Time: 30 minutes. 7 points per serving.

Weight Watchers Wednesday (Early)

I'm posting Weight Watchers Wednesday a day early for those of you who need a little encouragement before the holiday. Here are some keys for not over-indulging: it's a holi-day, not a holi-week; you CAN take just a bite of everything; it's okay to say no; don't got to the party hungry.

Did you know that a slice of pecan pie is worth 12 points? Because many of you might not be familiar with what points mean, I'll put it in perspective. I'm only supposed to have about 18 points in an entire day. Green bean casserole is usually 5 points per cup. Pumpkin and apple pie are worth 9 points per slice. A 4 oz. glass of wine-- 2 points. I don't know about you, but my glass is usually holding a bit more than 4 oz! So... as you can tell, it all starts to add up. In our meeting this week, we figured a traditional Thanksgiving dinner and dessert can be around 32 points!

I'm not saying you can't eat what you want on Thanksgiving. The key is to have just a bite or two of each thing... not a full helping. If you follow that rule, then you won't feel like you've deprived yourself of that Thanksgiving goodness, and you will have kept yourself from over-indulging.

Here's a Weight Watchers recipe to save you a few points:

Ginger-spiced Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

• 1 large egg(s)
• 1/3 cup(s) sugar
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 15 oz canned pumpkin
• 3/4 cup(s) fat-free evaporated milk
• 6 oz pie crust, 9-inch, unbaked

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, lightly beat egg. Stir in sugar, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, ginger and nutmeg. Add pumpkin and evaporated milk. Stir until well combined. Pour into pie shell.
  
  
• Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool for 1 hour before serving.

POINTS® Value: 2
Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 40 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Have a wonderful holiday!!

Weight Watchers Wednesday

I have promised myself that I will be honest about my weigh ins... so, here goes: I gained .8 last week! Oh well. It's going to happen. Honestly, I struggled last week. I wanted to eat everything in front of me. And that's okay. I'm back on track this week and hope to get a bit more exercise in.

Your recipe this week is just in time for the cooler weather:

Spicy Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 sprays cooking spray
• 1 medium onion(s), finely chopped
• 4 medium garlic clove(s), minced
• 45 oz canned black beans, undrained, divided (three 15 oz cans)
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 14 1/2 oz fat-free chicken broth, or vegetable broth
• 10 oz canned tomatoes with green chilies, such as Rotel Tomatoes
• 11 oz canned yellow corn, drained

Instructions

• Coat bottom of a large stockpot with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.
  
  
• Place one can of beans in blender; add sautéed onion mixture, red pepper flakes and cumin. Cover and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour mixture back into stockpot.
  
  
• Place second can of beans and broth in blender and puree until smooth; add to stockpot.
  
  
• Stir third can of beans (do not puree first), tomatoes and green chilies, and corn into stockpot. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Yields about 1 1/2 cups of soup per serving.

POINTS® value | 3 Servings | 8 Preparation Time | 20 min Cooking Time | 30 min Level of Difficulty | Moderate

If you try it, leave a comment with your rating!

How to Lose Weight...

Did I snare you in with the title? Here's a quick way to start to lose weight:

Per Ozarka:
A typical 12 oz soda = 140+ calories (sometimes quite a bit more)
Water = 0 calories

Replacing just one soda a day with water can trim 50,000+ calories a year from your diet!!