Quirky's WW Life

2010-03-31T08:36:00.001-07:00

Please come see the Indigo Girls on Saturday, April 24, 2010, at the Buskirk-Chumley in Bloomington, IN.

http://www.indigogirls.com/

2010-01-02T19:17:00.001-08:00

I have created another blog. http://www.losingdaweight.blogspot.com/. I will continue to post here occasionally, but the other is to chronicle my journey to release da weight I have gained back!

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-01-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

I hope that 2010, a new decade, brings you the best of what you could possibly desire or dream. May this be the year, the decade, that you lose decades on the scale and achieve your weight loss successes and learn the lessons to maintain those successes and see many more. May you find yourself in the process and become a much bigger you than you ever thought possible.

Here's a zero point cheers to you in 2010!

Chipotle BBQ Tofu and Sesame Stirfry

2009-12-15T17:03:00.000-08:00

I made this recipe for dinner tonight. Mine doesn't have quite the delicious look that's on this website. But it was pretty yummy. A little too vinegarey for me, but pretty good. Oh and it has some kick!

As a side, I made a "stirfry" of onion, garlic, carrot, cabbage, and broccoli with a 1/2T sesame oil and the juice of a small and somwhat dry orange. That was yummy and very much hit the spot!

And I served it on a 1/2 C brown rice.

Very yummy dinner and it felt good to cook something special for myself.

Baked oatmeal!

2009-12-14T16:37:00.000-08:00

This is a yummy way to have oatmeal! And not too bad on cals. I made this in an eight loaf mini pan. I baked for 20 minutes, could have gone a minute or two longer.

http://www.recipezaar.com/Baked-Oatmeal-Wisconsin-Style-321993

7 Foods the Health Experts Won't Eat

2009-12-09T16:22:00.000-08:00

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/the-7-foods-experts-wont-eat-547963/

Happy Hanukkah!

2009-12-09T09:28:00.000-08:00

I have received requests in the past for a way to lighten traditional Jewish foods. Here is an idea to lighten your latkes! : )

http://blog.healthyeats.com/blog/2008/12/22/lighter-latkes/?nl=EATS_120909_13

Thanksgiving Day Survival Guide – Heck the whole week!

2009-11-09T10:31:00.000-08:00

Here’s an article from www.weightwatchers.com about flying and how to stay on track.

http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=45761&sc=3030

Here are some easy breakfasts to keep you on track while you are in the kitchen cooking the big meal. Remember, you will consume less at the big meal if you start your day off with breakfast (and lunch if you eat at dinner time). Don’t restrict your calories. It will only lead to overeating, guilt, lots of pernts you don’t want to track, and discomfort.

Baked Blueberry-Peach French Toast

http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeId=121721

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeId=133321

Broccoli Cheddar Quiche – Yes I am suggesting Quiche for breakfast

http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeId=110271

Here’s why. If you have quiche in the morning, you may be less tempted to eat the dessert later. You will already have had the crust. Or maybe you could have the slice of pumpkin pie but only eat the filling. You can spend the 3 pernts for that in your quiche. A slice of quiche will be very satisfying, much more than the pumpkin pie. And you will be plenty satisfied after your T-Day meal that the pie will only make you more satisfied than you may need to be.

Here are some easy lunches you can throw together if you eat at dinner-time.

Lentil One-Pot Casserole

http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeid=54101

Tex-Mex Rice and Bean Casserole (this is highly recommended by some friends of mine)

http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeid=136321

Spinach Salad with Pears, Almonds and Cranberries

http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeId=140441

Hearty Tuscan Vegetable Chowder

http://www.weightwatchers.com/food/rcp/index.aspx?recipeid=96381

I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving and truly are able to appreciate the bounty in your life and all that you have to be thankful. We are in a tough period and many are suffering and struggling. May you find a way to give to others. Maybe give to a food bank or donate to Mozel Sanders. You could even give a bag of animal food to a shelter. The animals need the love too. Please remember to give to yourself, the gift of a healthy and on plan meal, as it isn't selfish to take care of yourself. If you are in good condition, there is more of you to give to others!

Meet Mafalda!

2009-11-07T15:51:00.000-08:00

This is Mafalda and she is up for adoption with ARPO. She is 10 months old today and was born in her foster home. She had some interest today and I hope that comes to fruition, but if it doesn't you should adopt her. She is an amazing dog and is so gentle and calm. I have had a "crush" on her since I met her in August.

If interested, please go to adoptarpo.org. If not interested in her, there are lots of other pooches and kitties that need their furever homes.

Lentils and Kale - Neither unflavorful or pale!

2009-11-01T09:27:00.000-08:00

A couple weeks ago I cooked lentils for the first time. I wasn't sure what to do, so I glanced at the cooking directions in a recipe. I didn't exactly follow what they said, but it still turned out yummy. Here is what I came up with.

Lentils and Kale

1 onion, chopped
lots of cumin
cayenne, to your liking
Garlic powder, to your liking
Fresh ground black pepper
1 C dry lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 C veggie broth
4 C water1 bunch kale, tough stems removed and chopped (I used fresh CSA organic and local kale- yum!)
8 ozs mushrooms sliced (better with portabellas)
salt to taste

Saute the onion on medium high heat in spray. Saute until somewhat translucent. Add in spices and stir for about 10 seconds. Add in lentils and liquids. Cook at a slight boil until liquid is almost absorbed. Add in sliced mushroms and cook for a couple minutes. Add in kale and stir to wilt. Season with salt.

This is great with brown rice and sour cream. I like it in corn tortillas too. I eat this for breakfast and lunch. well, not in the same day.

One fourth of this recipe is only 173 calories, and that is a LOT! It is core/Simply Filling, if you are following that food plan. And the amazing part, it has 0 grams fat and a whopping 13 grams fiber!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scenes from my Halloween

2009-10-31T20:03:00.000-07:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here is the belated birthday cake that my friend got to celebrate our October birthdays and the pumpkins we carved before the trick or treaters and the cake. A nice night and we were matching witches too!

Isn't that birthday cake just the most truthful you have ever seen? Some days I am glad to grow old. Others, not!

I hope you had a ghoulishly good evening!

Halloween candy info from Hungry Girl

2009-10-30T07:49:00.000-07:00

No stats on the back of your bite-sized Halloween goodies? Don't stress! Check out our new HUGE guide to the calorie counts and fat contents of your favorite candies, and then forward this to all your hungry pals!

Guilt-Free Classics!

Tootsie Caramel Apple Pop - 60 calories, 0.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Charms Blow Pop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Dum Dum Pop - 25 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Lik-m-aid Fun Dip 0.5-oz. Pouch - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Jolly Rancher Hard Candy (3 Pieces), Original - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Jolly Rancher Lollipop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Laffy Taffy Miniature - 32 calories, 0.4g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Pixy Stix (7 Straws) - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Smarties Candy Roll - 25 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Tootsie Pop Miniature (3 Pops) - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Tootsie Pop - 60 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Tootsie Roll Midgee (About 1-Inch Long) - 23 calories, 0.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Tootsie Roll Snack Bar (0.5 oz., About 3-Inches Long) - 50 calories, 1.25g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Twizzlers Strawberry Twists, Snack Size (3 Minis) or Individually Wrapped Twist - 30 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Chocolate 101: Size Matters!

Before you chew, know the difference between Snack Size, Fun Size, and Miniatures...

Miniatures/Minis are the square-shaped morsels -- those babies are each about a quarter-ounce in weight.

A Snack Size or Fun Size chocolate treat weighs in at a little more than a half-ounce and is usually about 2 inches long.

Not all size-categorized treats are created equal. We've found seemingly identical Fun Size bars on shelves -- same brand, same flavor -- with varying weights and calorie counts. If you want to be extra-careful, we recommend going by the higher set of stats listed below.

Choc-O-Licious

3 Musketeers Mini Bar - 24 calories, 0.7g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

3 Musketeers Fun Size Bar - 63 - 70 calories, 2 - 2.25g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*)

Almond Joy Snack Size Bar - 80 - 85 calories, 4.5g fat (POINTS® value 2*)

Butterfinger Miniature - 45 calories, 1.75g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Butterfinger Fun Size Bar - 100 calories, 4g fat (POINTS® value 2*)

Hershey's Kiss, Milk Chocolate - 25 calories, 1.4g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Hershey's Kiss, Pumpkin Spice or Candy Corn Flavor - 23 calories, 1.3g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Hershey's Miniature Bar, Any Flavor - 42 calories, 2.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Hershey's Milk Chocolate Snack Size Bar - 67 calories, 4g fat (POINTS® value 2*)

Milky Way Mini - 40 calories, 1.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Milky Way Fun Size Snack Bar - 75 - 80 calories, 3g fat (POINTS® value 2*)

Nestle Crunch Miniature - 30 calories, 1.5g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Nestle Crunch Fun Size Bar - 60 - 70 calories, 3 - 3.3g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*)

Reese's Miniature Peanut Butter Cup - 44 calories, 2.6g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Reese's Snack Size Peanut Butter Cup - 90 - 110 calories, 5 - 6.5g fat (POINTS® value 2 - 3*)

SHOCKER! Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkin - 170 calories, 10g fat (POINTS® value 4*)

Snickers Miniature - 45 calories, 2g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Snickers Fun Size Bar - 80 calories, 4g fat (POINTS® value 2*)

Twix Mini Caramel Cookie Bar - 50 calories, 2.6g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Twix Fun Size Peanut Butter Cookie or Caramel Cookie Bar - 80 calories, 4 - 5g fat (POINTS® value 2*)

York Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Pattie Pumpkin - 60 calories, 1.25g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Goodie Bag (or Box)!

Dots Mini Box - 75 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 2*)

Junior Mints Snack Size Box - 80 calories, 1.5g fat (POINTS® value 2*)

Life-Savers Gummies Pouch - 70 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

M&M's Fun Size Bag - 63 - 83 calories, 2.6 - 4g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*)

Peanut M&M's Fun Size Bag - 67 - 90 calories, 3.3 - 5g fat (POINTS® value 2*)

Mike and Ike Snack Size Pack - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Milk Duds Snack Size Box - 53 calories, 2g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Nerds Mini Box - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Runts Mini Package - 70 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Skittles Fun Size Pack, Original - 53 - 80 calories, 0.5g - 1g fat (POINTS® value 1 - 2*)

Sour Patch Kids Treat Size Package - 55 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Starburst Original Fruit Chews Fun Size Package (2 Chews) - 40 calories, 0.8g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Swedish Fish Treat Size Package - 55 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

Sweetarts Pouch - 50 calories, 0g fat (POINTS® value 1*)

I finally partook in a CSA!

2009-10-28T16:29:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the image quality.

I had heard about Sandy P. from a customer at the health food store I worked at this year. I wanted to join the CSA but didn't need a full share for myself and never found someone to split a share. Thus, I never joined.

Sandy included me in her weekly emails and this week she stated that there were some veggies remaining for purchase. I spent $15.40 and got:

2 bunches beets

2 pounds sweet potatoes

2 bunches turnips

2 pounds winter radish

and a head each of romaine and red leaf lettuce.

It didn't seem like a lot when I ordered it, but my oh my was it a nice hull. I can't wait to roast the beets and the turnips. I have no clue what to do with the winter radish (daikon). And I will have some yummy salads the next few days with organic lettuces.

And I could get more in the next couple weeks.

The greens on the turnips were full of little bug holes. I wouldn't use them and made a comment that I wouldn't. Sandy said if I wasn't she would take them for her guinea pig. I removed them almost immediately for her little "piggy." The guinea pigs need to feel the love too.

I had taken a lot of Sandy's time with emails when I was inquiring about joining. So today I stayed for a little over an hour helping her sort the delivery for the shareholders. I should clarify that I was there for a little over an hour, but a lot of that was meeting the shareholders and waiting to do work when Sandy was free. I alphabetized her invoices and put away the storage bins. I took a half day at worktoday. I ran my necessary errands before going to Sandy's. I was in a very relaxed and giving of myself state when I arrived. Her big hug greeting me helped too. I was so grateful for her help to me this year and thus it felt right to help her and I am glad I was able to give her my time.

If you would like her contact info, email me at meggysue90@hotmail.com.

Salad turnips, just for salads????????

2009-10-26T19:13:00.000-07:00

Tonight I tried cooking the salad turnips I bought at the Farmers Market 9 days ago. I wasn't sure how long they would last. But, I figured I'd give it a go. The greens were pretty wilted, so I didn't saute those. I was told that they were great sliced in salads, not even peeled.

I wasn't in the mood for a cold salad, so I decided to slice and saute them.

They got a little soft, but they were yummy. Raw, they have a mild radish taste. Cooked, that is much more mild. I liked the flavor of the raw turnips, but I was also pleased with the mild flavor.

I sliced about 7 salad turnips and sauteed them in 2 t canola oil. I added crushed black pepper, minced garlic, and a little salt. I cooked on high heat until it started to brown and then cut the heat.

Yum!

Homemade Veggie Chili - and a huge revelation as a side!

2009-10-25T08:41:00.000-07:00

At the local produce stand yesterday, along with the 11 ears of corn for $1, I got all this for $3 more. So, I decided to use the slightly bruised green peppers and 2 onions to make some veggie chili. A few pieces and slivers of green pepper had to be removed and not used, but the majority was still beautiful and ripe. The tangerines are back in the fridge for eating this week.

I sauteed the onion and green peppers in 4 teaspoons canola oil. The onions went in a few minutes first. The spices were added in next. Cumin, cayenne, garlic, freshly ground pepper, and chili powder. Lots and lots of cumin and chili powder! I then added in canned tomatoes, canned tomato sauce, drained & rinsed canned black beans, and corn. If I had homemade tomato sauce and corn I would have used those. I am trying to get away from so many canned items.

It needed a little more liquid to it, so I made up some veggie bouillon and added 2 C of that.

As I was cutting up the green peppers, I thought of how the bruised peppers are a metaphor for me and my continuing weight loss journey. I have gained it all back. It happened when I didn't even know it. Sure I am to blame for most of it. But the pain in my body and lack of exercise have something to do with it too. When I bought the peppers on the dollar table, I didn't remove each to see if I should buy them. I trusted that I would have enough to use for chili. I don't know how they became bruised, if by nature or man, but do the bruises make them any less valuable? In a food sales world, yes. To me, no! I have picked up some emotional bruises along the way and I have to ask myself, does that make me any less valuable? No! So, there are a few pieces of me that I need to discard (weight), but, I am still valuable and worthy like those peppers.

And given that today is my 33rd birthday, I think this is a great revelation and start to a healthy and bountiful year!

Frozen Corn recipe with a kick!

2009-10-24T18:12:00.000-07:00

The local produce stand had 11 ears of corn for $1 on the dollar table. I bought it, husked and cleaned it. I brought water to boil, added in a vegetable bouillon cube, cumin, and ground red pepper. I stirred with a whisk to blend in the spices. Once the water boiled, I added the corn. The water didn't come back up to a boil after the corn was immersed.

This simmered for about 5 minutes, upon which I removed with tongs and let cool on a plate. I cooked the corn in 2 batches. I didn't bring the water back to a boil between batches.

After cooled, I sliced off the kernels and placed in a vacuum freezer bag to store.

I ended up cooking 10.5 ears and it yielded 4 C kernels.

It is a tad spicy and aromatic. It will be quite tasty and won't need any other flavorings, like butter.

Is the label on that food you are eating correct?

2009-09-28T04:55:00.000-07:00

According to this article, it may not be.

http://www.walletpop.com/blog/2009/09/22/use-food-labels-to-know-what-youre-eating-theres-a-1-in-4-cha/

I'm back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-09-21T05:51:00.000-07:00

This is where I was a year ago. I had just visited Mallow Run Winery for the ARPO fundraiser. By the way, it is October 24th.

---------------------------------------

“Have you taken the time for you lately and found something to do that truly is something you love? I can’t say I love going to wineries, but it may be on my list of fun things to do. What I learned, is that others see that I have been giving my time to the animals and not myself. And you know what, they are right. I am still going to be giving my time to the animals, one 5 week old rescued kitten at my house and getting a foster dog tomorrow evening, plus the Indy Feral cat outside and the other neighborhood cats I am trying to get into Indy Feral, and my kitties. But what I realized is that I HAVE to make time for myself. I can’t afford to go out and do a whole lot of stuff, as is the case with many of us these days. But, I can go out and do things. Some ideas include, free times at museums, going to parks for a walk with a friend or by myself, $5 Buck Club movies at Kerasotes theaters, sitting in Border’s reading, playing outside with the neighborhood kiddos, picnic with friends, apple picking at an orchard (I highly recommend Tuttle’s). With Autumn here, I believe I may be going to a park, at least once. I have visions of taking pen and paper and working on a novel I started a year or so ago! The key is to get out and enjoy life. What I discovered is that I have to make myself a priority and that is not selfish. My health and my happiness, and dare I say, my commitment to Weight Watchers depends on it.”

--------------------------------------------

Wow, what a difference a year makes. Unfortunately, I have gained all my weight back. I don’t want to admit that as I know I inspired people to lose weight in my days of Weight Watchers employment. This has been a hard emotional battle for me and I am sure that only fed the scale. I have had a hard year but I am very much approaching the other side. I have had major feet problems and had surgery on the first one in August. 6 weeks of non weight-bearing and one month in a boot. I am graduating to the boot in one week exactly. But I’m not counting the days. When your feet hurt, you don’t want to walk. When you don’t walk (or run), your metabolism slows down. When you have pain, you want to feed it. When you feed a body with slow metabolism and no exercise to burn any of it off, you gain weight. And you get to the point where you just don’t care. Hence, I have gained my weight back.

I am now following Core (Simply Filling) and I am weighing at home right now. I hope to return to meetings. I admit, I may always do Core and refer to SF as Core. I am finding that I am wheat intolerant, maybe gluten intolerant. And the best part, I’m not nearly as hungry nor need to munch like I thought I would! And a veggie Core life isn’t too expensive.

I know I have lost weight the last couple weeks, although I just figured out how to get on the scale this weekend while on crutches. It will be much easier when I can step on the scale from a standing position. I am sure I could have figured this out sooner, I just wasn't ready.

I finally got so fed up with where I was and was headed that I am taking the much needed actions for myself. I will even be walking the canal soon after work. Might as well, it’s right by my office.

I miss you all and hope you are well.

100 Cal packs not as popular!

2009-06-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

http://health.msn.com/blogs/daily-dose-post.aspx?post=1127656&Gt1=31036

Good article on freezing foods to help you save $$$ and waste

2009-05-06T08:32:00.001-07:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/06/dining/06mini.html?_r=1&8dpc

Funny McDonald's experience - a friend shared this and I had to as well!

2009-04-28T11:03:00.001-07:00

My son wanted a kiddie cup from Mcdonalds today. I agreed and when I asked for sprinkles, (I know not healthy but once in a while is ok), I was told by the cashier that Mcdonalds has decided that sprinkles are not healthy and do not fit in with their menu options. I said almost laughing "Uh, nothing here is healthy!" She agreed but they were told in a meeting that sprinkles are out! The only thing I can think of is they probably have hydrogenated oils in them but don't the fries have them also??? I think our Mcdonalds days are over and I'll make homeade ice cream with the kids. They love to help and eat the results!!

From a WW message board member

The Reflection: Fact or Fiction?

2009-04-23T11:01:00.000-07:00

I am wearing a springy skirt today, lots of flowers, flowy, and bright. It is finally starting to get warm. My mind isn’t as springy as my outfit and the weather. I am not happy in this outfit and am very self-conscious. I have had numerous comments on my skirt, all good. I was even told it looks like I am losing weight.

I passed a window on the way into the office and thought, “ICK!” I felt and looked so fat. I came into work, got settled, and when visiting the ladies room I saw myself in the full length wall mirror. Huh? I was perplexed. I looked nothing like what I saw just an hour before. I almost looked thin.

So, which reflection is right? Or are either? If I don’t feel it in my head and heart, will either ever be real?

When I was at goal and leading WW meetings, I was shocked by window reflections, but in a positive way. I always thought I looked so thin. Now that I am still trying to lose weight, again, the window seems to be a lie. How is it that it could be so distorted? And if the mirror is making me feel good, then why do I feel bad looking at myself in a window?

Why am I letting this distortion bother me?

I feel better now in my skin than I did this morning. All I can ask is to not let my mood and happiness be determined by a distortion and work to feel better from one moment to the next.

2009-04-02T06:57:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone! I started a new blog and I am maintaining it more these days than this one.

QuirkyVegan on blogspot

4 weigh-ins down and down 4.5 pounds! 3rd week of being vegan and I am loving it! My need to eat is reducing and I am going hours between eating and am fine! I am eating so well these days!

Eyebrow wax tomorrow and then yoga. Doing some flower transplanting inbetween. Work Saturday and then dinner out with friends at the veggie/vegan new Indian buffet in town. Passage to India. It is awesome!!!!!!!!!

Sunday, day of rest and cooking for next week!

What is up, must come down!

2009-03-26T08:25:00.000-07:00

Not the real quote, but I learned this hard lesson Sunday. Helping my dad remove a rather large tree limb, I stepped in to chainsaw it down (a small electric chainsaw) and I let the damn thing fall on my head. My doc says the fact that it was somewhat hefty helped me. No concussion, and so far I am fine. Just some pretty bad muscle strain, and maybe an injured disc. No xrays or MRI’s right now. I am wearing a soft collar to help keep the head stable when I am work or in a situation where I would strain the muscles too much. I am to have it off regularly so I don’t make the muscles too weak.

So, take it from me, don’t stand under a branch or limb when you are trying to cut it down!

Sheesh!

The good news, 3 weeks solidly back on track and I am down 3 pounds. Why is it coming off so slow? Every Thursday morning when I weigh in I ask myself that question. I am asking myself more and more. I am not exercising a great deal right now. I haven’t had the energy the last few months due to the headaches, dizziness, blurry vision, joint pain, and fatigue. I am being more active though. Sunday, 6 to 9 pernts did I earn! That is a lot. I have gone vegan for a 60 day challenge, and I am finally eating the way I should have been the last 5 and a half years as a vegetarian. I am discovering many wonderful foods and cooking ideas. I am loving it! I am tracking, 90-100% of the time, depending on the week. 100% and honest tracking is what I need to do, but I know 100% for me is not maintainable. I am honest in my tracking, but eating out is hard. And I need to drink more water.

Slow and steady wins the race. Just call me “Turtle”! And thus I am back to my original point, what is up, must come down! Maybe no as hard and fast as that branch, but it will come down.

What goal do you have set for you before Summer starts? 3 months of Spring. You could lose 8-24 pounds in that time, or more! What are you going to do for yourself this season of change?

This is an AMAZING website

2009-03-24T10:01:00.001-07:00

www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org

Please Act: This isn't providing safety!

2009-03-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

There are two food "safety: laws that may be passed in the next couple of weeks, they will affect organic farms. Please ask your congressional official not to pass them.

More info here. www.house.gov.

Bills are:House H.R. 875 http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-875

Senate S 425 http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-425

There is an enormous rush to get this into law within the next 2 weeks before people realize what is happening. Main backer and lobbyist is Monsanto.

Bill will require organic farms to use specific fertilizers and poisonous insect sprays dictated by the newly formed agency to "make sure there is no danger to the public food supply".

This will include backyard gardens that grow food only for a family and not for sales.

If this passes, then NO more heirloom clean seeds but only Monsanto genetically altered seeds that are now showing up with unexpected diseases in humans.

There is a video on the subject. http://www.voteronpaul.com/newsDetail.php?Food-Safety-Modernization-Act-HR-875-Criminalization-of-Organic-Farms-222

The 1984 / Doublespeak name on this outrageous food plan is Food Safety Modernization Act of 2009

From a WW Message board member

Some Cool Vegetarian Facts

2009-03-19T06:54:00.001-07:00

The term vegetarian originated in the 1840’s when the British Vegetarian Society was established, founded by the Bible Christian Church

Pythagoras professed a “vegetarian” lifestyle as a means of spiritual and physical health

Vegetarians can live ten to fifteen years longer

Paraphrased from Eat Right Now! By Chef Wendell Fowler

2009-03-19T06:17:00.000-07:00

Today is National Poultry Day. Let's celebrate by not eating them. Let's give them life, not death!

HBO Documentary - please consider watching!

2009-03-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

Hello all. I hope you do not mind this forward, but I want to let you know of a documentary with much importance being aired on HBO, starting today. It was a news report, about such animals, that was the catalyst for me to choose a vegetarian lifestyle, almost 6 years ago. I try not to preach about my veggie lifestyle, and I hope you do not feel I am asking or telling you to give up meat. I believe it works for me, and I understand it isn't for everyone. But I urge you to watch this (I haven't seen it and can't attest to it's quality) with an open mind and heart. Please think about where your meat is coming from and what that animal has endured for you to receive nutritional and gastronomic satisfaction. And, if after watching this, you feel compelled to reduce the meat you consume or even choose a vegetarian lifestyle, please ask and I will guide you to websites and resources that will help make the transition easy and painless, for you and the animals!

I know there exist beliefs on both sides about vegetarian eating and living, and whether it is good for the environment and whether we could live in a fully vegetarian world. While I do not believe we can all be veggies, I do believe that we can certainly use more and that we need more compassionate people that are willing to not eat animals to stop the suffering. I like meat. I still desire it from time to time. But, I choose not to eat it (with a few slips in 6 yrs) because I do not need to kill an animal to be satisfied. And going veggie has lowered my cholesterol to amazing levels, and I rarely get sick. I haven't had a true cold in 3 years, and I am not even the healthiest vegetarian. I still like junk food, a lot of which is vegetarian! The best part of it all, I feel much more spiritually in tune with animals and nature. I truly feel the animals know that I am on their side, in every way.

Again, I do not mean to preach, just to enlighten. If this is for you, it is for you. If not, it isn't. I will still love you and respect you, no matter what you eat, or watch. Just consider watching this, and maybe giving up pork, or more.

Sincerely, Meg
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There is stunning news in the animal advocacy world, particularly for those of us who have been working in the field for years and remember the days when it was hard to find a news story that even touched on the cruelty to animals being documented by activists. This coming Monday, March 16, HBO will premier a documentary called "Death on a Factory Farm." According to the HBO synopsis, "'Death on a Factory Farm' follows the undercover investigation of Wiles Hog Farm by the animal rights group The Humane Farming Association (HFA), and the resulting court case against it." The industry magazine, "Pork," reports with apprehension that the documentary will run on HBO twenty times through till April 1.

You'll find the full schedule at http://www.hbo.com/apps/schedule/ScheduleServlet -- just enter the documentary title into the search line on that page.

The Time Magazine web site currently has a terrific story on the issue -- an interview with, and photo of, 'Pete,' the undercover investigator and animal advocacy hero, who worked at the farm and videotaped the horrors. Many of us already know him from his previous undercover work that formed the basis of an earlier HBO documentary, "Dealing Dogs." The interview with Pete is on line at http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1883742,00.htmlNews outlets pay close attention to which stories get the most clicks and forwards, so please check it out and then go the bottom of the page where it says "Connect to this Time Story" and click on "Email," and email the page to all of your friends. You can also leave a comment on that page. Please do.

The HBO home page for this documentary is:http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/deathfactoryfarm/index.htmlIt includes links to pages where you can watch a brief preview video, read an interview with the multi award winning producers of the documentary, and read a synopsis of the film. The opening lines of the synopsis make the point that the film apparently drives home beautifully:

"Each year, ten billion animals are raised for consumption in the U.S., mostly on sprawling, industrialized farms, where virtually no federal laws mandate how the animals are treated - though guidelines exist - and state laws are ineffective. As a result, animals are frequently subjected to what many consider cruel treatment and inhumane conditions in the interest of economic efficiency.

"We learn about the undercover video:" Over the course of six weeks, Pete secretly filmed numerous disturbing scenes, including piglets being tossed into crates from across a room, impregnated sows held in pens that don't allow them to move, an unhealthy piglet being slammed against a wall to euthanize it, and a sick sow being hung by a chain from a forklift until it choked to death."

Will you forgive my turn of phrase if I write that the factory farming industry folks are crapping themselves in anticipation of this movie? (I did edit myself slightly.) The industry's general position is that the cruelty on this farm was an aberration. But while we don't yet have video from other farms of pigs being hung to death or slammed against concrete floors, some of the chronic cruelty, such as keeping the huge and intelligent animals in tiny individual pens too small to let them turn around or even lie down with their legs outstretched, is standard industry practice. Such cruelty is not limited to the pork industry -- most of us know about battery cages and veal crates, for example. Beef Magazine therefore reports at http://tinyurl.com/d3cfbc (my thanks to Mary Finelli for that link):"

For any of us the agriculture industry, this documentary sends shivers down our spines.... To put things into perspective, HBO has an estimated 35 million subscribers, and a premier program on HBO can reach between 1 to 3 percent of that audience, or about 500 thousand to 1.5 million people."

Woohoo!

The Beef Magazine writer recommends to readers:"I encourage all of you to tune in to this documentary, and follow up with letters of response to the producers and to HBO."

I always stress the importance of letting media outlets know how much we, the audience, appreciate their animal friendly content. With the meat industry calling for mobilization against HBO on this one, appreciative feedback from the audience becomes doubly important. Please send HBO a supersized thank you. Comments on HBO documentaries should be submitted at http://tinyurl.com/d6og4

You can also make sure that everybody who reads your local paper knows about the show. Some of the smaller papers publish close to 100% of letters they receive. The five minutes it takes you to send a quick note could help teach thousands of people in your area about the horrors of the modern food production system. As the show will air through the rest of the month you still have time to write now. Why not?

Yours and the animals',
Karen Dawn

(DawnWatch is an animal advocacy media watch that looks at animal issues in the media and facilitates one-click responses to the relevant media outlets. You can learn more about it, and sign up for alerts at http://www.DawnWatch.com. You may forward or reprint DawnWatch alerts if you do so unedited -- leave DawnWatch in the title and include this parenthesized tag line. If somebody forwards DawnWatch alerts to you, which you enjoy, please help the list grow by signing up. It is free.)

Please go to www.ThankingtheMonkey.com to read reviews and see a fun celeb-studded video and an NBC news piece on Karen Dawn's new book, "Thanking the Monkey: Rethinking the Way we Treat Animals," which was chosen by the Washington Post as one of the "Best Books of 2008."

2009-03-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. I have been out of the habit of posting regularly for a while now. I haven’t been well, and it has been a struggle just to work. I have been having major migraines, extreme fatigue, joint pain, blurred vision, vertigo, hearing issues…I could go on but I won’t. I don’t want to bore you. The good news is, I am hopeful that I may be getting to root cause and I am getting treatment and care.

My weight is another story. I took a couple months and comforted myself with food and I have gained quite a bit. I am working on shedding those unwanted pounds and I am doing the Simply Filling program. I still call it Core and probably always will.

I lost a pound this week!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am including the text from the Indy Veg Society’s March Potluck flyer to celebrate the Annual Meatout day. And I am also including a recipe that looks yummy from the Whole Foods website.

Zesty Spiced Cauliflower*
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipeId=2433
*Note: Each serving is your 2 t of healthy oil for the day. What a yummy way to get it!

Indianapolis Vegetarian Society

DATE: MARCH 21 (SATURDAY)

TIME: NOON

JOIN US AND HELP CELEBRATE THE 2009 MEATOUT HOLIDAY! BRING YOUR FAVORITE VEGAN/VEGETARIAN DISH TO SHARE, THE RECIPE, AND A PLACE SETTING.

Indiana Humanities Bldg
1500 N Delaware

Ample street parking

www.indyvegsociety.org

Free !!

March 20th is a BIG day!

2009-03-05T09:40:00.000-08:00

Spring starts, and it is the Great American Meatout. A day that urges awareness of a vegetarian lifestyle through events nationwide.

I have been veggie for 5 and a half years and I couldn't be happier. Within 6 months to a year, my cholesterol was as good as could be! My body functions so much better as a veggie. I haven't had a real cold in years. I get sniffles, but nothing more! And I am not even that healthy of a veggie sometimes! ; )

Why not celebrate by being meat free on the 20th? And the good news for those celebrating lent, you probably already are that day. Do you feel different? Why not try and keep it up post lent?

Very interesting talk Wednesday night

2009-03-02T06:50:00.000-08:00

http://www.journeysfire.org/docs/Oceanflyer.pdf

I just thought I'd share this, for anyone interested in progressive thought, action, and way of life.

A New Year, A New You!

2009-01-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

How many times have you heard that in the last week? How many times have you said that to yourself in the last couple weeks? The new year always seems to bring those pesky resolutions. Come on, you know you have made a new year’s resolution in the past.

Everyone uses the new year to start fresh and do things that they feel they need to accomplish. Lofty goals are set, only to be unachieved! Below is some history on the New Year’s Resolution, some current data, and an example of the success rates.

The History of New Year's Resolutions

The tradition of the New Year's Resolutions goes all the way back to 153 B.C. Janus, a mythical king of early Rome was placed at the head of the calendar.

With two faces, Janus could look back on past events and forward to the future. Janus became the ancient symbol for resolutions and many Romans looked for forgiveness from their enemies and also exchanged gifts before the beginning of each year.

The New Year has not always begun on January 1, and it doesn't begin on that date everywhere today. It begins on that date only for cultures that use a 365-day solar calendar. January 1 became the beginning of the New Year in 46 B.C., when Julius Caesar developed a calendar that would more accurately reflect the seasons than previous calendars had.

The Romans named the first month of the year after Janus, the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors and entrances. He was always depicted with two faces, one on the front of his head and one on the back. Thus he could look backward and forward at the same time. At midnight on December 31, the Romans imagined Janus looking back at the old year and forward to the new. The Romans began a tradition of exchanging gifts on New Year's Eve by giving one another branches from sacred trees for good fortune. Later, nuts or coins imprinted with the god Janus became more common New Year's gifts.

In the Middle Ages, Christians changed New Year's Day to December 25, the birth of Jesus. Then they changed it to March 25, a holiday called the Annunciation. In the sixteenth century, Pope Gregory XIII revised the Julian calendar, and the celebration of the New Year was returned to January 1.

The Julian and Gregorian calendars are solar calendars. Some cultures have lunar calendars, however. A year in a lunar calendar is less than 365 days because the months are based on the phases of the moon. The Chinese use a lunar calendar. Their new year begins at the time of the first full moon (over the Far East) after the sun enters Aquarius- sometime between January 19 and February 21.

Although the date for New Year's Day is not the same in every culture, it is always a time for celebration and for customs to ensure good luck in the coming year.

www.goalsguy.com

A New Year's resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to a project or the reforming of a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous. The name comes from the fact that these commitments normally go into effect on New Year's Day and remain until fulfilled or abandoned. More socio-centric examples include resolutions to donate to the poor more often, to become more assertive, or to become more economically or environmentally responsible. People may act similarly during the Christian fasting period of Lent, though the motive behind this holiday is more of sacrifice than of responsibility. The new year resolution is one example of the rolling forecast-method of planning. According to this method, plans are established at regular short or medium-term time intervals, when only a rough long-term plan exists.

There are religious parallels to this secular tradition. For example, in Judaism's holiest holiday, Yom Kippur, one is to reflect upon one's wrongdoings over the year and both seek and offer forgiveness. The concept, regardless of creed, is to reflect upon self-improvement annually.

Recent research shows that while 52% of participants in a resolution study were confident of success with their goals, only 12% actually achieved their goals. Men achieved their goal 22% more often when they engaged in goal setting, a system where small measurable goals are used (lose a pound a week, instead of saying "lose weight"), while women succeeded 10% more when they made their goals public and got support from their friends.[

www.wikipedia.com
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Some of the top NYR!

http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/New_Years_Resolutions.shtml
http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/new-years-resolutions-in-one-year-out-other

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A New Year’s Resolution is an ancient tradition, full of mythical and religious lore. It has long been a practice and will likely continue to be a practice. Personally, I do not make New Year’s Resolutions because they seem to largely be based on negative motivators.

Now, my history with WW will prove otherwise. The year that I finally reached goal, I joined on January 4th! While I didn’t start 2009 at goal, I did recommit on January 3rd! So, maybe I am into NYR more than I would like to admit.

The goal of achieving and maintain those resolutions is to not go cold tofurkey (turkey), and to not make your resolutions too lofty that you will give up easily. For many, the resolution practice every January 1 is a great motivator and a great tool to make healthy changes. These changes can stick, if you want them to! You have that choice.

So, what is your resolution(s) this year? Are you getting back on plan after a hiatus? Are you deciding to finally give into the new program and follow the new WW guidelines? Are you resolving to drink more water, exercise more, use that oil in your cooking, attend more meetings, post on the message boards…the list could go on and on?

Personally, I have been off program much of the last 16 months. Once I left, I thought, here is my chance! I can go crazy. That is what I did. The foods I chose to allow into my body were not always healthy and certainly sent my weight to crazy high numbers. I will not go further, as a prior post goes into the numbers. The key, I have felt like crap.

I decided this past Saturday to do a fruit and veggie detox. This is basically eating no animal products and just fruits and veggies. I felt like crap all day. I was so tired and loopy. Okay, maybe the fast had nothing to do with me being loopy. I am most days! I tried this once before and it didn’t have near the effect that it had this go around. I ate a sweet potato, avocado, fruit smoothie (may have bent the rules for that), a fresh squeezed juice in the am, salad, olive oil as dressing, sautéed veggies…it tasted so good! I continued this as much as possible Sunday and did have some bread at dinner. That was basically it that wasn’t on the detox.

Sunday, I was so warm and I felt clammy. I didn’t feel too good. I could tell that my liver was cleansing, as sweating and body heat are a sign that the liver is impure. I also started Garden of Life’s Perfect Cleanse yesterday. It is a 3 step evening process that is all natural and herbal. 3 pills before dinner, fiber drink after dinner, and 3 pills before bed. The fiber drink is nasty! I will be honest. But, it will help get rid of the last year and a half, cleanse my body, and allow my body to function at it’s tiptop shape. Today, I feel great!

I am even going to bring in a bowl to keep fruit on my desk! This re-embrace of healthy eating feels very good. I truly do love eating healthy foods and I love that I can enjoy food again and not feel bad afterwards!

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T07:24:00.000-08:00

Here it is, 2009! Can you believe it? 2008 was our year to be great. What can you do to be fine in 2009?

Fine could be the epitome of hot and sexy, as in “She’s so fine!”

Or

Fine could be fine with where you are on your journey, no matter where you are

Or

Fine could be accepting that you need to make some adjustments to your habits and attitudes and being okay with that.

So, what are you going to do this year to be fine in 2009?

“It’s so cold!” (recipe included)

2008-12-22T11:27:00.000-08:00

I knew if I put that there was a recipe you would look!

With a temp of 1° this morning, that was the first thing I said as I sat on my leather seats in my car (thank you to the animals that provide these to me). They were so cold! How many of you have said these very words a lot lately? Seriously, is this only the second day of winter? I was working my part time job at Georgetown Market yesterday and looked up to see a whirl of snow. It looked so cold and bitter outside. The winds were fierce, the sky was blurred by the flakes falling (tiny flakes so it was especially blurred), and the customers were squinting and holding their hats to their heads. I was thankful to be indoors at that moment. I felt sad for them having to endure the climate they found themselves in, when they did not expect it.

This morning, I was so cold on the way to work. The seats finally started to warm, as I got to the parkign garage. I love seat warmers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Had I gone out to start the car and let it warm, it wouldn’t have shocked me as I sat to head into the office. The temp rose to 3° by the time I was downtown! That was something. I could feel those extra 2 degrees. I know I could. I walked across the street to get a veggie plate for lunch and a gaggle of coworkers exited behind me. One coworker said at least 3 times in a row, “It’s so cold!!!!!” I thought to myself, “you know it is cold, but I am prepared and the sun is shining.” Knowing it would be cold made it easier and faster to adjust. I was fine in the cold! It actually woke me up a bit, so that was nice. I don’t have much work today.

My weight watchers journey as of late is like the morning temps today. At first, I was shocked when I returned to meetings. I will say it. 215 pounds! My goal is 174. EEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, doing that math, I have 41 pounds to lose. I do not want to admit this, but I need to because the holiday treats are tempting me more than any year in the past. If I say it out loud, so to speak, here then I will be able to resist for fear of having to admit to you that I have gone off program yet again. The last year has been hellish and I have endured a lot in my personal life. I am slowly walking through the other side of all this, and I am choosing to embrace WW the best I can. Working for WW was not easy on a mind that still sees itself as a fat girl. While I know the faithful members, those probably the only ones still checking this website, did not judge me for my body, I did encounter many times where I was looked up and down during getting started sessions. I am sure some thought, 'she could lose more!' Or at least I think they thought that. What do you think? Hee!

I had to leave the environment that based my employment on the number on the scale. That being said, not having to weigh in monthly to keep my job has made it easy to slack off and take a breather. That breather has lasted way too long and no matter how shocking that number was, it is what it is. I can’t control the temperature in the air, but I can control the number on the scale. I may be shocked at first, but knowing where I am allows the shock to lessen and it to sink in. Getting back “On Plan (OP)” is shocking too. Tracking and watching what I eat is shocking. But, everyday, the shock lessens and so does the burden. I am growing more and more used to it, and that is refreshing.

I will always have to do WW. This I know, and some days I am even grateful for that. I will always have a fat girl mind, but it doesn’t have to rule me.

I will get back to goal weight, and just like I love you no matter where you are, I know you will love me no matter where I am! So, no shame.

And I lost 1.6 my first week back!

How about this (or as many of these as you can do) as a holiday gift to yourself:

Get shocked and do something about it!
Give yourself the grace you would give anyone else
Do one thing today that you are willing to do the next day, and the next day, and the next day…
Bring your lunch
Eat before you go to that holiday party
Take something WW friendly
Track as much as you can
Don’t force yourself – you will only resent having to do it
Allow yourself a treat if you want one
Give yourself a day of pampering as a reward for all your hard work this year. This can be at home and on the cheap!
Take the candy you are given and make a big pile! Count how many days you can go without eating it! It will become a joke. I am on 12 days for a Hershey’s with Almonds – yum! I don’t even want it now!
Ask for help!
Go to meetings
Weigh-in - you can't know what you have to do without knowing where you are
Be proud of yourself! I am!

And, last but not least, email me and let me know how you are doing!!!!!!!!!!! I miss you all so much! My exit from WW was very fast, and I apologize if it felt as if I had abandoned you. I hadn’t. I still haven’t. If I could do it differently, I would. I know how much importance I put on my leaders and I am sure some of you were hurt. For that I am sorry. It was not my choice to leave, especially so fast. That pesky scale reared its ugly head and I couldn’t get around it any longer!

Happy Holidays and to all a happy, joyous, prosperous, and productive New Year!

Love,
Meg

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Baked Pasta with Butternut Squash and Ricotta

main meals
POINTS® Value: 5

Servings: 8

Preparation Time: 25 min

Cooking Time: 60 min

Level of Difficulty: Moderate

This pasta casserole is a hearty yet elegant combination of whole wheat penne, rich butternut squash, toasted walnuts, ricotta and Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients
2 spray(s) cooking spray
20 oz butternut squash
1/8 tsp table salt
12 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta
1 1/4 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
2 tbsp white all-purpose flour
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp thyme
1/2 cup(s) part-skim ricotta cheese
1/3 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup(s) chopped walnuts

Instructions
· Preheat oven to 375ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Coat a 2 1/2- to 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
· Place squash on prepared baking sheet; roast until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Place in a large bowl and mash.
· Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. After squash has been roasting for about 10 minutes, cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pot.
· In a medium saucepan, whisk together milk, flour, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in mashed squash and 2 1/2 teaspoons of thyme. Add sauce to pasta; toss to mix and coat.
· Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish; dot with spoonfuls of ricotta and then sprinkle with Parmesan and walnuts. Bake until top is lightly browned in a few spots, about 15 to 20 minutes; remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon of thyme. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
· Place squash on prepared baking sheet; roast until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Place in a large bowl and mash.

Notes
· *Look for a 20 ounce bag of fresh, already peeled and cubed squash from your supermarket. If you can't find any, cut a medium squash in half lengthwise and place cut-side down on prepared baking sheet; roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Scoop squash out of skin into a large bowl, mash with a spoon and proceed as above.

Alternatively, you can microwave cubed squash, covered, in a shallow microwave-safe baking dish or container with 1/4 cup of water, until cooked through; mash squash in a bowl.

Kitties need a new home - HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-11-18T06:43:00.000-08:00

Many of you know how much I love and treasure my kitties. Unfortunately, I am in a precarious situation and I need to find homes for a few of them. The economic times have been tough on me and I have to downsize and move, which means that all my babies can't come with me. This is heartbreaking to think about but it is necessary.

So, if you have it in your heart to give a deserving kitty a home I would be furever grateful.

Pouncer, a senior "russian blue" that likes to be the only kitty. She is very sweet and cuddly when she is by herself. She just turned 10, but she is a very young ten.

Eddie, Pouncer's baby girl. She is black and 8 years old. She has medium length fur and is very sweet. She loves to bump her head into things, which is very cute. She likes to run through the house and sometimes you can only guess that it is her. She is so sweet.

Bastian, aka the godfather! He is 6 and is a very hefty boy. He is very lovable and loves to give kisses. He is very much a lover. I am working to get his weight down, but it is a challenge. He is a black and grey tabby. He is finally not eating and eating and eating. He is walking away from the food bowl these days. Yay!

Just email me at meggysue90@hotmail.com if you are interested.

You will be missed Jonas!

2008-10-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

I just received word that a foster puppy I had for a few days (I was his temporary foster) passed away from parvo. He was a doll, and so very cute! He was trapped, nearly 5 days after his siblings, and lived alone in an abandoned home. He was very skittish and untrusting, but quickly came out of his shell and was the biggest kisser of the litter. He was only around 9 weeks, and was neutered last Tuesday. He then went to his foster home, where he enjoyed rolling in the leaves and had a good appetite. He took a turn for the worse this past Saturday and was taken to the emergency vet on Sunday. I received word that he passed around 10:30 or 11 this morning.

While I only had him for a few days, he made a big paw-print on my heart.

Dr. Oz’s Cup of Fresh review and Indianapolis Marathon (and half Marathon and 5K - recipe at the bottom too!)

2008-10-14T07:45:00.000-07:00

I decided a few months back that I would walk the Indianapolis Half Marathon. Well, a REALLY BAD case of plantar fasciitis ruined that. So, in August, I registered for the 5K. The day that I thought would take forever to get here is this Saturday! I can’t believe it. Two gals from the WW message boards are coming into town and are doing this with me. Well, they are so much more fit and strong that they are going to do the Half Marathon. I am such a proud friend!

I am so sick of foot pain. I can’t say that enough. It is VERY frustrating. I have had plantar fasciitis since August. I have some pain every day, most days pretty bad. I know I could have it much worse. Others are in much worse shape. My sympathies to all who are. I have to own the pain I am feeling. It is not fun and I am very bad, as my therapist keeps telling me. I have physical therapy twice a week now. A couple weeks down and finally I am feeling some relief. There is some, not much, but some. I am on 2 hours of a straight tightened muscle, like a Charlie horse. Ice is going on now. My therapist thinks I may not be able to do the 5K, but I am not losing my money and the chance to do something good for me! I will have ice packs at the ready for afterwards!

I also started a part time job this week at Georgetown Market. I am going to be working in the deli, so I will be on my feet all the time. Luckily, the more I move, the more blood flows to the muscles and tendons, thus reducing the pain. But, as I found in a 3.5 hour shift yesterday, they are going to get sore. But, I am looking at the bright side that this will be good for me, budget-wise and movement wise! No pain, no gain, right?

Come and see me Saturdays and Sundays. I start on my birthday, October 25th. Yes, that was a shameless plug! I have to work 8 hours on my birthday. At least I will be surrounded by lots of people on the big day and I will be making money too!

So, back to this marathon stuff! There is still room, if you would like to join in the fun Saturday. The website is www.indianapolismarathon.com.

I will post more from the Cancer Society booklet this week!

Oh, for all those interested in Dr. Oz’s Cup of Fresh Green Smoothie, it is good! I finally had it yesterday. I do NOT like ginger, so I would leave it out. One warning, you really need a juicer! I think he blended it on the show, but I don’t remember. I don’t see how it would blend easily. It is VERY refreshing.

Meg’s Marinara

8-9 tomatoes, boiled, peeled and chopped
2 T canola or olive oil
2 medium or 1 large yellow onion, chopped
Garlic to taste (I used two frozen cubes from a Trader Joe’s freezer pack – roughly 2 cloves)
1 small can Vegetable broth
Dried basil (I would say I used 1 teaspoon)
Dried Oregano (I would say I used ½ teaspoon)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 T sugar (roughly – start out with less and add more as necessary)

Boil tomatoes in water, remove when the skin cracks. Put in an ice bath to stop cooking and peel once cool. Chop and set aside.

While tomatoes are boiling, you can cut up onion and garlic and start sautéing in the oil. Cook on medium until onions are translucent. Add cut up tomatoes and all the remaining ingredients. Simmer on low-medium heat for 60 minutes. Stir often. Reduce to low and simmer another 30 minutes. I think the slow cooking really helps increase the flavor. It would be fine after 30minutes, I am sure, if you are pressed for time.

Take a potato masher and “mash” the tomatoes. I left some chunk. I just wanted to “puree” it a bit. It will not be a thick sauce before this. I like chunky marinara sauce!

I haven’t figured pts on this, but it is all core, except the sugar, which isn’t enough to make it even a half point per serving. And I haven’t measured it yet to see how much it yielded. I will do that tonight and post tomorrow!

Mini Marathon 2009

2008-10-08T05:26:00.000-07:00

If you have considered doing the mini next year, register by November 1, 2008, to save $20.

$50 by 11/1/08

$70 after 11/1/08

Ouch! It sure has gotten expensive! But, 13.1 miles is a lot of activity pts. and the training before will certainly help your weight loss efforts!

Today is the Voter Registration Deadline!

2008-10-06T06:04:00.000-07:00

I don't care who you vote for, I just want you to vote on November 4th. I try not to get political on here, but this is an historic election on many fronts. Why not be a part of it? If you are not registered to vote, you can access the voter registration information at this link:

http://www.in.gov/bmv/4578.htm

Voting early is an option, so if you would like to do so, you can! It will certainly be busy in November!

Ways to cut back fat and sugar

2008-10-03T11:00:00.000-07:00

Instead of 1 C whipping cream, try:

1 C half and half and save 48 g fat
1 C evaporated whole milk and save 53 g fat
1 C evaporated skim milk and save 72 g fat

Instead of 1 C sour cream, try:
1 C reduced fat sour cream and save 12 g fat
1 C fat free sour cream and save 40 g fat

Instead of 1 C low-fat flavored yogurt, try:
1 C yogurt, unflavored or with non-sugar sweetener and save 22 g sugar

Instead of 1 pound lean ground beef, try:
1 pound ground turkey breast and save 78 g fat

Instead of 1 C nuts, try:
1/2 C toasted nuts and save 21 g fat

Instead of 2 slices bacon, cooked, try:
1 slice Canadian Bacon and save 4 g fat

Instead of 1 oz. hard cheese like cheddar, try:
1 oz. reduced fat cheese and save 4 g fat
or
2 T grated Parmesan Cheese and save 6 g fat

American Cancer Society handout

Wine lovers, come on over…

2008-09-29T06:52:00.000-07:00

…I have a secret for you. Mallow Run Winery. South on 37 from Indy just south of 144 (technically Bargersville). Closer than Oliver Winery, and I have to admit, better in my opinion.

ARPO (Alliance for Responsible Pet Ownership) had its annual Wine Tasting and Silent Auction Saturday at Mallow Run Winery. This was a lovely event and it was a lovely evening to hold such an event. The Silent Auction had loads of great items and all went for very little, actually. We need more for more competitive bids next year. So, keep checking in late next summer or early fall on the ARPO website, http://www.adoptarpo.org/ for details. The price is right and you get free food, beverages, and wine tasting.

Save some points for this as the wine at Mallow Run is delicious. As a former employee of a liquor and wine distributor, working in the wine division as an assistant, it was great to prove I still remembered some of what I learned those many moons ago. I asked first for a glass of the Cabernet Sauvignon. Delicious!!!!!! I then tasted a few others, and only disliked one. I figured with all the wine, food (mostly fruit and veggies) and the Nutri Grain bar I consumed on the way home, that I only used 15 pts. Not bad! And I truly enjoyed every last sip and morsel of those 15 pts. That was the best part. It has been a long time since I have gone out and truly enjoyed myself. I haggled a couple people that outbid me in the last couple minutes of the silent auction. I had great conversation with some of the volunteers of ARPO that I am just getting to know. I had fun tasting the wine (who wouldn’t?) and talking the finer points of the wine subtleties with some of the spouses. I dressed up and was even shocking to a volunteer when I walked up. That was fun. And I was flirted with when I stopped to get a pop on the way home!

Oh, and Mallow Run will be having its fall festival the weekend of October 11th & 12th! I have been told they are releasing their Shiraz, and that is to die for!

Have you taken the time for you lately and found something to do that truly is something you love? I can’t say I love going to wineries, but it may be on my list of fun things to do. What I learned, is that others see that I have been giving my time to the animals and not myself. And you know what, they are right. I am still going to be giving my time to the animals, one 5 week old rescued kitten at my house and getting a foster dog tomorrow evening, plus the Indy Feral cat outside and the other neighborhood cats I am trying to get into Indy Feral, and my kitties. But what I realized is that I HAVE to make time for myself. I can’t afford to go out and do a whole lot of stuff, as is the case with many of us these days. But, I can go out and do things. Some ideas include, free times at museums, going to parks for a walk with a friend or by myself, $5 Buck Club movies at Kerasotes theaters, sitting in Border’s reading, playing outside with the neighborhood kiddos, picnic with friends, apple picking at an orchard (I highly recommend Tuttle’s). With Autumn here, I believe I may be going to a park, at least once. I have visions of taking pen and paper and working on a novel I started a year or so ago! The key is to get out and enjoy life. What I discovered is that I have to make myself a priority and that is not selfish. My health and my happiness, and dare I say, my commitment to Weight Watchers depends on it.

So, I challenge you to make yourself a priority at least once this week, at least once each week. What will you do?

Maybe you could treat yourself to a hair ball! I know, you always thought I was a crazy cat lady and I just proved it. No, the Spay Neuter Services of Indiana is having its annual Hair Ball to raise funds to help spay and neuter the animals of Indiana. Only $15 will get you in the door, more if you wish to bid on silent auction items. This sounds like a blast. Kids under 16 are free. See below for details. I want to take a neighbor girl that has been helping me identify neighborhood cats to get fixed and who wants to be a vet someday. She has even rescued a kitty this month. But don’t tell her parents, they think I am feeding it and that it just hangs out at her house!

And yes, I am consumed by animal rescue work! But don’t worry, I am taking time for me this week!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We're all looking for deals these days and this event is worth every penny of the $15 ticket to get in!
Once inside: you will enjoy FREE food, beer, wine, soft drinks, activities for the children and live music.

116th St. & Ditch Road, Carmel, IN
Saturday, October 4 from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

The event is a casual atmosphere with lots of laughter.
Everyone is welcome!
Registering is EASY - just click here:
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001EommArlhv1iqABRisK5F5eIh_TPVcOTIqQMFe6_3Eb4gBDmcRgRVGIjlJJKA6h3bLK-qIBGlYm0_wCh-c7fbZ-hf1s7wRKqNhONmdJrtZ0eFXObwhrFSLXOIsBZXupsSnRBlqeGE4XI=
Prevention is the Key

SNSI's mission is to reduce the overpopulation of companion animals through surgical fee assistance, humane education, and collaboration with other animal welfare groups. Visit SNSI's Web site at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001EommArlhv1gw18iRoAwquub7upqD2BM4UYqrda_Oc_p9GQqTh9zBeqQoS4Kl0gQH0NmTdbt0bQ0YBVSDTe1VP7sfIjJ-CwSZ_9QtvMbD6Tz0WbG-xJhWecbWjpJ_z9aR

In loving memory of Hairy the Cat

The Hair Ball was started in 2005 by a group of friends who care about pet issues and wanted to give back to their community by hosting an afternoon of music, fabulous food and fun to raise funds for Spay Neuter surgeries. Visit the Hair Ball Web site at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001EommArlhv1ivM2KHvAdqOFrjvvQBtF9PYS2hiepV5Us2w6fHXKxhzOZLxD4mFQ7tC36hmTqgPqMzlpXSvKyTKsY5os9wb2TF9IFx1TBi-bB7F9I3q05nPQ==

Click below to see the LONG list of the items available at auction. There is something for everyone! Over $25,000 in items!

AUCTION ITEMS

Why Should You Attend?

The proceeds of this event will allow SNSI to continue to fund the surgeries that are essential in controlling our cat and dog population. The city of Indianapolis still euthanized 15,000 unwanted cats and dogs in 2007. There is obviously still work to do in order to lower this number and we need your help.

Ticket Sales
Advance sale tickets are still just $15 each ($20 day of event) and kids under 16 are admitted FREE.
Upgrade and join the "Snipper Society" with a $45 donation per adult ticket. This special level funds the cost of one complete spay/neuter surgery.

Purchase your tickets online (safe & secure) by clicking HERE: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001EommArlhv1iqABRisK5F5eIh_TPVcOTIqQMFe6_3Eb4gBDmcRgRVGIjlJJKA6h3bLK-qIBGlYm0_wCh-c7fbZ-hf1s7wRKqNhONmdJrtZ0eFXObwhrFSLXOIsBZXupsSnRBlqeGE4XI=
Please spread the word about this event by forwarding this e-mail to the animal lovers in your circle of friends and family. Most importantly, though, we want to see you there, and time is running short! Submit your online registration today to guarantee your spot by clicking here. Pay for your tickets via PayPal -- then all you'll need to do is show up to "Party for the Animals" on October 4th!

What is a Silent Auction anyway?
Never been to one?
They are a blast and you can get some great deals!!! People donated items for us to auction off. There will be a starting bid price listed on the sheet of paper in front of the item. If you like the item, you write down your bidder number and your bid. Then someone else walks along and puts down a higher price...so you circle back and decide if you want to bid more or not. It is low pressure. People just wander the rows of tables. Though it does get exciting right before the bidding closes if 2 people are hoping to get the highest bid in on a special item!

Portion Sized Cutting Boards make serving yourself right sized portions easy!

2008-09-29T05:43:00.000-07:00

http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=181503&catid=79637&brand=53483&trx=PLST-0-BRAND&trxp1=79637&trxp2=181503&trxp3=1&trxp4=0&btrx=BUY-PLST-0-BRAND

Very, very interesting!

Need to spay or neuter a pet or even a stray in your neighborhood?

2008-09-26T09:38:00.001-07:00

Hello - hope everyone is doing well! In case you know of anyone who needs to get a pet spay or neutered...October is the month! Check out the discounted rates available with this certificate from Spay Neuter Services of Indiana. Please pass along and encourage friends, family, coworker, neighbors to take advantage.

http://www.spayneuterservices.org/popcert.pdf

Pretty good breakfast option

2008-09-26T06:25:00.000-07:00

Bob Evans Frozen Oatmeal Bowls. I had the apple cinnamon variety today for breakfast. The first bite seemed a bit salty. But, it got better as I went on. 5 pts. So that is a bit high. But, it has brown sugar and apples and if I had made this I would have felt I needed more, thus more pts. Not bad in a pinch!

I hear the music and my feet start a tappin!

2008-09-25T10:33:00.000-07:00

Dancing With the Stars has begun! I have to admit, I love this show. Okay, I get tired of Samantha asking for me to call in and vote every time someone gets their scores. And yes, I get tired of the extra fluff stuff, but not the group dances with the dancers from the show. Tony usually does a lot of the choreography of those and I just adore him! It could be a lot faster if they didn’t add so much, but it wouldn’t be as big a money maker that way. So, I grin and bear it.

I am always so impressed at how much transformation these stars go through in the time they are on this show. Their bodies change so much, and I am sure their lives do as well. Take for instance the romances that have developed. Derek is dating his partner of last year. Karina dated Mario Lopez for a bit. Okay, maybe it is just that the dancers use this as their own personal dating service! ; )

Look at Joey Fatone, the first NSync member to be on the show. Or was he the second? I think he was the first and Lance Bass (this season) is the 2nd. He lost a lot of weight and inches on the show.

Why?

You know why. They are so active and practice sometimes 6 hours a day. That is a lot of calorie burn. Dancing requires a lot of core movement and stability. So, the waist area is improved.

Do you ever get up and dance? Are you embarrassed like I am to do it in front of people, unless you have a drink or two? My leader told me last night I should go to another meeting for that. Hmmm….I wonder what he meant by that! ; ) Do you ever pick up the dog (if it is small), the cat, or the kids and twirl them around in the house? My cats look at me like I am crazy. I am, and I have a blast reinforcing that in their minds. If they think anything bad about my abilities, or lack thereof, they can’t tell me.

As my leader asked us, I now ask of you, consider dancing or finding another activity that provides some of the benefits of dance. Which are:

Reduce stress

Better lung function

Lower blood pressure

Elevated mood

Weight loss

Tone

Balance

Increase joint strength

Builds self confidence

Increase stamina and flexibility

Helps prepare women for childbirth

Tones and firms arms and shoulders

Can ward off diseases like diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis, and heart disease

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From AARP: A 150-pound adult can burn about 150 calories doing 30 minutes of moderate social dancing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Plus, dancing requires using muscles that you may not even know you had.

"If you're dancing the foxtrot, you're taking long, sweeping steps backwards. That's very different than walking forward on a treadmill or taking a jog around the neighborhood ... Ballroom dancing works the backs of the thighs and buttock muscles differently from many other types of exercise," says Ken Richards, professional dancer and spokesman for USA Dance, the national governing body of DanceSport (competitive ballroom dancing).

Specific Benefits of Different Dances (from www.sixwise.com)

If you're looking for specific health results, here's a breakdown of the benefits of some popular dances. Just remember that any type of dancing is better than no dancing at all!

Belly Dancing
Improved posture and muscle toning
Maintains flexibility
Helps prevent lower back problems
Tones and firms arms and shoulders
Helps with weight loss
Helps prepare women for childbirth
Reduces stress

Dancing Off Those Calories
How many calories will you burn while dancing? That depends on the type of dancing. Here's a range of some of the most popular varieties, based on a 150-pound person, per hour:

Swing dancing: 235 calories/hour
Ballroom dancing: 265
Square dancing: 280
Ballet: 300
Belly dancing: 380
Salsa dancing: 420+
Aerobic dancing: 540+

Ballroom Dancing
Conditions the body
Helps keep the heart in shape
Builds and increases stamina
Develops the circulatory system
Strengthens and tones legs and body
Increases flexibility and balance
Helps with weight loss
Relieves stress

Salsa Dancing
Builds endurance and stamina
Helps with weight loss
Relieves stress
Helps you release toxins via sweating
May help lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels
Can lead to a reduced heart rate over time

Square Dancing
Provides cardiovascular conditioning
May lead to a slower heart rate, lower blood pressure and an improved cholesterol profile
Strengthens bones
Helps you develop strong social ties
Loosens and tones muscles

American Cancer Society tips

2008-09-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

I found a cooking smart guide in the breakroom today, just a few feet from the fat and sugar laden vending machine! Hee!

It is a very nice little reference book and I thought I might share some of the tips with you today.

I'll do my best to update every couple days with more!

Spices to use with what:

Basil: Tomato dishes, fish, soups, salads

Chili Powder: Beans, poultry, soups, stews

Cilantro: Tomato dishes, beans, salad, corn

Cinnamon: Winter squash, sweet potatoes, cooked fruit, baked goods (I might add it is good in chili too - so I hear)

Cloves: Cooked fruits, carrots, squash, poultry

Dill: Fish, rice dishes, salad dressings, potatoes

Ginger: Cooked fruits, seafood, veggie stir fry, breads

Marjoram: Fruit juice, potatoes, poultry, meat

Nutmeg: Beans, apple dishes, seafood, meat

Oregano: Tomato dishes, broccoli, poultry, seafood

Sage: Soups, stews, stuffing, vegetables

Thyme: Beans, tomato dishes, poultry

October is...

2008-09-24T12:38:00.000-07:00

...National Eat Better, Eat Together Month.

You can go to the the College Ave Indianapolis Marion County Public Library each week for menus to use throughout the week. Combine this with the Lose for Good campaign to help earn more pounds lost and more food distributed to those in need!

I imagine the recipes would have to be WW friendly since it says Eat Better.

Here is a link to the website!

http://nutrition.wsu.edu/ebet/

2008-09-23T05:55:00.000-07:00

Go Fever!

Tonight is their chance to make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, something that no one thought they would do this year. Everyone knows what I will be doing at 7 pm tonight. Watching ESPN2 and cheering them on to a victory over the Detroit Shock.

Let's Go Fever! Let's Go!

I know you will do it ladies! I have faith in you! I'm not done going to Conseco this year!

Starbucks New Food Pt. Values

2008-09-23T05:33:00.000-07:00

Power Protein Plate, Starbucks (w/ pb) 7 16g protein
Power Protein Plate, Starbucks (no pb) 5 13g protein
Perfect Oatmeal, Starbucks (oatmeal only) 2 5g protein
Chewy Fruit and Nut Bar, Starbucks 5 5g protein
Spinach Feta Wrap, Starbucks 5 13g protein
Apple Bran Muffin, Starbucks 6 7g protein
Multigrain Roll, Starbucks (roll only) 6* 7g protein
Berry Stella, Starbucks 6 6g protein

*If multigrain roll has 4g fiber, which is possible, it's only 5 points, but they don't list the fiber.

Rumor has it that the Oatmeal is disappointing and you're better off with a good McCanns. I've had the spinach wrap... not bad, actually, esp. in an emergency, but if you get it, make it a regular coffee, not one with points!

posted on the WW message boards

Letter to a Brownie

2008-09-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

Dear Brownie,

Why did you have to peak your sweet little package out of the bakery aisle at PCC tonight? Why did you have to lure me in with your se xy packaging screaming sweet peanut buttery nothings into my ear? Why did you have to be organic and full of WHOLE peanuts and vegan chocolate chips of joy? Why did you have to taste so delicious? Why didn't you reseal yourself after I begged for just a corner, just a little nibble to satisfy my curiosity? Why did you have to sit on the counter, taunting me until I gave into your needs? Oh brownie, why do you taste so good?

Posted on the WW message boards by Patsad24

I just had to share this! Too cute. How many times have we felt the need to write such a letter ourselves?

Dr. Oz's Cup of Fresh Green Smoothie recipe

2008-09-17T08:48:00.000-07:00

Dr. Oz says he makes a breakfast drink for himself many mornings that he calls his green drink.What's in Dr. Oz's green drink?

2 cups spinach
2 cups cucumber
1 head of celery
1/2 inch or teaspoon ginger root
1 bunch parsley
2 apples
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1/2 lemon

After everything is combined in a blender, this recipe makes 28 to 30 ounces—about three to four servings. Oprah takes a sip and is pleasantly surprised. "It's a glass of fresh," she says.Dr. Oz's second drink might not be as pleasant, but it's still important—a shot of cod liver oil. "First of all, cod liver oil has the right kind of vitamin D in itvitamin D3. That's why people who live in the north lands who don't get any sun at all can still survive. It's got the healthy fats that you want in it," Dr. Oz says.

How to See the Real You

2008-09-10T12:18:00.000-07:00

If you know how, please let us know!

I watched part of last night’s episode of How to Look Good Naked – H.T.L.G.N. (Lifetime http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/shows/how-look-good-naked ) and I was amazed at how quickly I was overcome with emotions. Yes, I am a blubberer! Heather was on this week, and she is a Congenital Heart Failure survivor. Is that right? She was born with the disease and lives with it to this day. From the disease, she has had many surgeries and feels uncomfortable with the scars.

While not in that extreme of health conditions, I am 31 and have had 3 surgeries since 25, 2 leaving very big scars. And the prospect of more surgeries in the future is frightening. With my spinal fusion in May 2007, I learned that once that is done, the adjacent discs tend to give out and need to be fused. So, yes, I may have more fusions in the future. I can do some things to prevent that, but it isn’t all up to me. So, I felt very much attached to Heather and her emotions about her body.

Why do we beat ourselves up? Why do we say things to ourselves that we would never dream to say to anyone else? What has prompted us to feel these things about ourselves?

I went to Michigan, the Upper Peninsula (Copper Harbor area) Labor Day weekend. It was nice and warm, very warm actually for the area, and we were able to get into Lake Superior for a swim. I never bring my bathing suit since it is NEVER warm enough for my liking. Well, I threw on some shorts and a t-shirt and walked in, freezing still (in my opinion). I adjusted quickly and enjoyed myself. Soaking up the sun on the beach I thought how I felt fine with my body. I surmised it was because I wasn’t in a suit. The next day, we had another person go, the husband of the couple we stay with. He is like my uncle and I just adore the two more than words can say. He is in his late 60’s and is very active and healthy. He runs 5 miles at least 3 times a week. On our way home, trying to outrun a big storm, we discussed body image issues. It was a wonderful discussion. He was truly interested in why women are so concerned with their bodies.

I told him that I find it sad that girls see the waifs in the magazines and want to be that, as that is touted as beautiful and desirable. Heck, not more than a 100 or 200 years ago, a voluptuous woman with some “meat on her bones” was considered desirable. It was a sign of wealth and stability. She had enough means to eat and was thus considered desirable. Why if our country, and others, are experiencing such high rates of obesity is the waif what is desirable? I guess it comes down to we want what we don’t have.

My plantar fasciitis and muscles in my calves are so flared up this week. I am trying to be more active, walking and yoga, but so much hurts this condition. I am wearing my athletic shoes with a skirt and it looks hideous (in my opinion). But, a girl has to do what a girl has to do. I went across the street to the cafeteria for lunch (I forgot to bring one with me) and as I walked past every person I imagined them all saying how stupid I must look. Why?????? I am hurting and I need my comfy shoes and orthotics that were made for athletic shoes. I can’t wear them in dress shoes. I had to wear these shoes today. So, why if it is a matter of health and physical comfort, would I ever care what others may or may not be thinking about me? Besides, it’s not like women don’t wear athletic shoes and skirts all the time downtown! Obviously, I am feeling inadequate about myself.

Guess I know what I am talking about in therapy this month! ; )

So, what are you doing to work on your body image issues? Has your journey on WW helped or hindered that growth? Do you feel hopeless that it will change? Are you one of the blessed that doesn’t experience any issues with yourself? Have you overcome them in the past, and if so, how? Can we accept ourselves and still want to lose weight?

A lot of food for thought today! Ha! Pun intended.

I have included in this post, a WW article on Body Confidence. If you haven’t seen H.T.L.G.N., I recommend viewing the show.

Also, I want to know if anyone is interested in getting together with me for a “therapy session.” I was discussing with my leader, a former member of mine, about my “therapy” meetings. I miss those. I always loved those weeks that yielded more in depth self awareness and got to the core of our weight issues. Some weeks you didn’t want to talk openly about the topics, but most of you really dived right in. So, if you would like to get together as WW members, I’d love to facilitate. Email me if you are interested and I will put something together. Again, keep in mind I have no outside training in counseling or psychotherapy. I’m just a gal that likes to get in the head and de-clutter it! I am on the search to figure out my own, and others mental barriers and successes with weight loss.

quirkysoul@sbclgobal.net

Body Confidence

· Article By: Stephanie Osfield
·

Stop making your body the target of a self-perpetuated smear campaign. A good self image makes you feel better and helps you achieve your goals. Here are some tips for giving your body confidence a boost.

Do you think your life would be so much better if you dropped one dress size, had slimmer hips or looked like Elle MacPherson? Then your body image needs a boost. "Left unchecked, a lack of body confidence can interfere with your quality of life, career and social time," says counselor Jenny Garth.

Sound familiar? Then stop beating yourself up. Looking good is all about feeling good. Here's how to get your body confidence back for keeps:

Watch your thinking.Poor body image is the result of:
Extreme thinking: "I'll never be attractive to men because my thighs are too big."
Unrealistic expectations: "I wish I could be as skinny as I was before I got married and had three children."
Jumping to conclusions: "Everyone is staring at me thinking, 'No wonder she's so big—look at the dessert she's having.'"
Exaggerating: "There's no point in buying new clothes. I look horrible in absolutely everything I wear."

To break these unkind attitudes, work on your own PR campaign. Here are some ideas:

Avoid self-criticism.Enough of that self-flagellation. "I ask women, 'Would you put down your daughter, best friend or mother this way?' Of course not—so it's obviously not OK to say these things to yourself," says Garth. In the long-term, critical self-talk can destroy self-respect, so avoid it. Instead, aim to:

Replace every negative thought with a positive one (e.g., instead of "I hate my hips," try "I have pretty eyes").

Exercise to invest in a healthier, longer life, not just to change the way you look.

Praise yourself for your efforts to reach your goal weight.

Say "thank you" to compliments, instead of putting yourself down in response.

Think beautiful: Walk, talk and relate as though you're a beautiful gazelle, and a beautiful gazelle you will be.

Stop obsessing.

Banish your scale to the garage and weigh in only at Weight Watchers meetings.

Take down all but one mirror.

Don't beat yourself up for skimping on a workout or indulging in one more cookie than you had budgeted POINTS® values for. These are the times when you learn what your weaknesses are. Just take note, and strengthen your resolve to watch out for the same situation next time.
Dress to feel great.Feeling down about how you look? Take extra care with your makeup and hair and put on an outfit that makes you feel drop-dead gorgeous. Dress to hide your figure faults and accentuate your best features by:

Avoiding too much color contrast. "If you don't break the flow of the eye from the shoulder to the floor you'll get a longer, leaner, slimmer body line," says image consultant Jenny Hanson.

Choosing fabrics like wool, crepe and polyester crepe, which drape around the body in a flattering way, "unlike stiff linens and cottons that stretch to your widest point and hang there making you look bigger," says Hanson.

Wearing tailored trousers teamed with tailored or belted jackets that loosely hug the hips and finish just below the hip line. They'll define the waist and draw attention away from your lower body.

Choosing A-line or tailored skirts that show off the curve of your leg. "These give a slimmer silhouette," Hanson explains.

Look at other women. Few resemble supermodels (and let's face it, supermodels only look that good with the help of cooks, personal trainers, makeup artists and air brushing). Most of your friends, co-workers and neighbors probably don't have a supermodel's figure, so why should you stress about being the "perfect ten"? Concentrate on improving your overall health, and your body confidence will soon soar.

Calories in burgers! hOLY COW!

2008-08-25T05:44:00.000-07:00

Keep in mind that the rough guideline is 50 cals/pt. These are even more due to the fat content! Holy moley. Or as an high school friend used to say, Lordy in the morning!

Restaurant and Burger Name
Calories

McDonald's
Hamburger
250

Cheeseburger
300

Double Cheeseburger
440

Quarter Pounder
410

Quarter Pounder with Cheese
510

Double Quarter Pounder with Cheese
740

Big Mac
540

Big N' Tasty
460

Big N' Tasty with Cheese
510

Burger King
Whopper
670

Whopper w/o mayo
510

Whopper with cheese
760

Whopper with cheese w/o mayo
600

Double Whopper
900

Double Whopper w/o mayo
740

Double Whopper with cheese
990

Double Whopper with cheese w/o mayo
830

Triple Whopper
1,130

Triple Whopper w/o mayo
980

Triple Whopper with cheese
1,230

Triple Whopper with cheese w/o mayo
1,070

Whopper Jr.
370

Whopper Jr. w/o mayo
290

Whopper Jr. with cheese
410

Whopper Jr. with cheese w/o mayo
330

Hamburger
290

Cheeseburger
330

Double Hamburger
410

Double Cheeseburger
500

BK Double Stacker
610

BK Triple Stacker
800

BK Quad Stacker
1,000

The Angus Steak Burger
640

Wendy's
Jr. Hamburger
230

Jr. Cheeseburger
270

Jr. Cheeseburger Deluxe
300

Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger
320

Stack Attack
380

Single w/Everything
430

Double w/Everything and Cheese
710

Triple w/Everything and Cheese
980

Baconator
840

Carl's Jr.
Famous Star with Cheese
660

Super Star with Cheese
930

Western Bacon Cheeseburger
710

Double Western Bacon Cheeseburger
970

Chili Cheeseburger
830

Jalapeno Burger
720

The Original Six Dollar Burger
1,010

The Western Bacon Six Dollar Burger
1,140

The Low Carb Six Dollar Burger
1,130

The Jalapeno Six Dollar Burger

Hardee's
1/3 lb Thickburger
910

1/3 lb Cheeseburger
680

1/3 lb Mushroom N Swiss Thickburger
720

1/3 lb Bacon Cheese Thickburger
910

1/3 lb Low Carb Thickburger
420

1/2 lb Six Dollar Burger
1,060

1/2 lb Grilled Sourdough Thickburger
1,030

2/3 Double Thickburger
1,250

2/3 lb Double Bacon Cheese Thickburger
1,300

2/3 lb Monster Thickburger
1,420

Sonic
SONIC Burger (w/ Mayonnaise)
650

SONIC Burger (w/ Mustard)
560

SONIC Burger (w/ Ketchup)
560

SONIC Cheeseburger (w/ Mayonnaise)
720

SONIC Cheeseburger (w/ Mustard)
620

SONIC Cheeseburger (w/ Ketchup)
630

SONIC Bacon Cheeseburger
780

SuperSONIC Cheeseburger (w/ Mayonnaise)
980

SuperSONIC Cheeseburger (w/ Mustard)
890

SuperSONIC Cheeseburger (w/ Ketchup)
900

Jr. Burger
310

Jr. Cheeseburger
380

Dixie Burger
660

Dixie Cheeseburger
720

Thousand Island Jr. Cheeseburger
430

California Cheeseburger
690

SuperSONIC Jalapeno Cheeseburger
890

Thousand Island Cheeseburger
680

Jalapeno Cheeseburger
610

Jalapeno Burger
550

Green Chili Cheeseburger
630

Chili Cheeseburger
660

Hickory Cheeseburger
640

Jr. Double Cheeseburger
570

Ruby Tuesday
Triple Prime Burger
933

Triple Prime Cheddar Burger
1,093

Triple Prime Bacon Cheddar Burger
1,183

Jumbo Lump Crab Burger
1,068

The Ultimate Chicken
1,068

Blackened Fish Burger
839

Bacon Cheeseburger
1,193

Classic Cheeseburger
1,103

Ruby's Classic Burger
1,013

Smokehouse Burger
1,382

Alpine Swiss Burger
1,257

Ruby Minis (4)
1,271

Turkey Minis (4)
973

Mini Trio
836

Turkey Burger
813

Avocado Turkey Burger
1,026

Bella Turkey Burger
1,057

Bison Bacon Cheeseburger
1,072

Veggie Burger
945

Chicken BLT
972

Buffalo Chicken Burger
1,033

Big Hamburger
1,070

Fatburger
Fatburger
520

Baby Fat
300

Turkeyburger
550

Veggieburger
430

Kingburger
820

In N Out Burger
Hamburger w/Onion
390

•With Mustard & Ketchup Instead of Spread
310

•Protein Style (Bun replaced with Lettuce)
240

Cheeseburger w/Onion
480

• With Mustard & Ketchup Instead of Spread
400

•Protein Style (Bun replaced with Lettuce)
330

Double-Double w/Onion
670

•With Mustard & Ketchup Instead of Spread
590

•Protein Style (Bun replaced with Lettuce)
520

White Castle
White Castle
140

Cheeseburger
170

Jalapeno Cheeseburger
180

Bacon Cheeseburger
200

Double White Castle
250

Double Cheeseburger
300

Double Jalapeno Cheeseburger
320

Double Bacon Cheeseburger
370

Whataburger
Whataburger
620

Whataburger, Double Meat
870

Whataburger Jr.
300

Whataburger, Triple Meat
1,120

Whataburger with bacon & cheese
780

TGI Friday's

Cheesy Bacon Cheeseburger
1,590

Bacon Cheeseburger
1,340

Jack Daniel's Burger
1,540

Friday's Burger
1,290

California Turkey Burger
950

Ahi Tuna Ciabatta Burgers
800

Chili's

Big Mouth Bites
850

Big Mouth Bun only (with butter)
460

Burger Patty only (w/o bun or toppings)
360

Bacon Burger
1,090

Chipotle Bleu Cheese Bacon Burger
1,090

Jalapeño Smokehouse Bacon Big Mouth Burger w/ out side of Jalapeño-Ranch Dressing
1,530

Mushroom-Swiss Burger
1,100

Oldtimer Burger
800

Oldtimer Burger w/ Cheese
880

Smokehouse Bacon Triple-The-Cheese Big Mouth Burger w/ out side of Jalapeño-Ranch Dressing
1,840

Southern Smokehouse Bacon Big Mouth Burger w/ out side of Ancho-Chile BBQ Sauce
1,560

Jack in the Box

Bacon Ultimate Cheeseburger
1,090

Big Cheeseburger
640

Double Bacon & Cheese Ciabatta Burger
1,120

Hamburger
280

Hamburger deluxe
350

Hamburger deluxe with Cheese
440

Hamburger with Cheese
330

Jumbo Jack
600

Jumbo Jack with Cheese
690

Junior Bacon Cheeseburger
400

Single Bacon & Cheese Ciabatta Burger
870

Sirloin Steak & Cheddar Ciabatta
770

Sirloin Steak Melt
880

Sourdough Jack
710

Sourdough Ultimate Cheeseburger
950

Ultimate Cheeseburger
1,010

Dairy Queen

DQ Original Burger
350

DQ Original Cheeseburger
400

DQ Original Double Cheeseburger
640

DQ Original Bacon Double Cheeseburger
730

DQ Ultimate Burger
780

1/4 lb FlameThrower GrillBurger
840

1/4 lb Chili Meltdown GrillBurger
600

Bacon Cheddar GrillBruger
710

Mushroom Swiss GrillBurger
680

Red Robin

5 Alarm Burger
907

Banzai Burger
1,054

A1 Peppercorn Burger
1,440

Blackened Bayou Burger
858

Blue Ribbon Burger
1,062

Guacamole Bacon Burger
1,151

Monster Burger
1,030

Red Robin Bacon Cheeseburger
1,030

Red Robin Gourmet Cheeseburger
850

Royal Red Robin Burger
1,178

Santa Fe Burger
1,036

Sauteed 'Shroom Burger
971

Sicilian Burger
1,070

Whiskey River BBQ Burger
1,129

Applebee's
Brewtus Steak Burger
1,390

Mini Bacon Cheeseburgers (3)
1,030

Johnny Rockets
Rocket Single
710

Rocket Double
1,020

The Original
820

#12
900

Route 66
920

Smoke House Single
950

Smoke House Double
1,260

Bacon Cheddar Single
860

Bacon Cheddar Double
1,400

St. Louis
991

Patty Melt
690

Chili Size
1,290

Streamliner (100-percent soy Bocca patty)
410

MOO NEEDS YOU!!!!

2008-08-19T05:54:00.000-07:00

Here is a brief rundown of Moo!

Found by FIDO volunteers

He was found just north of 38th Street and East of College near the Fair last Thursday evening (8/14/08).

He was very friendly to us and got right in the car and sat on my roommate's lap. He was not going to sit in the back end of the SUV.

We tried to call Animal Care & Control but received no answer. We asked two Sheriffs for help and they offered none. So, we took him back to one of our homes.

He was crated and we went back to the fair.

He was walked by the volunteer that kept him overnight and he was happy to see the other neighborhood dogs but never tried to go after them. He just wanted to meet them.

He knows some simple commands

He has no evident signs of food aggression (a broom handle was placed in the food bowl while he ate and he never reacted)

He did not react when his tail was pulled

He is called Moo because of his spots

He loves to give kisses (even on the face)

His ears perk up when he is listening to you or you walk away. That is his best feauture in my book, besides his personality!

If you can help or are interested, please email me.

Making you produce last

2008-08-11T06:21:00.000-07:00

Fresh fruits and vegetables aren't the only way to meet your daily fruit and veggie requirements, but during the summer, who can't resist the fresh stuff? To avoid the frustration of fresh produce going bad quickly, there are a few strategies you can follow.

Reduce waste by buying only as much as you can eat (or prepare) until your next shopping trip. That may require a trip to the market once a week to pick up fresh produce, but it's more cost effective in the long run.
Go straight home after the market so your food won't be in the heat very long and can be stored properly.

Wash produce with clean hands when you are ready to eat it, not when you bring it home. Unless of course you're chopping it up and preparing it for future meals and snacks.

Refrigerate all cut-up fruit and veggies (fresh OR cooked) within two hours.

Different fruits and vegetables require different temperature and humidity levels for optimal shelf life and food safety. Here are some additional tips to keep all your produce as fresh as possible.

Counter tops: Many fruits do best when they are ripened on the counter, then stored in the refrigerator once ripe. Items in this category include melons, peaches, plums and nectarines, as well as avocados and tomatoes. It also works for more tropical fruits such as bananas, papayas and mangoes. Do not leave fruit in plastic bags on counters as this can slow the ripening process and may lead to rotten spots; paper bags allow better airflow and are fine for most fruits.

Refrigerator: Most other fresh fruits and vegetables are best stored in a clean refrigerator at 40°F or below in plastic bags with holes to allow for air flow. Use crisper drawers for whole produce, being sure to store fruits separately from vegetables. Fruits give off a gas (ethylene) that can shorten the storage life of other items, while vegetables (such as broccoli) give off odors that can affect the taste and quality of fruits.

Cupboards: Some produce items are stored best in a clean, dry, well-ventilated space with no direct light; like a cupboard. Foods that do well in cupboards include potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, and winter squash, as well as garlic and onions.

If you want more detailed information on storing specific fruits and vegetables, visit www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org

Info from InShapeIN

I want to evolve

2008-08-04T10:30:00.000-07:00

“The only thing that stays the same is change.”
Melissa Etheridge

I have been on a very adventurous journey of self evolution in the last year. As many of you may have noticed, when I left WW in February I was not at my goal weight. I have wanted to see many of you, but I have been fearful as I am not yet back to goal. I am in fact nearly 20 pounds above my goal. I have been working through all the negative feelings that come with the prior statement. For those of you that I loved and loved me, you would love me no matter what, as I would you. I know a number is simply that and it is us that interjects a good or bad connotation on that number. The one good thing I can say, my weight has been nearly stable for months, not going up past a certain number.

I have wondered, is my body happy here? Is this the weight I can maintain the rest of my life? Is this the number that I can have fun with from time to time and yet still feel good about myself? I even wondered if my thyroid was out of whack.

What I have discovered, I have not been working program to the best of my ability or at all at times. My 4 year LT anniversary is fast approaching and I said last year I wanted to be back at goal on October 7th. I didn’t make it. I may not be there this year, but I intend to be further towards that # than away. I am very strongly considering a different goal weight than the one I picked in 2004. Hindsight sure is 20/20, isn’t it? Is that number too low? It is on the high end of the weight chart, but do I need to lose and maintain 80-85 pounds. What I discovered about my mind at that #, I had no clue how to feel in that body and thus I did some self-sabotage. I now know what it feels like at that number and what it will create in my life, like people flirting with me. I am growing to like people flirting with me, as it is new and can be fun. Of course, I don’t want anyone scary doing it! ; )

And you know what, even 20 pounds above goal, I am actually pretty darn happy with who I am and am getting noticed. All good things!

So, if I am pretty darn happy with me, why do I want to get back to goal? Simply because I can be healthier than I am. I am capable of more and have proven that plenty in my WW journey and in my personal growth this past year. Therapy and fostering dogs have been eye-opening experiences for me. I have grown so much thanks to my wonderful therapist and the work we are capable of together. I also am learning that, “The person who remembers they can always reach out and help others, never runs out of things to do, always has friends, and rarely needs advice.” This was a note from the Universe a few weeks ago. www.tut.com I want to be the best Meg I can be. That means eating healthier and being in the best shape I can be. That means meetings and working out. That means continued mental evolution. That means resisting the huge bowls of ice cream on my annual Labor Day trip to Michigan. I can do it, I know I can!

I can not get any benefits if I do not work for them. I can’t expect results that are pleasing if I do not lay the groundwork. I only get what I put into this and I am tired of what I have been getting lately. So, it is time for a change!

Wow, this has been scary to type, but I feel glad having it off my chest. Please feel free to post any comments of things you need or want to get off your chest! You will be glad you did!

Grocery Shoppin on a budget!

2008-08-04T09:33:00.000-07:00

From the InShape Indiana website:

Gas prices aren't the only thing rising, the cost of food is as well. It can be difficult to make healthy choices when you're on a budget. The following tips are some ways to help make your grocery trip a little easier and lighter on your wallet!

Plan ahead by making menus and a list. If you're wandering down each aisle of the store without a plan of action, you will surely overspend on foods that aren't necessary.

Try to plan menus for the upcoming week and make a list of food that is needed for those meals and snacks.

Don't go hungry! If you're hungry while you're grocery shopping, that hunger will influence what you buy and you may end up with less healthy choices.

Stick to the perimeter. Choose foods from the outer perimeter of your grocery store as they are mostly fresh produce, meats, dairy and breads. Load up your cart with these foods before hitting the middle aisles. These interior aisles typically contain more processed and convenience foods.

Use coupons and reward cards. You can certainly save some money by clipping coupons but make sure you're not buying foods only because there is a coupon, especially if it's something you don't need. Use coupons as well as your store's reward card for extra savings that are not offered to 'non-members.'

Buy store brands. These brands, also known as 'private labels' are usually identical to the brand name but much cheaper. Most name brand products are stocked at eye level but the products stocked lower or higher on the shelves are just as good.

Buy on sale and in bulk. Look for sales on shelf-stable items and other products you use regularly. Buying in bulk is cheaper, but only if you have the storage space and will be using it before it spoils and has to be thrown out.

Compare unit prices. Use the 'unit price' to compare brands and see which is really cheaper. Most stores show the unit price on the shelf tag, so check that out to get more for your money!

Keep your food safe and prevent waste. Use the dates to select the freshest items at the store.
Visit the cold/frozen food section last so those items aren't in your cart as long. Put them away first when you get home.

When stocking foods at home, use the older items first.

Shop seasonally and locally. Fresh produce is usually much cheaper when it's in season. Go to a local farmer's market to get fruits and vegetables that are fresh and haven't traveled a long distance.

Indiana State Fair Pts. Preparedness!

2008-08-04T06:07:00.000-07:00

Estimated POINTS Values for
Fair Food Favorites: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Belgian Waffle with whipped cream, 9
Caramel Apple, 9
Cheese Fries, 14
Chili Dog, 7
Chocolate frozen banana, 4
Corn Dog, 1 regular or 4 mini, 5
Corn Dog, foot long, 8
Corn on Cob, plain (large), 2 (And it’s CORE!)
Corn on Cob, with 2 Tbsp. Butter, 7
Cotton Candy, 1 ½ oz., 3
Elephant Ear, whole, 26
Fried Cheesecake, 17
Fried Mixed Veggies 1 cup, 10
Fried Oreo, 3
Fried Snickers, 11
Fried Twinkie, 11
Fried Tenderloin Sandwich, 16
Fudge, 1 piece, 3
Funnel Cake (1/2 of 8” diameter), 12
Grilled Cheese, 13
Gyro Sandwich, 17
Kebabs, 2 small skewers, 8
Kettle Corn, 10 oz., 12
Milkshake, 13
Nachos with Cheese, 9
Potato Pancakes, 2
Roasted Almonds 1 oz., 4
Sno Cone with 6 oz. Syrup, 11
Soft Pretzel, small 4 ½ oz., 8
Tenderloin, 12 Turkey Leg, 28

Caramelized Corn and Tomato Salad

2008-07-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

1 T canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced (I used one cube of Trader Joe’s frozen Garlic)
½ t ground cumin (may have been 1 t)
Fresh or dried cilantro to taste
1 bag frozen corn, thawed or equivalent fresh
½ to ¾ pint cherry tomatoes, rinsed, hulled, and halved
1 cucumber, rinsed and quartered
1 green pepper, rinsed, seeded, and chopped
Splash red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in pan, add onion and garlic. Saute until starting to caramelize. Add corn and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly caramelized. Add cilantro and cumin close to the end of cooking time. Let cool.

While cooling, slice up tomato, cucumber, and green pepper. Add salt and pepper to taste and red wine vinegar. Toss in cooled corn mixture. Serve immediately or place in refrigerator for later.

Delicious as a leftover.

Pts. are around 15 for the entire batch, so divide by # of servings you want (a standard bag of corn is around 6 servings - 12 pts. and 3 for the oil).

This is core, if you are following Core.

Nice soup in time for corn season!

2008-07-25T08:31:00.000-07:00

Spicy Corn on the Cob Soup

soups
POINTS® Value: 2
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 40 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

We tossed the cobs into the soup while it was cooking to maximize the sweet corn flavor. Use just-picked-corn for the best result.

Ingredients
6 medium corn on the cob, husked
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
3 medium garlic clove(s), minced
2 medium jalapeno pepper(s), minced (don't touch seeds with bare hands)
1 cup onion(s), finely chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
4 cup canned chicken broth - veggie broth could work too!
2 cup water
1 1/2 tsp table salt
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground (or to taste)
1/2 cup sweet red pepper(s), chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, fresh, finely minced
1/4 cup scallion(s), minced (optional)

Instructions
Remove corn kernels from cobs with a knife; reserve cobs and 1 cup of kernels.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add jalapeno and onions; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add celery, cumin and turmeric; cook for about 1 or 2 minutes more.

Add broth, water and cobs; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes; remove and discard cobs. Add corn (except for cup of reserved kernels), salt and pepper to soup; simmer for 15 minutes more.

Puree soup until smooth in pot using an immersion blender (or in a food processor or in batches in a blender—but be careful not to splatter hot liquid). Garnish with red pepper, cilantro, scallion and reserved cup of corn; serve hot or at room temperature.

Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Notes
Grill the corn and pepper for extra flavor. And cut back on the jalapeno if you don't like too much heat.

My Note: Vegan if made with veggie broth!

Recent WeightWatchers.com Recipes
Spicy Corn on the Cob Soup
Tomato Pesto Packets
Lobster Salad
Pesto Sauce

2008-07-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

Heading out to an amusement park this summer? Or thinking about what to do as far as travels? While the gas is expensive, there are some good buys at some amusement park restaurants that won't hurt your pt. budget.

Here is a list from www.healthydiningfinder.com

Healthy Choices at Amusement Parks
When hunger hits at an amusement park, options are often limited to cheese pizza, chicken fingers or grilled cheese. Nutrition is pushed aside in favor of quick bites with short lines. Not anymore. Rather than depend on fried foods, popcorn with extra butter or fat-laden ice cream bars, today’s amusement park lover can fill up with Healthy Dining meals that keep hunger at bay throughout the day.

One example: SeaWorld Orlando. Last year the park launched a new restaurant, trans fat- free frying, and an array of healthy choices throughout the park for kids and adults. The park’s newest approach to healthier dining includes Mama’s Kitchen Healthy Alternatives, a quick-service restaurant offering an assortment of foods prepared with fresh ingredients and substitutes such as non-fat mayonnaise and dressing, whole wheat bread and pasta, zero trans fat frying oil and no preservatives.

Looking for even more choices? Read on. All Busch Gardens’ locations are offering to help park-goers avoid the greasy spoons and dine on food that not only tastes good, but is good for their health, too.

Adventure Island Water Park (Tampa, FL):

Turkey Wrap with Side of Fruit Tender turkey, fresh lettuce, and tomato wrapped in a spinach tortilla and served with a side of grapes and strawberries (included in analysis).

Calories 450; Fat 6 g; Sat Fat 0 g; Chol 40 mg; Sod 1150* mg; Carb 74 g; Fiber 5 g; Sugar 16 g; Pro 28 g; Fruit/Veg 1.5 cupsView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

Discovery Cove (Orlando, FL):

Salmon Salad Fillet of salmon with fresh tropical fruits over a bed of greens and finished with our famous Budweiser Guava Sauce. Budweiser Guava Sauce is served on the side and not included in analysis.

Calories 565; Fat 27 g; Sat Fat 5 g; Chol 335 mg; Sod 175* mg; Carb 27 g; Fiber 6 g; Sugar 18 g; Pro 54 g; Fruit/Veg 3 cupsView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

Water Country USA (Williamsburg, VA):

Carved Turkey Sandwich Carved turkey breast with Muenster cheese, lettuce and tomato on a whole wheat sub roll. Served with potato salad (included in analysis).

Calories 695; Fat 23 g; Sat Fat 8.5 g; Chol 70 mg; Sod 1720* mg; Carb 84 g; Fiber 7 g; Sugar 21 g; Pro 40 g; Fruit/Veg 0.5 cupsView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

Busch Gardens, Africa (Tampa, FL):

Grilled Salmon with Grilled Vegetables at Zambia Smokehouse

Calories 430; Fat 24 g; Sat Fat 5 g; Chol 135 mg; Sod 130* mg; Carb 6 g; Fiber 2 g; Sugar 3 g; Pro 46 g; Fruit/Veg 0.5 cupsView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

Busch Gardens, Europe (Williamsburg, VA):

Brisket Sandwich Platter at Trappers Smokehouse Smoked brisket with American cheese, sliced tomatoes and lettuce on focaccia bread with barbecue sauce. Served with coleslaw (not included in analysis).

Calories 515; Fat 20 g; Sat Fat 8 g; Chol 70 mg; Sod 1225* mg; Carb 34 g; Fiber 3 g; Sugar 6 g; Pro 47 g; Fruit/Veg 0.25 cupView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

SeaWorld (Orlando, FL):

Seafood Salad Sandwich at Mama's Kitchen Shrimp, crabmeat and spinach with fat free mayonnaise served with a whole wheat baguette and whole wheat pasta salad (both included in analysis).

Calories 515; Fat 9 g; Sat Fat 2 g; Chol 85 mg; Sod 1280* mg; Carb 80 g; Fiber 7 g; Sugar12 g; Pro 27 g; Fruit/Veg 0.5 cupView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

SeaWorld (San Antonio, TX):

Deli Turkey Sandwich at Sea Star MarketWith lettuce, tomato, low-fat Swiss cheese and low-fat honey mustard on a wheat roll. Served with Original Baked Lay's Potato Chips (included in analysis).

Calories 740; Fat 11 g; Sat Fat 3 g; Chol 65 mg; Sod 1840* mg; Carb 111 g; Fiber 8 g; Sugar 16 g; Pro 53 g; Fruit/Veg 0.5 cup
View other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

SeaWorld (San Diego, CA):

Vegetarian Wrap at Rocky Point Café
Crisp bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, olives, and fresh greens wrapped in a tomato basil tortilla served with pasta salad. Analysis does not include side packet of Italian Dressing.

Calories 525; Fat 16 g; Sat Fat 3 g; Chol 0 mg; Sod 1530* mg; Carb 83 g; Fiber 7 g; Sugar 5 g; Pro 14 g; Fruit/Veg 1.5 cupsView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

Sesame Place (Langhorne, PA):

Wheat Cheese Pizza at Elmo’s Eatery
Freshly prepared individual pizza made with a whole-wheat crust, a blend of mozzarella and provolone cheeses, and a zesty tomato sauce.

Calories 545; Fat 18 g; Sat Fat 8.5 g; Chol 40 mg; Sod 1405* mg; Carb 76 g; Fiber 9 g; Sugar 9 g; Pro 31 g; Fruit/Veg 0.25 cupView other Healthy Dining Options at this Restaurant

Pie recipe

2008-07-10T06:32:00.000-07:00

I have not made this, so I do not know how it is. I found this from an old WW coworker. So, it must be good!

Banana Bread Pie

1 ½ cups Splenda granular
1 ½ cups Carnation Instant Nonfat Dry Milk Powder
6 Tablespoons fat free margarine
6 Tablespoons water
1 cup ripe mashed bananas (about 2 medium)
½ cup reduced fat Bisquick
½ cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a 9” pie pan with butter flavored cooking spray. Place Splenda, milk powder, margarine and water into a medium mixing bowl. Blend with electric mixer on lowest speed until moist, then on high speed until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and add the mashed bananas, Bisquick, egg substitute and vanilla. Blend on low until combined well, about 1 minute. Pour batter into the prepared pie pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let sit for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Serve warm with a dollop of fat free cool whip. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Note: The more ripe your bananas are, the better the taste.

Serves 6 3 points per serving.

This recipe is from aimeesadventures.com

Variation:

Pina Colada Pie

Replace the mashed bananas with a small can of crushed pineapple. Squeeze out the juice beforehand and use it instead of the 6 tablespoons of water. Substitute coconut extract for the vanilla.

Foster puppies are coming!

2008-07-09T09:43:00.000-07:00

I have 2 foster puppies coming tomorrow. Their pictures are to the right. They are fox terrier mixes and are coming from a kill shelter. I am so glad they will be relieved of the burden of this shelter. If you are interested, please email me or contact ARPO, the Alliance for Responsible Pet Ownership.

Tofruitti Salad

2008-07-08T10:21:00.000-07:00

6 Points
Serv Size 1/4th recipe

10.5 ozs. extra firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 C grapes, sliced in half (I used black seedless grapes)
1 apple (calls for red delicious, I used gala), cored, seeded, and chopped
1/4 C celery, chopped
1/4 C chopped walnuts
1/4 t curry powder
1/4 t ginger (I can't remember if this is ground or fresh - I used double curry - I hate ginger)
1/4 C raisins
1/2 C nayonnaise

Combine curry, ginger, and nayonnaise in a small bowl. Combine all other ingredients. Add dressing, stir, cover, and chill. Spread tofu mixture over romaine leaves.

Don't be afraid, this is so good. I am eating this as a sandwich filling. It is fine by itself. Very much like chicken salad! This is hands down my new favorite recipe! So healthy and good for you. I'd say a serving of veggies in every serving. Healthy fats from the nuts, delicious plump raisins as it chills, crunchy apple, and sweet grapes. You will love this!

Yum!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-07-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

Wanting to eat healthier, more natural foods but don’t think you have the money to do so? Well, the people at Whole Foods want you to as well and have offered this as a tool to help you shop their store and do so on a budget.
http://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/pr/wf/national/6-18-08valuetips.aspx

I hope everyone had a delightful 4th of July and found following program to be very easy and not a trouble or hindrance. I found a way to get through fine, without any challenges. Just don’t go to a 4th party! I felt sad for a minute when I realized that no one, not even my family, invited me to a party. Then I thought how lucky I was to not be invited. I was able to do my own thing and got a few chores done at my house. I didn’t have to face any food challenges or give up the freedom of my choices as to what I wanted to eat. It was a nice day, once the rain stopped. I do have to say, I enjoyed a work-day of not being out in the rain but in bed listening as it hit the windows. I hate going to work on rainy days. Here was a Friday I didn’t have to be out in it and could take the nap like I always say I want to be doing.

I have discovered through outdoor activity that I am allergic to poisonous weeds. I know I got into poison Ivy and Sumac in the last few weekends. I am attaching a link to the images of these, so you can try and avoid them. I honestly had no clue what the poisonous weeds looked like. I had heard Leaves of three, let it be. But a lot of things in nature have three leaves! So, here is a picture guide.
http://www.webmd.com/allergies/tc/poison-ivy-oak-or-sumac-topic-overview

INShape Indiana is starting a new challenge today. This one sounds fun and has a neat way to score yourself. A lot of the things it asks you to do, we already do as WW members. The Summer Fit program info can be found here: http://www.in.gov/inshape/2331.htm

I have another foster dog coming this week. She is an 8 week old puppy, or thereabouts. Since I don’t have a fenced yard, I should be getting lots of walks in! This will surely help the half-marathon training!

What are you doing to amp up your activity these days? Has anyone planted a good size garden that you need to work to offset some of the rising food costs and fears of salmonella? If not, it may not be too late!

Following is an article from the WW website on what you can do when you travel on your summer vaca!

Busy or not, here we come. Every month “Everyday Gourmet” serves up new recipes, cooking tips and ideas for dishes that are elegant in taste and presentation, yet simple enough to prepare and enjoy in a snap.

Even with high gas prices, summer means time in the car. We’re sticking around home this year, taking another one of those “staycations” people are talking about. But we still plan to head out to the local lakes and state parks to take advantage of rural Connecticut’s beauty.

Along the way, we’ll have some healthy munchies to make things even better. After all, car food is an American passion. Most of us grew up with the car trip: Mom packed a lunch and we made up time by not stopping at a restaurant.

There’s no need to blow our lifestyles with unhealthy snacks. Why eat junk just because we’re in the car? Besides, no one will miss those ever-present chips with these fiery cherry tomato poppers. Just have the diet soda or bottled water handy!

And talk about an easy lunch—these wraps are wholesome and satisfying. They’re also easy to eat while you’re on the road or parked at a rest stop along the way.

For dessert, who could resist these sweet, sticky, chewy little morsels of dried fruit and spices? They’ll last for days, a treat during your whole vacation.

So crank up the air conditioning and forget about the crazy price of gas for a bit. You’ve got some easy, economic road food that’ll keep you moving on down the highway!

About the Dried Fruit BitesThese little candies are like the filling to fig cookies without any of the cookie part in the way! They’re a hit with the kids and can be stored in a plastic bag at room temperature for up to four days. For the best results, dice the dried fruit until the pieces are all about the size of the raisins.

Dried Fruit Bites
Makes 25 servings
POINTS® value 1 per serving

Ingredients
· 18 dried California apricot halves, diced
· 11 pitted prunes, diced
· 2 dried figs, stemmed and diced
· 1 cup golden raisins
· 3/4 cup dried cranberries
· 1/2 cup dried pitted dates, diced
· 2 tsp vanilla extract
· 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
· 1 3/4 cups crispy rice cereal

Instructions
1. Place all ingredients, except cereal, in a food processor. Pulse until well chopped and blended, until the mixture begins to form into its own mound (but not until it’s a puree), less than 1 minute.
2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl; add 3/4 cup cereal. Stir with a wooden spoon until the cereal is evenly distributed in the mixture.
3. Crush the remaining 1 cup cereal with your cleaned, dried hands to a fairly fine powder (or you can seal the cereal in a zip-top bag and crush it with a rolling pin or a can.) Place crushed cereal in a shallow bowl.
4. Roll fruit mixture into 50 balls, about 1 heaping teaspoon each, dropping each into the crushed cereal and rolling until well-coated.

· Serving size: 2 balls.

About the Cherry Tomato PoppersWhat could be easier? Sweet cherry tomatoes are paired with spicy jalapeños and some cheese for an easy snack that’s ready when you are. Store them, covered, in the refrigerator or cooler for a day or two; but for the best taste, let them come to room temperature for 20 minutes before eating.

Cherry Tomato Poppers
Makes 8 servings
POINTS® value 1 per serving

Ingredients
· 32 cherry tomatoes
· 32 jarred pickled jalapeño slices
· Four (4-inch) low-fat mozzarella cheese sticks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Instructions
1. Slice off the very top, stem-end of each cherry tomato; use a small grapefruit spoon to spoon out and discard the insides, leaving the walls intact.
2. Place 1 jalapeño slice inside each hollowed-out tomato. Add a piece of cheese and press gently into place.

· Serving size: 4 cherry tomato poppers.

About the Curried Turkey WrapsHere’s an easy lunch in the car. Wrap these sandwiches in wax paper and then in aluminum foil so you can peel the wrappings down and eat on the go.

Curried Turkey Wraps
Makes 6 servings
POINTS® value 3 per serving

Ingredients
· 1 cup shredded carrots
· 1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
· 1/4 cup mango chutney
· 2 tsp yellow curry powder
· 12 oz low-sodium deli sliced turkey
· 3 cups bagged shredded salad greens, preferably a mix with crunchy Romaine
· 6 medium whole-wheat tortillas

Instructions
1. Mix the carrots, mayonnaise, mango chutney and curry powder in a medium bowl.
2. Spread 1/4 cup carrot mixture onto each tortilla. Top with 2 ounces turkey and 1/2 cup salad mix.
3. Roll each tortilla closed. Lay a piece of wax paper on top of a piece of foil; set the rolled tortilla on top. Roll closed and seal the ends by twisting them shut. Refrigerate or put in the cooler for up to 6 hours.
4. Serving size: 1 wrap.

2008-06-23T16:07:00.000-07:00

Roll up your sleeves and dig into some of the best recipes of the season. Inspired by top-notch ingredients and practical techniques, we've put together menus and serving ideas for the food you want to cook right now.

Finger food or fork-food? Room temp or chilled? However you like to picnic, we have your menu. We've packed these three moveable feasts with our favorite WeightWatchers.com recipes—the summer's best fresh, portable fare. And we've tossed in real-life tips for keeping the basket and the blanket neat and cool.

Go Forkless
Just bring napkins. And pack these cookies in a container rather than plastic bag so they don't break.

Festive Feta Spread

snacks
POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 16
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

This holiday-themed dip was a favorite at a recent recipe tasting. It stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to five days so it's great for unplanned gatherings.

Ingredients
7 oz roasted red peppers, packed in water, drained
1 pound 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, two 8-oz blocks, softened, cut up
4 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
1 large garlic clove(s), peeled
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
3 Tbsp dill, fresh, chopped
1/4 cup dill, fresh, whole sprigs
10 1/2 oz baked low-fat tortilla chips

Instructions
Remove a 1 1/2-inch piece from one of the roasted peppers (to use for garnish); wrap and refrigerate. Combine remaining roasted peppers, cream cheese, feta cheese, garlic and black pepper in a food processor; process until smooth. Add chopped dill; pulse until evenly distributed.
Scrape mixture into a serving bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to 5 days) to firm up slightly and for flavors to blend.
To serve, smooth surface of spread with a spatula. Arrange dill sprigs on top in a circular fashion to form a “wreath;” cut reserved piece of roasted pepper into tiny “berries" and place on wreath. Or create any other decorative pattern you desire. Yields about 3 tablespoons of spread and 8 chips per serving.

Notes
This recipe can be cut in half to serve 8, but it keeps so well (up to 5 days refrigerated) that it makes sense to make the whole batch to have on hand for those unexpected holiday guests. Serve with pita wedges, whole grain crisp breads or crackers and/or raw vegetables. (The dip alone is 2 POINTS values for 3 tablespoons.)

Tarragon Chicken Salad Wrap

sandwiches
POINTS® Value: 5
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Fresh tarragon is a delicious addition to chicken salad. Serve this fresh, flavorful wrap with a bowl of your favorite soup.

Ingredients
2 cup cooked chicken breast, diced
3 Tbsp reduced-calorie mayonnaise
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
1 cup sugar snap peas, chopped (or blanched first if desired)
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
4 medium tortilla, flour, fat-free, 6 inches each
8 piece lettuce

Instructions
Combine chicken, mayonnaise, lemon juice, tarragon and snap peas together in a large bowl; mix until chicken is well coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Lay tortillas on a flat surface. Place 1/4 of chicken salad in center of each tortilla; top each with 2 lettuce leaves and roll up, folding in ends.

Yields 1 wrap per serving.

Lemon-Lime Cookie Crisps

desserts
POINTS® Value: 1
Servings: 10
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 11 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

These ultra-thin cookies are super crunchy and flavorful. Swap orange zest for the lemon or lime if you prefer.

Ingredients
3 1/3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/2 Tbsp sugar
2 large egg white(s)
1/3 cup cake flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp lemon zest, finely chopped
2 tsp lime zest, finely chopped

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Place parchment paper on 2 cookie sheets.

Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg white and stir until just blended. Sift cake flour over butter mixture and mix with a spoon; fold in vanilla.

Remove half of batter and place in a medium bowl; set aside. Fold lemon zest into one bowl and lime zest into other bowl.

Drop heaping teaspoons of batter onto prepared cookie sheets leaving at least 3-inches between each cookie. When cookie sheet is full, flatten out cookies with back of a spoon so cookies look almost translucent and measure about 3-inches across. (You may have to do this in batches depending on the size of your cookie sheets.)

Bake until edges start to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven and quickly transfer cookies to a cooling rack using a thin metal spatula.

Yields 4 cookies per serving.

Notes
Store cookies in an airtight container to retain crispness.For a nutty flavored-cookie, skip the zest and add 1 teaspoon of almond extract instead.These cookies can be curled for a special-occasion look. Just remove the cookies from the cookie sheet straight from the oven and drape them over a rounded surface like a small bottle or rolling pin. The cookies will wrap around the rounded surface and cool in a curl.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Small Bites, Big Flavors
Cut the pasta ingredients into small pieces and you won't have to bring knives.

Tomato, Basil and Smoked Mozzarella Pasta Salad

main meals
POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 6
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 9 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh basil and smoky mozzarella have natural affinities—add balsamic-infused pasta and you've got a wonderful meal.

Ingredients
8 oz uncooked fusilli, or other spiral pasta
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, or more to taste
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 cup cherry tomato(es), or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup basil, fresh, chopped
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, smoked, diced
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add vinegar, oil and oregano; toss to coat.
Fold in tomatoes, basil and mozzarella; season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or chilled.

Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Notes
For an interesting flavor boost, add sun-dried tomatoes to this recipe. Place 1/4 cup of dried sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and cover them with boiling water; set aside for 10 minutes to allow the tomatoes to plump up. Drain well and substitute them for half the cherry tomatoes in the recipe.

Mini-Pita Snackwiches

sandwiches
POINTS® Value: 2
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 5 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

These filling little tidbits are a little like tea sandwiches. If you can't find three-pepper hummus (look in the natural-foods section of your supermarket, or try a natural food store), use regular hummus.

Ingredients
4 small wheat pita(s), toasted and halved
1/4 cup store-bought hummus, three-pepper flavor
1/4 medium cucumber(s), cut into 24 slices
2 small radishes, cut into 12 slices
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts

Instructions
Spread each pita half with 2 teaspoons of hummus. Fill each half with 3 cucumber slices, 3 radish slices and 1 tablespoon sprouts.

Mini Brownie Candy Bars

desserts
POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 16
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 30 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

These delectable morsels are the perfect after-dinner party treat. Freeze leftovers individually for easy portion control — if there are any!

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup unpacked brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 Tbsp water
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 large egg white(s)
1/3 cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
Combine flour, brown sugar and baking powder in a large bowl; mix well. Add applesauce, water, vanilla extract and egg whites; blend well. Spoon batter into pan and smooth top; sprinkle with chocolate chips.

Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting into 16 pieces.

Soup and Sandwiches
Serve the soup in paper cups or plastic bowls.

Eggplant Sandwich Provencal

light meals
POINTS® Value: 5
Servings: 1
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 5 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Make this sandwich the night before, roll it tightly in plastic wrap, and leave in the refrigerator so the flavors can blend together.

Ingredients
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/4 medium raw eggplant, about 2 slices, 1/2-inch-thick each
1 tsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 slice high-fiber bread, multigrain or sandwich roll
12 medium basil, leaves
1/2 cup canned pimento, or about 6 pieces roasted red pepper

Instructions
Sprinkle salt on both sides of eggplant slices. Allow it to sit on a wire rack or in a colander for 20 to 30 minutes. This takes out extra moisture.

Preheat grill, grill pan or sauté pan. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil.

Grill or sauté eggplant slice until cooked but not mushy, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Allow eggplant to cool, then drizzle balsamic vinegar on bread slices and assemble the sandwich: bread, eggplant, basil, red pepper, bread.

Cold Cucumber Soup

soups
POINTS® Value: 1
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Turn your veggies into a frothy, flavorful soup in minutes: simply place all the ingredients in a blender and puree.

Ingredients
1 large cucumber(s), peeled and cut into chunks
4 medium scallion(s), trimmed and cut into pieces
2 Tbsp dill, fresh, sprigs
1 1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1 cup fat-free skim milk
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 medium orange pepper, or yellow, finely chopped

Instructions
In a blender, combine cucumber, scallions, dill and yogurt; purée. Pour mixture into a bowl; stir in milk, salt and pepper.

Pour mixture into 4 bowls and top each with 1/4 of peppers. Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving. (Note: Serve soup at room temperature or chilled.)

Lemon-Raspberry Pound Cake

desserts
Was POINTS® Value: 8
Now POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 10
Preparation Time: 25 min
Cooking Time: 40 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Wow! Buttery-tasting pound cake without all the guilt! We omitted lots of fat and sugar and added the sweet and tart flavors of lemon and raspberry.

Ingredients
2 sprays cooking spray, or enough to coat pan
2 1/4 cup cake flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp table salt
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp sugar
1 large egg(s)
2 large egg white(s)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated (zested)
1 cup fat-free vanilla yogurt
1 cups raspberries, frozen (keep frozen until ready to use)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 6-cup tube pan or Bundt pan with cooking spray.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy; gradually beat in sugar, about 2 to 3 minutes, until mixture is light in color. Gradually beat in egg, egg whites, extract and lemon peel. Beat in flour mixture and yogurt, alternating each, beginning and ending with flour mixture; fold in raspberries.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan, on a rack, for 10 minutes. Slide a thin knife around the edges of cake to loosen, invert pan onto rack and cool completely; slice into 10 pieces and serve.

Chef Tips
We renovated Lemon-Raspberry Pound Cake by:
Using considerably less butter than normal.
Opting for nonfat yogurt instead of the full-fat variety, and using it to replace most of the butter.
Coating the pan with cooking spray instead of butter.
Cutting back on sugar and replacing the sweetness with natural flavors.

Pack Your Things and Go
When making a wrap, keep the filling on the dry side so your sandwiches won't get soggy. Roll up your wraps in foil then, as you eat, you can fold down or peel away the foil and nothing falls out.
– Leslie Fink, nutritionist/recipe editor

Freeze small bottles of water or juice boxes to use in place of ice packs. Your drinks will be frosty cold, and you'll save on space.
– Lisa Chernick, executive food editor

Round out any picnic with fresh fruit from a farmer's market—white nectarines, juicy plums, and sweet cherries, etc.
– Leslie Fink, nutritionist/recipe editor

Watermelon doesn't have to be heavy and messy... Cut it up into bite-size pieces and bring them in a covered plastic bowl. Serve with toothpicks.
– Lisa Chernick, executive food editor

Salad Bar Savvy article form WW.com

2008-06-23T07:16:00.000-07:00

It's just lettuce and some vegetables, right? Wrong. Some of today's salad bars are mini buffets, dishing out everything from fried chicken strips to macaroni salad to mozzarella balls marinated in flavored oil. If you're not careful with your pickings, what could be a healthy, fresh flavorful meal can turn into a high POINTS® values nightmare—and we haven't even talked about dressings yet!

Topping
Measurement
POINTS Value

Grilled, skinless chicken
1/2 cup
3

Seasoned croutons
1/2 cup
2

Raw broccoli florets
1/2 cup
0

Chopped bacon
3 slices
4

Sliced avocado
1/4 cup
2

Canned chickpeas
1/2 cup
2

Cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup
0

Shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup
3

Creamy white dressing
2 Tbsp
4

Balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp
0

We all know that fast food ranks low when it comes to nutritious eating. But how many of us know that some salads can be worse for them than a burger and fries? There are wise salad choices. Use the information below to see how salad bar items measure up and to learn how to keep your bowl on the light side.

What's in Yours? Here are the POINTS values for seven pre-made salads often doled out by the scoopful:

Half cup of…
POINTS Value

Shrimp salad
3

Three-bean salad
3

Potato salad
4

Macaroni salad
6

Chicken salad
6

Tuna salad
7

Egg salad
8

And some ready-made salads:

3 cups of…
POINTS Value

Chef's salad, with dressing
6

Caesar salad, with dressing
7

Greek salad, with dressing
9

Spinach salad, with dressing
10

Dressings are often where the calories add up:

2 tablespoons of…
POINTS Value

Balsamic or red wine vinegar
0

Fat-free Italian salad dressing
0

Fat-free salad dressing (not Italian)
1

Reduced-calorie Italian dressing
1

Reduced-calorie dressing
2

Creamy salad dressing
4

Italian-type salad dressing
4

When you're in a rut, give your salad a boost with a small amount of crunchy or highly flavored items:

For a POINTS value of 1 you can have…

Amount

Sesame seeds
1 Tbsp

Sliced water chestnuts
1/2 cup

Dried cranberries
2 Tbsp

Chopped avocado
2 Tbsp

Fried noodles
2 Tbsp

Crumbled feta cheese
5 tsp

Imitation bacon bits
2 Tbsp

Olives
10 large

And don't forget that fresh vegetables have a POINTS value of 0 per serving. They're loaded with fiber, which can help you feel full, and packed with nutrients. And make sure to include some fat in your salad since you need fat to absorb any of the fat-soluble vitamins the vegetables may contain.

Salad Bar Strategies
Look for beads of oil. If the container of peppers or chickpeas has oil droplets floating on the top, you know they've been marinated in something fattening. Each teaspoon of oil has a POINTS value of 1, which can add up quickly.

Look for fresh or raw items instead. Or take a small spoonful of the marinated item and mix it in with the rest of your salad, using the oil as dressing.

Pay attention to shape. Small pieces of foods can be mixed into a salad much easier than items that are whole or in big strips. You can get more flavor with each bite while using a lesser amount of fattening foods. Look for shredded cheese, not cubes; sliced or slivered almonds, not whole ones; and crumbled bacon, not roughly broken slices.

Make tasty compromises.

Looking for crunch? Swap chopped apples for croutons. Want something more exciting than plain, grilled chicken? Opt for barbecued strips; not fried ones.

Hate the store's low-fat or fat-free dressings? Keep your favorite low POINTS value dressing or flavored vinegar at your office.

Love cheese? Go for soft varieties like crumbled feta and goat cheese since ounce for ounce, they're lower in calories than hard cheeses like Swiss and Cheddar.

Ask for dressing on the side. This way you control how much you eat. Some of the ladles used to portion out dressing can hold as much as 1/4 cup. That's 4 tablespoons—the equivalent of a POINTS value of 9 if it's a creamy dressing.

Eat more filling items. A little protein and fat can do wonders for appetite control, so make sure your bowl contains more than just lettuce and fat-free dressing. Plus, items like beans and lean animal protein are nutrition powerhouses. For a POINTS value of 2, you can have:

1/2 cup of shelled edamame

1/2 cup of chickpeas

1/2 cup of teriyaki tofu

3 ounces of shrimp

2 ounces of skinless chicken breast

1 large egg

You are bound to make a meal out of these recipes!

2008-06-19T07:37:00.000-07:00

Vegetable Barley
4 servings
3 pts/Core

1 2/3 C water
½ C medium pearl barley
½ t salt
1 C fresh snow peas
1 small sweet red pepper, chopped
1 T canola oil
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 T lemon juice
1 t grated lemon peel

In a large sauce, bring water to a boil. Stir in barley and salt. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45-50 minutes or until tender.

In a small skillet, sauté snow peas and red pepper in oil for 2 minutes. Add onions; sauté 2 minutes longer or until vegetables are tender.

Remove barley from the heat; stir in the lemon juice, lemon peel and vegetable mixture.

148 cal, 4 g fat, 6 g fiber, 302 mg sodium, 25 g carbs, 0 chol

Milk Free Cornbread
9 servings
3 pts

1 C all purpose flour
1 C cornmeal
¼ C sugar
2 t baking powder
¼ t salt
1 egg*
1 C rice drink (I like Rice Dream Original Enriched)
2 T canola oil
2 T unsweetened applesauce

In a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the egg, rice drink, oil, and applesauce. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened. Transfer to a 9” square baking pan coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 425° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm.
*You can use Ener-g Egg Replacer to make vegan
178 cal, 4 g fat, 2 g fib, 173 mg sod, 31 g carbs, 24 mg chol

Cheese Straws
4 dozen
0 pt per (every 2 = 1 pt)

1 C all purpose flour
1 ½ t baking powder
½ t salt
½ C shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
2 T plus 1 ½ t cold butter
1/3 C fat-free milk
2 t paprika

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir in cheese. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add milk, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 12” square. Cut in half lengthwise; cut each half widthwise into ½” strips. Sprinkle with paprika.

Place 1” apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 6-8 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
1 Straw = 19 cals, 1 g fat, trace fib, 2 g carbs, 52 mg sod, 2 mg chol

Fettuccine Slaw
14 servings
2 pts

8 ozs. Uncooked fettuccine*
3 C finely chopped cabbage
4 celery ribs, sliced
2 C thinly sliced cucumbers
2 C shredded carrots
1 C reduced-fat plain yogurt
½ C reduced fat mayonnaise
2 T white vinegar
1 t sugar
½ t salt
½ t ground mustard
¼ t white pepper

Break fettuccine into thirds. Cook according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water.

In a large bowl, combine the noodles, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, and carrots. In a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over the fettuccine mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate until chilled.
*Use whole wheat to help meet good health guidelines
Could be Core if you use WW noodles and fat free yogurt and mayo

¾ C = 112 cals, 4 g fat, 2 g fat, 17 g carbs, 188 mg sodium, 4 mg chol

Fiesta Salad
4 servings
1 pts
2 C torn romaine
¾ C frozen corn, thawed
1/3 C canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
¼ C torn curly endive
1/3 C salsa
2 T reduced fat sour cream
2 T prepared reduced-fat ranch salad dressing

In a salad bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the salsa, sour cream, and ranch dressing. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

¾ C = 100 clas, 3 g fat, 4 g fib, 16 g carbs, 235 mg sod, 5 mg chol, 1 Veggie serving
I’ll take this over a 100 cal pack any day!!!!!!!

Couscous with Feta ‘n’ Tomatoes
6 servings
3 pts

1 C boiling water
½ C sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
1 can (14.5 ozs) vegetable broth
1 ¼ C uncooked couscous
½ C crumbled feta cheese *
¼ C minced fresh parsley
1 ½ t minced fresh oregano or ½ t dried oregano
3 t lemon juice
1 t water
1 t olive oil

In a small bowl, pour boiling water over tomatoes; let stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Stir in couscous. Remove from the heat; let stand, covered for 5 minutes or until broth is absorbed.
Drain and chop tomatoes; add to couscous. Gently stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve warm or chilled.

*You can use fat free feta cheese to save some cals and fat grams
Could be core if you used another tomato instead of sundried, and if you use FF feta.
¾ C = 187 cals, 3 g fat, 3 g fib, 33 g carbs, 481 mg sod, 5 mg chol

Dijon Chicken with Grapes
4 servings
5 pts

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves (4 ozs. each)
1 t olive oil
½ C refrigerated nondairy creamer
2 T Dijon mustard
¾ C seedless red grapes, halved
¾ C seedless green grapes, halved

In a large nonstick skillet coated with spray, cook chicken inoil over medium heat 4-5 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.

Add creamer to skillet; cook over medium-low heat, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Whisk in mustard until blended. Add grapes; cook and stir until heated through. Serve over chicken.

224 cals, 7 g fat, 1 g fib, 16 g carbs, 245 mg sod, 63 mg chol, and 1 fruit serving!

Inside Out Cabbage Rolls
6 servings
5 pts

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lg. onion, chopped
1 lg. green pepper, chopped
1 sm head cabbage, chopped
1 10 oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 C reduced-sodium beef broth
1 can (8 ozs.) pizza sauce
1 C cooked brown rice
½ C shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, onion, and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

Stir in the cabbage, tomatoes, broth, and pizza sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until cabbage is tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in rice; heat through. Remove from the heat. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand until cheese is melted.

1 1/3 C = 244 cals, 8 g fat, 5 g fib, 23 g carbs, 502 mg sod, 45 mg chol

Tomato-Walnut Pesto on Linguine
8 servings
5 pts

½ C sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
½ C boiling water
12 ozs. uncooked linguine
2 C loosely packed basil leaves
¼ C grated parmesan cheese
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/3 C reduced-sodium chicken broth
¼ C chopped walnuts, toasted
¼ t salt
1/8 t pepper
3 T olive oil

Place the tomatoes in a small bowl; add boiling water. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile cook linguine according to package directions.

Place the basil, parm cheese, and garlic in a food processor; cover and pulse until chopped. Add the tomatoes with liquid, broth, walnuts, salt and pepper; cover and process until blended. While processing, gradually add oil in a steady stream.

Drain linguine; toss with pesto. Serve immediately.

¾ C = 244 cals, 9 g fat, 3 g fib, 33 g carbs, 212 mg sod, 2 mg chol

Summer Fruit Crisp
10 servings
5 pts

4 C fresh dark sweet cherries (about 1 ¼ pounds), pitted
4 C sliced fresh peeled peaches
1/3 C sugar
2 T all-purpose flour
1/8 t salt

Topping:
½ C old fashioned oats
½ C packed brown sugar
1/3 C all purpose flour
¼ C chopped pecans
¼ t salt
¼ t ground cinnamon
3 T cold butter

In a large bowl, combine the cherries through salt. Transfer to a 9 x 13 sprayed baking dish.

For topping, in a small bowl, combine the oats through cinnamon and cut in the butter, until crumbly. * Sprinkle over fruit mixture.

Bake at 400° for 20-25 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden brown. Serve warm.
*I use earth Balance in place of butter, vegan (tastes just like butter)

234 cals, 6 g fat, 3 g fib, 128 mg sod, 45 g carbs, 9 mg chol

Blueberry Shortcake
4 Serv
4 Pts

4 T sugar, divided
2 t all purpose flour
1/8 t ground cinnamon
1 C plus 2 T reduced-fat biscuit/baking mix
1/3 C fat-free milk
1 C fresh or frozen blueberries

In a small bowl, combine 2 T sugar, flour and cinnamon; set aside. In another bowl, combine the bicuit mix. Milk, and remaining sugar.
Spread half of the batter into a 1 qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray; top with half of the blueberries and half of the reserved sugar mixture. Repeat layers.
Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Serve warm if desired, or cool on a wire rack.

1 piece = 209 cals, 2 g fat, 1 g fib, 44 g carbs, 403 mg sod, trace chol

Head to Head knock-out fight!
2 T of guacamole and 2/3 C salsa both have 50 calories. You decide who wins this match! Personally, I think it is a tie, as they both taste great. When counting pts, Salsa is the hands down winner. Of course, you can make a Core guac, but do keep in mind, do you need to eat the whole bowl since it is Core. That would be a lot of extra cals and fat grams!

3 ¼ C air-popped popcorn and 1 C potato chips both have 100 calories. You choose!

Flooding continues

2008-06-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

I would like to put a message out to Lisa S. in Cedar Rapids. I do not know if you are safe from the flooding, but I hope you are. I doubt you will see this, but I want you to know I am thinking aout you, in case you do.

For those with family in the Midwest dealing with the tornadoes and floods, my thoughts are extended to you and your family. May everyone be safe and find the strength and resources needed to recover.

For all those in Indiana that are continuing to face the flood waters, you are in still in my thoughts.

Floods

2008-06-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

My thoughts and prayers are extended to those who were affected by the floods of this weekend. I do hope that everyone is okay and dry. Please know that I am thinking of those suffering through this terrible catastrophe.

2008-05-29T09:56:00.000-07:00

Farmers’ Market at Wishard Brings Healthy Choices to Employees

New concept will include local farmers selling fresh fruits, vegetables and plants at hospital
May 19, 2008Contact: Todd Harper Phone: 317-630-7808 Pager: 317-310-5972

Have you ever heard the expression "you are what you eat?" Health experts have stressed for years that what a person eats has a direct impact on one’s health. To promote a healthy lifestyle and to help provide more options for employees wanting to eat healthy natural foods, local farmers will travel to Wishard Health Services starting Tuesday, May 20, to sell fresh fruits, vegetables and plants at a farmers’ market in the courtyard of Wishard Memorial Hospital.

"I'm very excited about this initiative because it's a direct extension of our commitment to the health of our employees as well as our commitment to our community," said Dr. Lisa E. Harris, chief executive officer and medical director for Wishard Health Services. Beginning May 20 and continuing every Tuesday until October 7, local farmers will set up around the perimeter of the Wishard courtyard behind the Bryce Building and will be open for sales from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Some examples of produce that will be featured include tomatoes, strawberries, corn, apples, greens, asparagus, rhubarb and more. Plans also call for some of the fresh produce to be featured in select Wishard Cafeteria dishes.

The Farmers' Market at Wishard is part of the innovative Wishard Wellness program. Wishard Wellness began in 2005 as a way to encourage employees to place wellness and health as a top priority. Since its inception the program has expanded to include Simple Steps to Wellness, where Wishard staff members are rewarded with various health-related prizes for their efforts toward wellness; the Wishard Gardens, a way for employees to get outside and garden during lunchtime and on breaks; and Simply Escape, a mobile spa available for all departments to use to de-stress while at work.

"Wellness is such an important initiative here at Wishard," said Mary Robbins-Nierste, R.N., director of Wishard Wellness. "We're committed to promoting a healthy lifestyle for our patients, guests and staff and the Farmers' Market at Wishard is another way we can do that." While the program's aim it to attract Wishard employees and others on the IU Medical Center campus, all visitors and guests are welcome to stop by and visit the Farmers' Market at Wishard.

2008-05-29T06:52:00.000-07:00

I woke at 5:45 am this morning and went for a walk. It felt great. Birds chirping a beautiful song, cute kitties out on the prowl, and adorable doggies snoozing on their porches. I got to witness much of the early sunrise and even noticed the moon still in the eastern sky. Such a beautiful world we have to enjoy, whenever we choose.

I am in training for the October Full/Half Marathon at Fort Benjamin Harrison. I have a couple friends from the WW message boards that are coming to Indy to walk with me. Okay, they will run most of it. I am giving myself nearly 5 months to train, so I should be able to handle walking 13.1 miles. Who knows, maybe I will do the full mary!

I am in my fourth week of no pop and no cheese, and week 3 of no eggs and dairy. I had a few slips in products I had already, but virtually vegan. My nails are growing and are so strong. This is HUGE for me as I have never had strong nails. I spoke with my doctor yesterday about having blood-work done just to test my levels of certain vitamins. He said many meat focused eaters should worry just as much as vegans. His advice, just eat a colorful diet and all should be fine. Take a Caltrate, as it is the perfect blend of calcium and vitamin d. So, no matter what you eat, eat the rainbow as often as you can!

My goal this week, buy some calcium rich greens and cook them up for a yummy boost! I hear kale and chickpeas is good sautéed up with some garlic and olive oil. Sounds yummy to me!

Oprah's 21 Day Cleanse recipes referenced in post below

2008-05-27T16:29:00.000-07:00

Fruit and Soy Yogurt Parfait
Make your own breakfast parfait while following The 21-Day Cleanse.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup granola
1 container vegan yogurt (vanilla- or fruit-flavored)
1 banana, sliced
1/4 cup sliced strawberries or raspberries In a tall glass, layer some of the granola, yogurt and fruit. Repeat until the glass is filled or all the ingredients are used.

Scampi-Style Tofu Wrap
Recipe courtesy of Tal Ronnen
The 21-Day Cleanse
Serves 4
Printer-Friendly Version Talk on the Recipes & Food message boards! This vegan-friendly wrap is a great choice for lunch if you're following The 21-Day Cleanse.
INGREDIENTS
4 Tbsp. olive oil (I am sure you could use less!)
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 1/2 tsp. vegan steak seasoning (try Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick)
2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
3 Tbsp. capers
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
4 spinach tortilla wraps
Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp. of the olive oil, the red pepper flakes and the garlic. Add the tofu and the steak seasoning. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the tofu is browned. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Place the lettuce in a large bowl. Add the cooled tofu, the capers and the lemon juice and zest. Toss with the remaining oil and season with the salt and pepper. Heat the tortillas briefly to soften. Fill with the tofu mixture and wrap.

Tofu Scramble
Recipe courtesy of Tal Ronnen
The 21-Day Cleanse
Serves 4
Printer-Friendly Version Talk on the Recipes & Food message boards! This hearty breakfast makes a great dish if you're following The 21-Day Cleanse.
INGREDIENTS
2–3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (you could use less I'm sure!)
1 sweet onion, cut into chunks
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast - found at most health food stores (adds a cheesy flavor)
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 yellow or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup sliced mushrooms
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 pound firm tofu, drained well and cut into bite-size pieces
Tamari to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Fresh snipped chives to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet and sauté the onion for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, nutritional yeast and spices, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the pepper and mushrooms, stir-frying until tender and crisp. Add the tomatoes and slices of tofu. Gently stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the tamari sauce and season with fresh pepper and chives.

Tempeh Scallopini with Madeira Peppercorn Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Tal Ronnen
The 21-Day Cleanse
Makes 6 servings
Printer-Friendly Version Talk on the Recipes & Food message boards! For a great meal while on The 21-Day Cleanse, serve this dish alongside a Caesar salad with Tal's recipe for Homemade Caesar Dressing.
INGREDIENTS
8 Tbsp. San-J wheat-free tamari
8 slices fresh ginger
2 1-inch pieces kombu (sea vegetable found in most health-food stores)
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 garlic cloves, sliced
6 cups water
2 8-ounce packages of tempeh
1 cup spelt flour
Salt and pepper to taste
4 Tbsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. finely chopped shallots
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup Madeira wine
1 sprig thyme
2 bay leaves
3 cups beef-flavored broth
1 tsp. crushed black peppercorns
1 Tbsp. arrowroot or cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
2 Tbsp. Earth Balance

In a large pot, combine the tamari, ginger, kombu, sea salt, sliced garlic and 6 cups water. Bring to a simmer.
Cut each piece of tempeh diagonally into 12 thin slices, add to the pot and simmer for at least 1 hour. Remove and cool on a dry surface.
Combine the flour, salt and pepper, and dredge the tempeh, coating completely.
Heat the canola oil in a large pan. Brown the tempeh on both sides, remove from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, lower the heat and sauté the shallots in the olive oil for 3 minutes.
Add the wine, thyme and bay leaves. Cook until reduced by half. Add the broth and the peppercorns and cook for 20 minutes.
Mix the arrowroot or cornstarch with the water and add to the pan. Let thicken, and then add the Earth Balance. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Tempeh Creole
Recipe courtesy of Tal Ronnen
The 21-Day Cleanse
Serves 6–8
Printer-Friendly Version Talk on the Recipes & Food message boards! This healthy meal rich in vegetables and protein is great when following The 21-Day Cleanse.
INGREDIENTSMarinade:
8 Tbsp. San-J wheat-free tamari
2 Tbsp. creole seasoning
8 slices fresh ginger
2 1-inch pieces kombu (sea vegetable)
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 cloves garlic, sliced
6 cups water Tempeh:
2 8-ounce packages tempeh
3 Tbsp. Creole seasoning
1/2 cup spelt flour
4 Tbsp. canola oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped bell peppers
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
5 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/2 cup dry red wine
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. chopped green onions
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley

Combine all of the marinade ingredients and set aside.

Cut each pack of tempeh into 12 thin slices on a bias and simmer in the marinade for at least 45 minutes. Remove the tempeh and reserve the marinade liquid.
In a mixing bowl, add the creole seasoning and flour and mix well. Dredge the tempeh, coating completely.
Heat a large pan and add the canola oil. When the oil is hot, brown the tempeh on both sides. Remove from the pan and set aside. (Might need to do this in two batches.)
Add the onions, bell peppers and celery. Cook for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are wilted. Add the tomatoes and garlic. Cook for about 3 more minutes.
Add the tempeh back into the pan along with bay leaves, thyme, oregano, basil, marinade liquid and wine. Season with salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Bring the liquid to a simmer, and cook for about 30 minutes.
Remove the bay leaves before you serve. Garnish with green onions and parsley.

Scoop on Oprah!

2008-05-27T12:49:00.000-07:00

Have you heard? Oprah is going Vegan for 21 days! She is doing a cleanse and it is a vegan diet. Reading her blog, she seems to be loving it. Not craving those sweets and enjoying the delicious tastes! Like her, I am discovering how delicious food can be, without any meat at all. Not preaching, just very happy! I hope Oprah keeps it up as it is a healthy way to live for your body and the earth. And of course, better for the animals! And if she can do it, anyone can. Of course she has a personal chef and most of us don’t. Take it from me, it takes no more time and is very easy. Lots of vegan foods out there!

Oh, and great news! Foster Doggy Molly went to her furever home on Saturday. She was a joy to have in my life and I wish her and her new family well. For being a rescue, she was amazing. Not many quirks, a little separation anxiety and a bit of attempted chewing. She responded to, “Molly no!” She was loved by myself and her other foster mom! She will be a great friend and companion for her new family. My cats really did like her too. I think a couple are wondering where she is. If you can find it in your heart to help FIDO financially, it is not too late to donate via the Walking for Dreams website. You can go on until June 1st. The doggies can use all the help they can get! www.walkingfordreams.org

So, how was your Memorial Day weekend? I hope you accomplished lots and had a great time. How many of you are planning on avoiding the scale this week? You know, WW knows when you don’t come. They say, where is so and so? They’re not stupid! WW miss you when you aren’t there. So, face the scale and see how good you actually did! Anyone try any new recipe you need to share? I’m always on the prowl for new recipes. How many of you were active this weekend? Remember, activity is a great way to offset a few pts expenditures. I will be posting some of Oprah’s recipes tonight! Be ready!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Memorial Day!!!!

2008-05-21T07:42:00.000-07:00

The unofficial start of summer is finally upon us! Can it be already? Where has this year gone???? What have you done this Spring that makes you proud? What new foods or behaviors have you added to your daily WW life?

This is National Vegetarian Week! May 19 – May 26th! Too bad this is a UK celebration and not in the US. Maybe someday! http://www.vegsoc.org/nvw/2008/facts.html Here are some veg facts in case you would like to learn a bit about vegetarianism. I’m not pushing, just proud to be one! And, I am in the process of going vegan. I have had a couple slips in the last 2 weeks, but I have virtually been vegan for 2 weeks. I feel great! I have also given up pop (diet) and I feel great as well. Am I insane? Nah!!!!

Top Ten Reasons To Go Vegetarian

Gone are the days when vegetarians were served up a plate of iceberg lettuce and a dull-as-dishwater baked potato. With the growing variety of vegetarian faux-meats like bacon and sausages and an ever-expanding variety of vegetarian cookbooks and restaurants, vegetarianism has taken the world by storm.

With World Vegetarian Week here, without further ado, are the Top 10 reasons to give vegetarian eating a try, starting now!

1.Helping Animals Also Helps the Global Poor
While there is ample and justified moral indignation about the diversion of 100 million tons of grain for biofuels, more than seven times as much (760 million tons) is fed to farmed animals so that people can eat meat. Is the diversion of crops to our cars a moral issue? Yes, but it's about one-eighth the issue that meat-eating is. Care about global poverty? Try vegetarianism.

2. Eating Meat Supports Cruelty to Animals The green pastures and idyllic barnyard scenes of years past are now distant memories. On today's factory farms, animals are crammed by the thousands into filthy windowless sheds, wire cages, gestation crates, and other confinement systems. These animals will never raise families, root in the soil, build nests, or do anything else that is natural and important to them. They won't even get to feel the warmth of the sun on their backs or breathe fresh air until the day they are loaded onto trucks bound for slaughter.

3. Eating Meat Is Bad for the Environment A recent United Nations report entitled Livestock's Long Shadow concludes that eating meat is "one of the ... most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global." In just one example, eating meat causes almost 40 percent more greenhouse-gas emissions than all the cars, trucks, and planes in the world combined. The report concludes that the meat industry "should be a major policy focus when dealing with problems of land degradation, climate change and air pollution, water shortage and water pollution, and loss of biodiversity."

4. Avoid Bird Flu
The World Health Organization says that if the avian flu virus mutates, it could be caught simply by eating undercooked chicken flesh or eggs, eating food prepared on the same cutting board as infected meat or eggs, or even touching eggshells contaminated with the disease. Other problems with factory farming -- from foot-and-mouth to SARS -- can be avoided with a general shift to a vegetarian diet.

5. If You Wouldn't Eat a Dog, You Shouldn't Eat a Chicken
Several recent studies have shown that chickens are bright animals who are able to solve complex problems, demonstrate self-control, and worry about the future. Chickens are smarter than cats and dogs and even do some things that have not yet been seen in mammals other than primates. Dr. Chris Evans, who studies animal behavior and communication at Macquarie University in Australia, says, "As a trick at conferences, I sometimes list these attributes, without mentioning chickens and people think I'm talking about monkeys."

6. Heart Disease: Our Number One Killer Healthy vegetarian diets support a lifetime of good health and provide protection against numerous diseases, including the United States' three biggest killers: heart disease, cancer, and strokes. Drs. Dean Ornish and Caldwell Esselstyn -- two doctors with 100 percent success in preventing and reversing heart disease -- have used a vegan diet to accomplish it, as chronicled most recently in Dr. Esselstyn's Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, which documents his 100 percent success rate for unclogging people's arteries and reversing heart disease.

7. Cancer: Our Number Two Killer Dr. T. Colin Campbell is one of the world's foremost epidemiological scientists and the director of what The New York Times called "the most comprehensive large study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease." Dr. Campbell's best-selling book, The China Study, is a must-read for anyone who is concerned about cancer. To summarize it, Dr. Campbell states, "No chemical carcinogen is nearly so important in causing human cancer as animal protein."

8. Fitting Into That Itty-Bitty Bikini Vegetarianism is also the ultimate weight-loss diet, since vegetarians are one-third as likely to be obese as meat-eaters are, and vegans are about one-tenth as likely to be obese. Of course, there are overweight vegans, just as there are skinny meat-eaters. But on average, vegans are 10 to 20 percent lighter than meat-eaters. A vegetarian diet is the only diet that has passed peer review and taken weight off and kept it off.

9. Global Peace
Leo Tolstoy claimed that "vegetarianism is the taproot of humanitarianism." His point? For people who wish to sow the seeds of peace, we should be eating as peaceful a diet as possible. Eating meat supports killing animals, for no reason other than humans' acquired taste for animals' flesh. Great humanitarians from Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi to Thich Nhat Hanh have argued that a vegetarian diet is the only diet for people who want to make the world a kinder place.

10. The Joy of Veggies
As the growing range of vegetarian cookbooks and restaurants shows, vegetarian foods rock. People report that when they adopt a vegetarian diet, their range of foods explodes from a center-of-the-plate meat item to a range of grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables that they didn't even know existed.

Sir Paul McCartney sums it all up, "If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is just stop eating meat. That's the single most important thing you could do. It's staggering when you think about it. Vegetarianism takes care of so many things in one shot: ecology, famine, cruelty."
So are you ready to give it a try?

Check out VegCooking.com for recipes and meal plans and to take the World Vegetarian Week 7-Day Pledge.

Here is the website this article came from. http://www.alternet.org/environment/85828/?page=1 While vegetarianism is not for everyone, adopting it on a more regular basis will help your health. I challenge you to go veg maybe one whole day or even more this week!

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Okay, so Monday is Memorial Day. Here are some values for foods that you might run into at your party! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and enjoy a day off (if you get Monday off). Maybe work in your yard while listening to the 500 on the radio. Get some points and feel revved up to work by the race cars. Oh, and a pretty yard to boot! Go out for a nice walk in a park, have a picnic lunch after. Clean out the garage. Mow the lawn. Come down and walk the nice and clean downtown canal. Be active. Allow yourself to sleep in Monday if you like, but do things to keep busy. You will feel so good for having accomplished all you do and you will also improve the weigh-in results for next week. Pts can be high at cookouts, so just go in with knowledge and a plan. Again I will say, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Anonymous (Thanks to Leader Diane for compiling these values!)

*****Memorial Weekend and Graduation Celebrations*****
The following list provides estimated POINTS values. If the nutrition information is available, use it to calculate the actual POINTS value (it may be lower!). Plan ahead to enjoy a guilt-free holiday!
Beef
3 oz. cooked 75-85% lean ground beef burger (5)
3 oz. cooked 90% lean ground beef burger (4)
3 oz. cooked 95% lean ground beef burger (3)
Steak, regular, cooked 4 oz. (10) Steak, lean, trimmed and cooked round or loin 4 oz. (5)

Chicken Breast, fried with skin & bone 4.5 oz. (11)
Breast, cooked, with skin & bone 4.5 oz. (5) Breast, cooked, without skin & bone 3 oz. (3) Drumstick, fried, with skin (5)
Drumstick, cooked with skin (2)
Drumstick, cooked without skin (1)
Ground, cooked lean 3 oz. patty (4)
Ground, cooked lean breast 3 oz. patty (2)
Chicken Salad, 1/2 cup (6)

Spareribs Barbecued, four 4" long ribs (8)

Hot Dogs/Franks
Beef, pork, or turkey, fat-free (1)
Beef or pork, light (2)
Turkey, light (3)
Turkey, regular (3)
Beef or pork, regular (5)
Bratwurst, coooked 2 oz. (5)
Bratwurst, Boca (3)
Morningstar Farms Veggie Dogs are 1

Buns:
Hot Dog & Hamburger Regular (3)
Light (1)

Salads
Carrot and raisin, 1/2 c (7)
Coleslaw, 1/2 c (4)
Egg, 1/2 c (8)
Fruit, 1 c (2)
Macaroni, 1/2 c (6)
Pasta, 1/2 c (3)
Potato, 1/2 c (7)
Three bean salad, 1/2 c (4)
Tossed, no dressing (0)

Miscellaneous Corn on the cob, 1 medium (1)
Baked beans, 1/2 c (5)
Baked beans, canned 1/2 c (2) – Bush’s Vegetarian Baked Beans ROCK!!!!!!!!!!!!
Shish kebob, 2 small skewers (8)
Potato chips, 14 (4)
Potato chips, baked 11 (2)
Alcohol Wine, 4 oz (2)
Beer, regular 12 oz (3)
Beer, light 12 oz (2)
Liquor, 1 1/2 oz of brandy, gin, rum, scotch, tequila, vodka, or whiskey (2)
Margarita, 4 oz (5)
Pina Colada, 6 oz (7)
Daiquiri, 6 oz (6)
Desserts Cake, with icing, 1/12th of 9" layer cake or 3" square (12)
Angel food cake, 1/16th of a 10" tube (2)
Pound cake, 5"x3"x1" (8)
Brownie, one 2" square (5)
Cupcake, lowfat chocolate with frosting (2)
Pie, fruit, one-crust 1/8th (6)

Two Bean Salad with Tarragon Dressing - this is AWESOME!
3 Pts
Serves 8
30 minutes or fewer
161 cals; 4 prot; 9.5 fat; 4 fiber

½ lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1” pieces (2 C)
15 oz can chickpeas, drained
1 C cherry tomatoes, halved
6. oz can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
½ C pitted kalamata olives, halved
¼ C sliced red onion
¼ C finely chopped Italian parsley

Dressing
¼ C balsamic vinegar
2 t Dijon mustard
1 t maple syrup
1 clove garlic
¼ t salt
1/8 t pepper
¼ C olive oil
1 T fresh tarragon

Salad:
Fill a large pot with 1” water and set steamer basket in pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Place green beans in steamer basket; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and steam 2-3 minutes, or until crisp tender. Cool.

Toss beans with remaining salad ingredients in large serving bowl.

Dressing:
Blend all ingredients up to pepper until smooth. With blender running, slowly add oil and tarragon and blend until smooth. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Serve at room temp.

This is great without the olives (I don't like them). You could probably even cut back on the oil.

Polenta with Baby Spinach

side dishes
POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 8 min
Cooking Time: 12 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Celebrate spring with fresh baby greens. We paired them with creamy polenta and freshly grated parmesan cheese for a sure-fire winner.

Ingredients
· 3 1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
· 1 cup uncooked cornmeal, in the form of instant polenta
· 1/2 tsp table salt
· 1/4 tsp black pepper
· 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
· 2 cup spinach, baby leaves, stems removed, chopped
· 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano recommended
· 1/4 cup fat-free evaporated milk

Instructions
· Heat broth to boiling over high heat in a medium-size, heavy-bottomed pot. Gradually add polenta, stirring constantly to prevent lumps; stir in salt, pepper, nutmeg and spinach.

· Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture is thick, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes; stir in cheese and milk. Simmer until cheese melts, about 1 minute; serve immediately. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.

Notes
· Feel free to add more or less broth to this recipe depending on how thick you like your polenta. Serve the polenta as soon as it thickens to maintain its creaminess.Chopped, cooked and drained broccoli makes a delicious alternative to the spinach.

Recent WeightWatchers.com Recipes
Grilled Asian Burgers with Onion and Pineapple Potato and Green Bean Salad Grilled Fruit with Rich Chocolate Sauce Gingered Pork, Pineapple and Pepper Skewers

Hungry Girl’s Memorial Day Survival Tips
http://www.hungry-girl.com/girls/biteoutdetails.php?isid=1120 –

Bark! Bark!

2008-05-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

Any dog lovers out there? I know there are a few as I have met some of your canine buddies in meetings!!!!

I am not usually one to solicit donations, but I do have a special request. I have been volunteering for a great organization, FIDO (Friends of Indianapolis Dogs Outside). Living in a downtown neighborhood under rehab, I have many neighbors that have outdoor dogs. I am a crazy cat lady who LOVES dogs. Just ask Leader Diane, I pet every dog that goes by on our walks. Seeing these animals day in and day out sparked a desire in me to help them and all the others! So, I volunteered with FIDO.

We had an amazing fundraiser a couple weeks ago that helped to raise money for future community outreach efforts. We still need more, like all upstart non-profit agencies. If you feel an affinity for doggies, please consider helping with the following fundraiser AND ADOPTION event we have on the books. For more info on FIDO, maybe even volunteering to foster or do community outreach, please go to our website, http://www.fidoindy.org/. The doggies thank you.

Walking For Dreams Family & Pet Walk
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Downtown Canal at Buggs Temple
11th & Senate Avenue
Registration 1:00 to 2:00 P.M.
Walk Starts @ 2:00 P.M.
www.walkingfordreams.org
Click Make a Donation

I know we are feeling a crunch to make ends meet these days. Gas is high, food bills are going up, and then there is that pesky WW fee. Maybe you could spare a few bucks or even more to help the dogs that don’t have anyone that speaks for them. Let’s give them a voice and see how many we can help to live a bit more comfortably. If you are wanting a new canine friend, we will be walking our foster dogs that are looking for their forever home. If all goes well, I will be walking Molly – one of our most recent surrenders. I will be receiving her for foster early next week and I am excited. She has made a lot of progress in the last few weeks and would love to join your family. There will be plenty others if Molly is not the breed you are looking to adopt!

2008-05-05T09:43:00.000-07:00

Barley Tex-Mex Salad

1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 cup uncooked barley
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved, or cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 medium avocado, Haas, diced (or edemame)
1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, or drained, canned corn
1/4 cup cilantro, fresh, chopped
1/4 cup scallion(s), sliced

Bring 3 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add barley; cover and simmer until tender, about 30 to 35 minutes. Drain and cool. Meanwhile, whisk together lime juice, water, oil, cumin, remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add barley, beans, tomatoes, avocado, corn, cilantro and scallions; toss to mix and coat. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate up to 1 day. Yields about a rounded 3/4 cup per serving.

Core - from a WW msg board

What have you lost?

2008-04-28T12:44:00.001-07:00

This is fun!

http://www.freewebs.com/goochinator/whathaveyoulost.htm

PSA - You've heard me mention Squirrel...

2008-04-22T13:01:00.000-07:00

...barf before, well here is the PSA about it. Hope this helps to curb your consumption of foods you want at a get together but don't want to count the points!

If you are wondering about it, it has squirrel barf in it. You see, squirrels are wily creatures, and they get into everything. If it was not in your sight from creation to completion, some squirrel got in it, barfed in it, and cackled a little squirrel cackle before running off.

WW.com message board

2008-04-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

Blossoms

It is finally Tulip time! Every year, I see tulips come up through the ground and eventually grow tall enough to bloom and open up to the bright world. I am continuously amazed by this process, why I do not know. I have dug up bulbs and ‘stuck’ them back in the ground so many times that it is a wonder there is still any life left in them. Last fall, I went crazy and planted around 200 bulbs. I added crocuses to my spring perennials. They were beautiful and added some fleeting color and texture to the dreary backdrop of the early spring weather. I even planted bulbs that are unidentified at this point. What are they? I think dwarf irises but those have already bloomed. Ooh, they might be lilies. I hope so, but I guess I will know soon.

I find bulbs to be a great metaphor for the WW lifestyle. We have to plant ourselves in rich soil and work our way out. Some of us are buried deeper than others and thus we emerge a bit later in the season. Some of us are spring bulbs and some fall. No matter when we bloom, how long it takes to break through, or what season we find ourselves, we emerge strong and beautiful from our period of growth. We open up to the world as a result of our growth process. Our lives unfold just as the individual petals of the tulip. Should we need to go back in for a bit, there is always the option of a period of dormancy to become strong again for later. Our journey waxes and wanes, and that’s okay. There exists such variety in the colors and types of bulbs, and thus we see that in WW. We have many similarities, but yet so many differences. This does not separate us, but brings us closer and makes us more beautiful. We can subsist on our own, but just like flowers, when we come together the bouquet is even more vibrant and colorful than by ourselves.

What habit have you introduced this week? Have you re-committed yourself to WW? Are you out turning the soil and working in your yard? Remember, great activity points there! Are you buying in-season fruits and veggies and rediscovering a long lost food love?

Have you tried a new recipe, maybe an ethnic one? I recently made the Aromatic Couscous recipe from the Ultimate Flex & Core cookbook. Very Indian inspired. If you like curry, you will like this recipe. If you really like curry, I recommend upping the amount (I use 4 t and it still doesn’t have enough curry flavor for me). If you are not a curry fan, you could certainly use cumin instead. This is a very versatile dish and could certainly be changed up with what you have on hand. It could be served with your protein choice or eaten as the main entrée. I center my meal around this dish. You really do seem to get a lot in one serving. Since I am following Core, I only count .5 pt for the OJ in the recipe against my 35 WPAs. I just love how my house smells after making this dish!

Have you switched up your music in your iPod or MP3 player? I have discovered the library’s cd collection. I asked and you can actually have 125 cds checked out at once with IMCPL. I could have a whole new collection every 3 weeks! I import these cds in my computer, save the ones I want and then make new playlists for my iPod. I am getting “new” music to me and it is free. I have the liberty of changing my music any time I choose and I don’t get bored. Remember, if you make an exercise playlist to keep it upbeat. Brahms may not be the best choice!

If you have FitTV, I highly recommend Namaste Yoga. I recently dog-sat in Carmel (Yes I am available to dog-sit) and they are on Brighthouse. I am missing out being on Dish Network. FitTV is awesome! I loved Namaste Yoga as it was educational, instructive, and yet fun. It was quick and yet seemed to give me a work out. And I felt so relaxed afterwards. All the stress of the day seemed to release quickly from my mind and body.

2008-04-15T10:20:00.000-07:00

7767
You are wondering what that number represents, aren’t you?

Is it the number of seconds in a day? No. (86,400)

The hours of music I have in my I-Tunes library? Nope. (currently around 90 hours but growing!)

The # of heartbeats the in a day for the average human? Nope. (~ 100,000)

Okay, I’ll give. It is the number of steps I logged on my pedometer yesterday. I started the Ready, Set, Walk! campaign initiated by Indiana’s First Lady Cheri Daniels. You can get more info through the link I posted last week. I started yesterday and I admit I didn’t go out for a “walk”. I have been worried that since I started a “desk” job that my steps would go down drastically. I walked a lot when I worked for WW. My steps averaged between 11,000-17,000. So, in that respect, 7,700 is not good. But since I do spend a lot of my day sitting and I didn’t exercise, I am happy. My goal, be up by at least 1,000 more per day next week.

I am solidly back on the Core plan. I had not been on the scale in a couple weeks as I had been unable to attend my Wednesday meeting due to schedule conflicts. I found the number yesterday morning to be a tad higher than I wanted, but I was in clothes and shoes. ; ) I must have just worn a lot yesterday!

Recently, I have realized how much easier it is to follow program when I make the effort to go to a meeting and be weighed by another person. I just can’t do this on my own. I have to have help. Several people in my new office surroundings are asking me for advice on how they can lose weight, since they know where I was formerly employed. I guess I may never stop being a leader. I am willing to help them but it is hard (mentally) to give advice when I am not really “doing” it myself. So, out of guilt (self-inflicted) I am back. I had begun to feel really guilty about the choices I was making. I was feeling tired and withdrawn. My clothes were getting tight and I noticed I had added a couple inches to my belly. These are all things that a former WW leader does not want to see happening. So, I decided that I would make a change.

I have been looking online lately for new recipes, tips, ideas, and resources. I have received a lot of information from the WW message boards. I have asked for help from some coworkers and from the board I frequent on www.weightwatchers.com. I have decided that I would buy the ingredients for one main dish at a time and make that up and package in individual containers to help control portions. I stocked up on produce and put it on eye level as to draw my eye when I open the fridge. I made a few hard boiled eggs for a quick protein snack. I purged my cabinets and fridge of non-core foods as to not have the temptations around. I started the walking challenge and am going to even go so far as to join a friend and her mini training buddy. From what she says, they walk the downtown canal twice for a total of 6 miles. Yowzers! I know I can do once around the first time and I will try two. And, I have been getting loads of house-cleaning activity points as I am finally getting a roommate later this month! Yay!!!!!!!!

Next comes the yard work points!

So, what are some positive things you are doing for you these days? Has your motivation waned a bit? Are you struggling to ramp up your activity routine? Are you getting bored with your food choices? Are meetings just another thing you have to do in your week? If you answered in the affirmative to any of the last 4 questions, I want you to answer them and then rephrase question 1 to say, “What are some positive things I can do to turn this around.”
I am including a link to the Indy Star article from today’s Healthy Living section. A WW employee was featured and there was a good article on eating healthy on a budget. I’d say a lot of us could use new ways to lower our food bills.

How to eat right on a budget
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080415/LIVING01/804150306/1083/LIVING01

How to trim your food bill
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080415/LIVING01/804150303/1083/LIVING01

So, in the spirit of Spring, I challenge you to not only clean your house. Clean your permanent residence by introducing a new habit, change, or rebirth of commitment to WW and a healthy life and healthier you. Can you do that? Will you do that?
I miss you all!

Success Stories from INShape Indiana website & a walking challenge

2008-04-10T08:30:00.000-07:00

http://www.in.gov/inshape/2467.htm

Danny is so cute! What a great inspiration from a 13 year old!

Here is the link for the new INShape Indiana Ready, Set, Walk! challenge that starts April 14th!
I'm registered and rearing to get started!

http://www.in.gov/inshape/2331.htm

And, a great resource of common activities and what intensity level they are:

http://www.in.gov/inshape/2258.htm

Strength

2008-04-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

I would like to extend my thoughts and prayers to the King family and all those (everyone of us) that have been touched by the words and actions of the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He truly was a visionary and a great soul that was taken from us long before his time. This world is a much stronger and united place because of his ideas and beliefs. He worked tirelessly for the less fortunate and displaced people in the African American society of the 60's. Work that has had great and wonderful ramifications for many others even to this day. I wish more people were willing to act as he did and work for their beliefs as he did. 40 years later, his words still impact us with great awe and amazement. What will we do in the next 40 years in honor of him?

In Memoriam: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

I don't know how to segway to this, so I am just going to delve right in.

I have been moving a lot of furniture this week and doing some extra cleaning in hopes I can impress a prospective roommate to move in with me. Like many, I need some extra dollars each month. I went to my parents to borrow their Dyson vacuum cleaner last night. I told my sister and her her boyfriend all that I had done since getting home from work. I arrived home at 5:30 and it was now 8:30. I had:

moved 2 mattresses (swapped my good one with the not so good one - from the second floor to the first floor - queen size, by MYSELF - one a pillowtop)

made both beds

did 2 loads of laundry

vacuumed

cleaned carpets

whisked the stairs and used the hand vacuum on that

brought in the trash bins - took out a bit of trash

fixed dinner

It seems as if it had been more. She and her boyfriend both said, "You've done all that since you got home from work?". I said yes. I struggled with the mattresses, mainly the one going up. There were several times I did not think I was going to get it up the stairs by myself. I grumbled a few times how I hate being single, as I am left to do all these things alone. Needless to say, my arms are pretty sore today. I even managed to get a blister on my right hand. I have no clue how or when I got this, but it shows I was WORKIN!

This got me to thinking. When one is lugging mattresses around and trying to avoid using unlady-like words, one thinks about as much as possible. Not that I would ever use any unlady-like words. ; ) I found a quote by Ghandi earlier this week when cleaning. He once said, "Strength comes not from physical capacity but from indominable will." Last night showed me that I do possess physical strength, although it could stand to be sharpened. What I realized about myself, is that when I set my mind to something, I am a fierce force to be reckoned with. The winds of change have hurricane force in my life, when I am driven. However, I can be as graceful about change as the first spring bulbs coming out of the ground into bloom. It is an internal force that drives my mind, will, and heart into swift action. I have had this many times in my journey to goal and unfortunately, right now, I need to find it again. I do have about 20 pounds to lose. I have been struggling with 20 pounds for a couple months now. I hate to say this, but since I'm not your leader anymore, I feel comfortable opening up about it.

I get frustrated with myself. I'll have several good to great days and then, BAM, one slip and I seem to be done for. I am so patient with others and their weight loss journeys, but not with my own. A quote by Helen Keller really hits home, "We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world." I have struggled in so many ways in my life, small compared to the many struggles of others. But needless to say, I have had many challenges. I have struggled with weight issues, health issues that have required a couple major surgeries, and other little things along the way. So why do I let an office pitch-in sabotage me? (today - I gave in and had a 7 point bagel- not worth it) If I can count points and be at goal weight a week after having a spinal infusion and 4 days in the hospital, why does a small table of treats seem tempting? Why do I let myself cave? Is it not hurricane season? Darn, it isn't. Okay, Global warming, kick in and heat up some climate change in me.

So, what am I willing to do to do? I am willing to muster inner strength by focusing on my indominable will. I am willing to reach out to others when I am in need of help, moving mattresses or with my food choices. I am willing to accept that this will take time and that like many other great WW members I have had the priviledge of knowing, this will happen when it is supposed to and I will be so much stronger for going through all these struggles.

May you find your indominable will this week and beyond!

Here are a few extra things from the news this week --

Do we really need 8 glasses of water a day? Here is a link from Good Morning America this week ont he issue of water consumption

http://tinyurl.com/49t55c

According to Hungry Girl, April is National Food Month - just try and eat good, healthy, nutritious foods, okay!

On an unrelated note; my Cousin Lorri Sankowsky was on WIBC talking about her new book on ghosts. The Ghost Hunters Guide to Indianapolis. Here is the link:

http://tinyurl.com/4crnq4

Here is the Amazon Link if you are interested

http://tinyurl.com/6z2u62

I have had a lot more paranormal activity in my home lately, so this is one thing I will be out buying this week.

And

I do not want to offend anyone by being political, but Monday is the last day to register to vote in the Primary. I do not care who you vote for, I just want to think about voting. If you want to vote and are not registered, please do so by Monday.

Here is the link for the voter registration form

http://tinyurl.com/2wu78k

A bit of explanation, this years Presidential race is making me realize and recapture my long lost love of politics and political science. I considered it a decade ago as a major, and I think I may go back to that. Please forgive me, this will be it. Okay, I will post a reminder in May before Primary and November before the General. You have been warned! ; )

Okay, back to WW.

Angel Lush Cake with Pineapple

2008-03-19T17:14:00.000-07:00

1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1 can (20 oz.) DOLE Crushed Pineapple in Juice, undrained
1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
1 prepared round angel food cake (10 oz.)
10 fresh strawberries

MIX dry pudding mix and pineapple in medium bowl. Gently stir in whipped topping.

CUT cake horizontally into three layers. Place bottom cake layer on serving plate; top with one-third of the pudding mixture. Repeat layers two times.

REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour. Top with strawberries just before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

DOLE is a registered trademark of Dole Food Company, Inc.

10 servings
3 pts. per

A little late for St. Pat's, but here is a great cabbage recipe

2008-03-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

Red and White Cabbage Salad

side dishes
POINTS® Value: 1
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with this sweet and tangy cabbage salad. It's fast and delicious, a perfect side dish.

Ingredients
2 cup green cabbage, shredded
2 cup red cabbage, shredded
1 large apple(s), Granny Smith, grated
2 Tbsp dry-roasted salted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/3 cup fat-free mayonnaise
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes before serving. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.

2008-03-18T19:13:00.000-07:00

Winter Fruit Salad

desserts
POINTS® Value: 1
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 25 min
Cooking Time: 5 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

This seasonal salad is from the WeightWatchers.co.uk site. They suggest shopping at a Farmer's Market for the cheapest freshest produce.

Ingredients
1 cup rhubarb
1 Tbsp water
1 large orange(s), peeled, seeds and white pith removed, segmented
1 medium banana(s), sliced
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 medium apple(s), red-skinned, quartered, cored, thinly sliced
1 medium pear(s), quartered, cored, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp sugar substitute, optional

Instructions
Place rhubarb in a microwave-safe bowl. Add water and micrwave until soft (or cook on stove for about 5 minutes).

Combine all fruits in a medium bowl and sweeten with sugar substitute if desired.

2008-03-18T19:06:00.000-07:00

Lemon Raspberry Bread Pudding

desserts
POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 5 min
Cooking Time: 25 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Use our popular lemon snack cakes in this delicious bread pudding. It’s both sweet and tart, and ultra-satisfying.

Ingredients
2 sprays cooking spray
6 cake Weight Watchers Lemon cake with lemon icing, cut into equal small pieces*
1 cups raspberries
3/4 cup fat-free egg substitute
3/4 cup fat-free skim milk
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract, pure variety
1 tsp whole wheat flour

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat each of four 1-cup oven-safe ramekins with cooking spray.

Divide cake pieces evenly among each ramekin. Add equal amounts of raspberries to each ramekin by placing them between cake pieces.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg substitute, milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and flour. Pour egg and milk mixture into a glass measuring cup; pour even amount of mixture into each ramekin.

Place ramekins in the oven and bake until egg mixture is set, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving. Yields 1 bread pudding per serving.

Notes
*You'll need one 5.7 box of the Lemon Cakes for this recipe.

Corned Beef recipe for St. Pat's Day

2008-03-15T22:11:00.000-07:00

Corned Beef and Cabbage Strudel

Main meals
POINTS® Value: 5
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 25 min
Cooking Time: 38 min
Level of Difficulty: Difficult

This twist on the traditional St. Patrick's Day menu of cabbage, potatoes and corned beef is a savory delight.

Ingredients
4 cup cabbage, all varieties, shredded
1 medium garlic clove(s), peeled and minced
1/2 cup canned chicken broth
2 cup frozen potatoes o'brien, thawed (potato, onion and red pepper)
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1 piece bay leaf
2 Tbsp lemon zest
1/2 pound corned beef brisket, cooked and diced
4 sheet whole-wheat phyllo dough
1/2 cup mustard

Instructions
Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage, garlic and broth. Sauté until cabbage is limp, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.

Stir in potatoes O’Brien, salt, pepper, thyme, caraway seed and bay leaf. Cook until potatoes are hot, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and corned beef. Remove bay leaf. Remove from heat and cool mixture while preparing phyllo dough.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place one sheet phyllo dough, long-side facing you, on paper. Spray with cooking spray. Add second sheet of dough. Spray with cooking spray. Repeat twice more.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spoon corned beef filling across width of dough, starting 4 inches from bottom of dough. Mound filling into a 4-inch wide strip. Lift up bottom 4 inches of dough to cover filling. Using parchment paper as a guide, gently roll up phyllo dough. Place seam-side down on paper-lined cookie sheet. Ends of dough don't have to be tucked in. Spray strudel with cooking spray.

Bake until phyllo is browned, 30 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes. Cut into 4 slices and serve each with 2 tablespoons mustard.

In lieu of March Madness, here are some tips for handling beer!

2008-03-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

Beer Cheat Sheet

Article By: Jeffery Lindenmuth

Your typical 12-ounce beer with 5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) contains 3 POINTS® values.

The typical 16-ounce draft pint contains 4 POINTS values.

Most 12-ounce light beers are about 2 POINTS values.

A 1-pint draft of light beer is 3 POINTS values.

What’ll ya have?
There are thousands of different beers. Here’s a selection of ten popular brews. Some are smarter grabs that save POINTS® values. All are 12-ounces.

Beers with 2 POINTS Values
Amstel Light
Guinness Draft (bottle)
Aspen Edge
Samuel Adams Light
Bud Select

Beers with More POINTS Values
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Coors Blue Moon
Red Hook IPA
Kirin
Molson Golden

Beer bellies are B.S. "This is a silly myth," says Charlie Bamforth, PhD, chair and professor, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of California, Davis and author of Beer: Health and Nutrition. "If folks get fat from drinking beer it's because their total calorie intake is too high and they are not working it off."

The Good NewsBeer includes some minerals as well as:
NO cholesterol
NO fat
Very little sugar

The Bad NewsAlcohol is one calorie-dense nectar, packing seven calories per gram. That's almost as much as fat, which has nine calories per gram. Don't blame the malt. "The most significant source of calories in beer is the alcohol itself," says Bamforth, "The stronger the beer, the more calories."

Most 12-ounce beer with 5 percent alcohol by volume contains 3 POINTS values.

The typical 16-ounce draft pint contains 4 POINTS values.

Most 12-ounce "light" beers are 2 POINTS values.

A 1-pint draft of light beer is 3 POINTS values.

A 12-ounce non-alcoholic beer is 1 POINTS value.

Can it improve your health? Some studies show that moderate drinking may help lower risk of heart disease, particularly in men over 45 and women over 55. But what is moderate? For men, it's no more than two drinks per day. For women, it's no more than one. Exceed your quota, and the risk of heart and liver disease, stroke and accidents negate any perks. Don't follow the lite. The terms "light" and "lite" (or any other cutesy variation) have no legal definition. They could mean the beer is light in color or lighter than lead—or anything else the staff at the brewery decided.

Watch your low-carb language. If the labels reads "low carbohydrate," the beer must have no more than 7 grams of carbohydrates per serving. But any beer can tout "reduced carbohydrates" or "lower carbohydrates" on its label, just so long as the brewery makes a more carb-heavy beer. Shifty, eh? Do suds wine-style. A tip that adds civility and can shave POINTS values: "There's nothing wrong with pouring a beer into two glasses at dinner like you would with wine," says George F. Reisch, brewmaster for Anheiser Busch, Inc. Yes, you read correctly. One of the guys who makes Budweiser takes his Bud in a white-wine glass. "I actually think people should share beers more," Reisch adds. "It's smart and your last sip will still be cold."

Nix the nuts. Those robotic grabs of peanuts or cheddar fish can add up to triple the calories and POINTS values than all the beers you down.

Be prepared: Drinking can lead to snacking, so keep the right stuff on hand—or bribe the bartender to stock better choices. Instead of party mix, try:

Crunchers to Complement Your Beer
Unsalted pretzels 1 oz
2 POINTS values

94% fat-free microwave-popped popcorn 5 cups
1 POINTS value

Radishes (a German favorite) 1 cup
0 POINTS values

About the WriterJeffery Lindenmuth is a fine dining writer and lecturer, who has written for Esquire, Wine & Spirits, Men's Health and Cooking Light.

I had an amazing evening...

2008-03-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

...Want to know why? I went to a meeting, went for a nice walk, went to the grocery store, and did some laundry. The reason it was so great, Tony. Tony was a member of mine and is now a leader with WW. I now have some time available in the evenings (sorry to those who miss me) and I am heading back to meetings. I went to the Tab meeting (5:30 weigh-in, 6:00 meeting). It was small but a wonderful meeting. I saw some members there that had been in some of my meetings. We applauded those in the meeting that had lost weight (Way to go Regina!). We talked about detours on our journey to goal and lifetime. We had a very good discussion on the Core Plan.

Tony acknowledged me as his leader at the end of the meeting. I teared up as his words were so touching. He said I have helped to change his life in so many ways, too many to mention. I was so touched and felt the same way about him. Tony is a phenomenal leader that blends humor, reality, cleverness, humor, and quirkiness. Wait, I said humor twice. Well, that is because he is so cute and funny. He may kill me for saying he is quirky, but he is. You all know I admire quirkiness. If you are looking for a fun leader, come to Tab on Wednesdays. Tony gets up on stage and does a pushup for every pound lost by the meeting. Lets all gang up on him and make him do push ups for 30 minutes! Hee hee!

So far this week, I have:
taken my lunch to work every day
exercised mon-wed
went to a WW meeting
counted everything I ate
drinking more water
cooked
eating the rainbow as much as I can (fruits and veggies in the rainbow colors daily)
and have been feeling good about me

I hope this note finds you well and happily on the road to goal. May you enjoy the detour if one comes your way. It may take you longer, but you will still get there. What is one thing you can do for you this week to get you going on the road to goal?????

2008-03-10T19:13:00.000-07:00

I have been a long time listener of the independent radio station in Bloomington, IN, 92.3 WTTS FM. They lost one of their dear friends and listeners suddenly this weekend. Please send some thoughts up for him and his family. He truly was a great human being who loved life, friends, music, and a good time. He was full of life and it is so sad that his was taken so suddenly and so young.

We are shocked and saddened to learn of the passing of Phil Stoerck, better known on the air as "Phil The Listener." Since 2004, Phil hosted a monthly show on WTTS. He also became a well-known fixture at many WTTS concerts and events. But Phil meant so much more to all of us. We'd never met a listener like Phil. His enthusiasm, spirit and nature made us laugh, made us listen and made our station a brighter place to be. Many of us became great friends with not only Phil, but his loving wife Bonnie and young son Reed. To us, Phil was more than just a guy on the radio - he was our friend, and we all loved him very much. At this time, we ask you to keep Phil, Bonnie and Reed in your thoughts and prayers. May God bless Phil Stoerck and his entire family. Tune to 92-3 WTTS tonight at 9pm for a commercial-free, one hour musical tribute to Phil The Listener. And stop by our Phil The Listener tribute page to see photos of Phil, listen to audio archives and submit your condolences. WTTS

www.wttsfm.com

Creamy Tomato Soup

2008-03-10T03:54:00.000-07:00

POINTS® Value: 2

Servings: 8

Preparation Time: 14 min

Cooking Time: 25 min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

This creamy soup recipe is part of our Perfectly Simple series. Click here to view other recipes in this series.

Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
2 medium leek(s), finely chopped (white part only)
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1 tsp dried oregano
56 oz canned diced tomatoes
12 oz fat-free evaporated milk
1/4 cup basil, fresh, finely chopped
1/8 tsp table salt, or more to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste

Instructions
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic; cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add oregano; cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer; partially cover pan and simmer 5 minutes.

Puree soup in pan using an immersion blender. Or working in batches, transfer tomato mixture to a blender and puree until smooth (careful not to splatter hot liquid); return pureed tomato mixture to pan.

Set pan over low heat and add milk; simmer 1 minute to heat through. Remove pan from heat and stir in basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Notes
There’s no need to succumb to salty canned tomato soup anymore. You can create your own healthful version in just minutes – a version that’s super creamy and bursting with the bright flavor of fresh basil.

Just in time for St. Patrick's Day

2008-03-10T03:51:00.000-07:00

Corned Beef and Cabbage with Red Potatoes

main meals
POINTS® Value: 8
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 25 min
Cooking Time: 55 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

No reason to dodge this Irish favorite on St. Patrick's Day: Simply choose lean beef round and boil it in a very well-flavored broth.

Ingredients
1 pound lean beef round
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1 Tbsp yellow mustard seed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp coriander seed(s)
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 piece bay leaf
8 small uncooked red potato(es), cut into 2-inch pieces
16 baby carrot(s)
1 medium head green cabbage, coarsely shredded

Instructions
Coat beef all over with salt and pepper and place in a large stockpot; pour enough water into pot to cover beef. Add seasonings and bay leaves and stir to coat meat; set pot over high heat. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 40 minutes.

Add potatoes, carrots and cabbage and increase heat to medium-high; return to a boil. Partially cover pot and boil, until vegetables and beef are fork-tender, about 10 minutes more. Drain water from meat and vegetables, reserving 1 cup of liquid; discard bay leaves.

Slice meat crosswise into thin slices and serve with vegetables. Pour some reserved cooking liquid over each serving. Yields about 3 ounces of meat, 1 1/2 cups of vegetables and 1/4 cup of cooking liquid per serving.

Yummy Breakfast Shake-up!

2008-03-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

Hello all. well, I just discovered a great new way to eat yogurt this morning. I had some ripe strawberries that I needed to consume and thought, "hmmm...what can I do with these?" So, here it goes.

1 C sliced fresh strawberries (hulled and rinsed) (0 pt.)
1 6 oz. container Weight Watchers Berries N Cream Yogurt (1 pt.)
1 T shredded coconut - I used organic and unsweetened (.5 pt.)
1 T Wheat Germ (.5 pt.)

Put in a bowl, and enjoy. This doesn't look the prettiest, but it is awesome! Low in fat, a pretty good protein source, calcium, and even some folic acid in the wheat germ too!

Okay, here is the best part. Are you ready for it???? If you use only 1 C of strawberries, this is only 2 pts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, go ahead and enjoy. You can go up to 1 3/4 C strawberries, which will make this 3 pts.

Meg

Work lunches getting a little boring????

2008-03-07T20:14:00.001-08:00

Need some ideas for preparing speedy yet satisfying meals to bring to the office? Look no further. Check out our best time-saving tips, as well as a few of our favorite lunchtime recipes.

We've also included ideas posted on our Message Boards—recipes real users have found and loved. They're quick, creative and make saying "no" to those leftover muffins and doughnuts in the boardroom a piece of cake.

Ready, Set, Cook
Here are some handy preparation tips, plus recipes for when you're in a hurry:

Stock up.Buy precut vegetables, or prepare your own and store them in the fridge (keep in plastic bags or containers, and add a touch of water to vegetables like carrots and celery to retain crispness). Then you'll have easy, last-minute additions for wraps, salads and sandwiches. Try Roast Beef Rolls.

Roast Beef Rolls

sandwiches

POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 2
Preparation Time: 8 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Fill out this wrap with easily layered foods such as spinach, Boston lettuce, radicchio and fresh basil leaves. Or add some zest with diced roasted red peppers.

Ingredients
2 Tbsp relish, onion
1 Tbsp fat-free mayonnaise
2 medium tortilla, flour, fat-free
4 oz deli-style roast beef, thinly sliced
1/2 medium tomato(es), sliced or 6 cherry tomatoes quartered

Instructions
In a small bowl, mix together relish and mayonnaise; spread over tortillas.
Top each with 1/2 of roast beef and tomatoes; roll up and enjoy.

Plan for leftovers.
If you're having baked chicken on Monday night, cook a few extra breasts for use in a low-fat chicken salad sandwich Wednesday and a grilled chicken salad on Wednesday night. Try Chicken and Chile Wraps.

Chicken and Chile Wraps

main meals
POINTS® Value: 6
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 5 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Roasted chiles, fresh chives and creamy avocado top these quick-to-assemble wraps. They beat plain grilled chicken sandwiches any day!

Ingredients
1 small poblano chile
1/4 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise
4 medium whole wheat tortilla(s)
1 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
12 oz cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
2 Tbsp chives, fresh, minced
1/2 medium avocado, sliced

Instructions

Place chile over stovetop flame; char on all sides, about 5 minutes (careful not to burn hands). Remove chile from flame and place in a paper bag; close bag and set aside to steam for 15 minutes. Remove chile from bag and remove blackened skin with your hands, under running water. Core, seed and chop chile; set aside.

Spread 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise over each tortilla and top each with 1/4 cup of lettuce. Arrange 1/4 of chicken in a strip down the center of each tortilla; top each with 1/4 of chile, chives and avocado.

To serve, fold the bottom third of each tortilla toward the middle. Then fold the left side to the center and the right side to the center; serve. Yields 1 wrap per serving.

Notes
To make this zesty wrap in minutes, substitute a small can of roasted mild chiles for the poblano chile, a cup of baby salad greens for the romaine and refrigerated, cooked chicken strips for the roasted chicken.

Shred away.
Already shredded, low-fat cheese adds quick protein to bagged salad mixes and makes homemade pita pizzas a snap to prepare. Try Cobb Salad.

Cobb Salad

light meals
Was POINTS® Value: 13
Now POINTS® Value: 6
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Cobb salad can be a weight-loss nightmare. But make our simple substitutions and you'll enjoy the same flavors for far fewer calories.

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

Chef Tips
We renovated Cobb Salad by:
Swapping low-fat Swiss cheese for regular and using lean turkey bacon instead of pork bacon.
Cutting back on the amount of fatty ingredients such as cheese, egg and dressing.

Try potluck.
Dice up any leftover cooked chicken, meat or fish and cooked or fresh vegetables from dinner to whip up creative "garbage" salads and wraps for lunch during the week. Try Cajun Chicken Salad.

Cajun Chicken Salad

light meals
POINTS® Value: 2
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 12 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Here's a tip: Once a week, take inventory of your vegetable drawer amd make a potluck salad out of the veggies you have. For a complete meal, top it with grilled tuna or chicken.

Ingredients
4 cup lettuce, mixed, leaves
1 cup snow peas, trimmed
12 medium cherry tomato(es)
1 cup yellow tomatoes, pear-shaped
3/4 cup celery, sliced
1/4 cup shallot(s), chopped
1/8 tsp Cajun seasoning, or to taste
10 oz uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 Tbsp diet Italian salad dressing

Instructions
Place lettuce in a serving dish and top with vegetables; set aside.

Sprinkle Cajun seasoning over chicken and broil, grill or barbecue it until cooked. Slice chicken into thin strips.

Arrange warm chicken over salad and drizzle with dressing.

Keep basics handy.
Already cooked rice or pasta stashed in the fridge can be turned into quick, delicious lunches when tossed with cheese, vegetables and your favorite light dressing. Try our Kid-Friendly Pasta Salad.

Pot Luck Pasta Salad (Kid-Friendly)

side dishes
POINTS® Value: 2
Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 30 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

This colorful salad has something for everyone. If you're short on time, buy the ingredients already cut from a salad bar and use your favorite bottled fat-free Italian dressing.

Ingredients
4 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, corkscrew shape (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, macaroni shape (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
2 1/2 oz olive(s), canned, sliced, black (about 10 medium black olives)
1 medium green pepper(s), chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium sweet red pepper(s), chopped (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup grape tomatoes, or other small tomatoes, halved (about 10 tomatoes)
1 medium yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup frozen green peas, thawed

Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse pasta with cold water; drain again and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, prepare salad dressing by mixing together oil, lemon juice, oregano, mustard, salt, black pepper and garlic; set aside until ready to use.

In a large bowl, combine cooked pasta with vegetables; pour in dressing and toss thoroughly to coat. Cover and chill about 2 hours.

Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Funny old WW recipe cards!

2008-02-28T07:55:00.000-08:00

http://www.candyboots.com/wwcards.html

I miss you all!

2008-02-27T20:22:00.000-08:00

Hello to my dear WW members. I hate to have to type this post, as it means that I am officially saying that I will no longer be a part of your journey to reaching your weight goals. I am no longer an employee of WW. It truly has been a priviledge to be a part of your successes. I have enjoyed my time with you all, albeit too brief for some. For those that I have been with a while, you have truly become a part of my life I will always treasure. All of you have! You will never know what you have done to make my life great and meaningful and I hope you see that you are worth your efforts and rewards. You are all working so hard and are so deserving of the greatness that comes form your hard work.

Losing the weight we desire is not easy. WW is simple to follow. The plans works, as long as we work it. The meetings work, as long as we let them. The fellow members help, as long as you let them. Reach out to others in the meeting. Open up, and you will find many wonderful gifts. Please continue to follow this path, I know I always will. Please understand that this doesn't always happen when we want it. It does happen, if you let it. Please understand that there are many factors that go into weight loss and maintenance. Please give yourself the gift of achieving your goals. Please do it for yourself! I mean it. If you don't, I'll come after you!

I will continue to update my website and will keep you posted on any great recipes, articles, tips, ideas, and motivation that I come across. I am always accessible via email, and I would love to hear from any and everyone of you. Please keep me posted on goal and lifetime weeks, and if I can, I will be there to celebrate with you. quirkysoul@sbcglobal.net

Please know that you are special to me and that this is a very painful post. I had no clue how much I would miss the magic of seeing you to your goals.

With much love and best wishes,

Meg

Grilled Vegetale Salad

2008-02-25T08:33:00.000-08:00

Better Homes and Gardens website recipe

Prep: 30 minutes Marinate: 4 hours Grill: 6 minutes

202 Cals
5 Fat
5 Fiber
4 pts.
4 servings (I believe, it did not say)

Ingredients

1 pound reduced-fat firm tofu, drained
3/4 cup reduced-fat Italian salad dressing
12 ounces yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 large orange and/or red sweet peppers, quartered and seeded
1/2 cup quinoa*
1/2 cup quick-cooking barley
1/2 cup shredded sorrel or spinach
Sorrel leaves (optional)

Directions
1. Cut tofu lengthwise into 8 slices, about 1/2 inch thick. Place tofu in shallow baking dish; pour 1/4 cup of the dressing over tofu. Place vegetables in a large self-sealing plastic bag set in a deep bowl. Pour 3 tablespoons of the remaining dressing over vegetables. Close bag, turning to coat. Chill tofu and vegetables 4 to 24 hours, turning occasionally. Cover and refrigerate remaining dressing.

2. Remove tofu from dressing, discarding dressing. Drain vegetables, reserving dressing. Grill vegetables on rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender, turning occasionally. Grill tofu on grill rack directly over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes, turning once, or until lightly browned. Remove tofu from grill. Cut into triangles. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl combine squash and peppers. Add reserved dressing. Toss to coat. Set vegetables aside.

4. Meanwhile, in a 2-quart pan bring 2 cups water to boiling. Place quinoa in a fine sieve and rinse under running water. Add quinoa and barley to pan. Return to boiling; reduce heat.
Simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until water is nearly absorbed and grains are tender. Drain.

5. In a large bowl gently toss grains with shredded sorrel and remaining chilled dressing. Serve quinoa with vegetables and tofu. Add sorrel leaves, if desired. Makes 6 main-dish servings.

*Look for quinoa (keen-wah) near the grains on your supermarket shelf or health food stores.

Think 3 pts. left in the day means no dinner??????

2008-02-25T07:21:00.001-08:00

You were wrong! Here are some good ideas for snacks and dinner.

Meg

P.S. The Zero Pt. Soup recipe is included as well!

3-POINTS®-Value Meal and Snack Ideas

Article By: Ronne Freedman

For 3 POINTS values* you can have half of a plain, small fast-food burger or you can enjoy something delicious from this list. There’s a fruit and cheese plate, Mexican specialties, spicy pan-roasted scallops and even a baby lamb chop.

Berries and Cream
In a small bowl, combine 1 cup of mixed berries, 2 tablespoons of reduced-fat sour cream and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar.

Cheese and Fruit Plate
Arrange 1 ounce of light Jarlsberg cheese, 1/2 ounce of soft goat cheese, 1/2 medium sliced apple and 1 cup of raspberries on a plate.

Black Bean Tortillas
In a food processor, combine 1/2 cup of canned black beans (rinsed and drained), 1/4 cup of salsa, 1/4 cup of plain fat-free yogurt, 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, 1/4 cup of chopped, fresh cilantro and 1/8 teaspoon of salt; roughly chop mixture. Divide bean mixture among three 4-inch corn tortillas, and top each with 1/4 teaspoon of nonfat sour cream.

Cheese Tortilla
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Sprinkle each of two 4-inch fat-free flour tortillas with 2 tablespoons of shredded light cheddar cheese. Place tortillas on a cookie sheet and bake until cheese melts, about 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of salsa down the center of each tortilla; fold each tortilla in half.

Turkey on Rye
Drizzle 1 tablespoon of fat-free Italian dressing on a slice of toasted light rye bread. Top with 1/4 cup of chopped roasted red pepper (packed in water), 2 ounces of deli-style turkey breast and another piece of toast.

Roast Chicken Slices with Pesto
In a cup, mix 1 teaspoon of store-bought pesto with 1 tablespoon of low-sodium chicken broth (or water). Place 2 ounces of sliced chicken breast and 1 medium fresh, chopped tomato in a small bowl; drizzle with pesto mixture.

Roasted Chicken with Citrus Dressing
In a small bowl, combine 1 1/2 tablespoons of orange juice, 1 teaspoon of orange zest, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Place 2 ounces of shredded, roasted chicken breast on a bed of lettuce. Top with thinly sliced red onion and drizzle with dressing.

Baby Lamp Chop with Mint Jelly
Preheat broiler and broiler pan to medium. Rub 3 ounces of raw baby lamb chop with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 4 1/2 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare (or longer for desired doneness). Serve with 1 tablespoon of sugar-free mint jelly and 1 cup of cooked baby spinach.

Citrus Broiled Salmon
Preheat broiler. Coat a 3-ounce Atlantic salmon fillet with olive oil cooking spray; sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper and then drizzle with 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Broil just until center is no longer translucent, about 6 to 7 minutes. Serve with 1 cup of cooked Swiss chard.

Pan-Roasted Scallops in Hot Sauce
Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles on the surface. Off heat, coat hot skillet with olive oil cooking spray; place back over heat and add 1 teaspoon of hot chili oil. Add 3 ounces of sea scallops and cook until center of scallops are no longer translucent, about 1 to 2 minutes per side; place scallops on a plate of shredded lettuce. Deglaze skillet with 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice and pour sauce over scallops.

Spruced-Up Asian-Style Zero-POINTS-Value Soup
Stir 2 ounces of diced Chinese roast pork and 1/4 cup of diced firm tofu into 1 cup of soup.

* The POINTS values for these meal ideas have been derived using our online POINTS calculator.

And, here is the famous Zero pt. Soup recipe!

Zero POINTS®-Value Vegetable Soup

soups
POINTS® Value: 0
Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 50 min
Cooking Time: 13 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Some say that this soup is the secret to their weight-loss success. It's a great midday snack or premeal hunger-buster.

Ingredients
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1 medium onion(s), diced
2 medium carrot(s), diced
1 medium sweet red pepper(s), diced
1 medium stalk celery, diced
2 small zucchini, diced
2 cup green cabbage, shredded
2 cup Swiss chard, chopped
2 cup cauliflower, small florets
2 cup broccoli, small florets
2 tsp thyme, fresh, chopped
6 cup vegetable broth
2 Tbsp parsley, or chives, fresh, chopped
1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, optional

Instructions
Put garlic, vegetables, thyme and broth into a large soup pot. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered, about 10 minutes.
Stir in parsley or chives; season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Yields about 1 cup per serving.
Notes
If you like thick soups, consider pureeing this recipe in the pot with an immersion blender.