Midweek Minutes

March 30, 2013



Happy Easter, Winners!


Do you have your holiday plans in place? Do you know EGGS-actly what you are going to do (to the best of your ability)? This can be an EGGS-tremely good holiday for you or not. It's your choice. Be EGGS-cellent!



Remember, Winners... the stress of the holiday preparations, the eating out, and the family gatherings do not have to play havoc with your Points Plus program. YOU make the decisions; YOU control your SPACES, thoughts, and actions; and YOU can do EGGS-actly what you need to do to stay ON PROGRAM! No EGGS-cuses! "There's ALWAYS another choice."

Don't let STRESS spell DESSERTS backwards to you!!! Don't let yourself EGGS-plode!


Don't forget to EGGS-ercize and let that stress GO!!!! If you know you are going to be eating a BIG meal on Easter, you can eat lighter the rest of the day or use some of that WEEKLY POINTS PLUS ALLOWANCE! Eggs-periment with new recipes to keep it EGGS-citing and low POINT.



We CAN learn to be EGGS-perts at this weight loss game and have the ON PROGRAM holiday EGGS-actly the way we dream it!
NOTE to my Edgar At Work Members: The last week of our series is May 1. I forgot about the "snow day" we had. The price of a new series is NOT GOING UP (yay!). The 17-week series needs 20 members. The 12-week series needs 15. Let's talk about what you want to do at our next meeting! Be there or be square!
 
NOTE to my Superior Members: Free Registration begins again this next week PLUS, there's something new called "A Risk-Free Guarantee." Join Weight Watchers as a new member between March 31 and May 18...attend two meetings during your first two weeks of membership, and if you are not satisfied, you get your money back. As we all know, Weight Watchers is the BEST program around! Encourage your friends to come with you to observe our meeting! Remember, we are trying to GROW our meeting so we can keep going in Superior!!! The magic number is to have 20 members attend each week! We only have until the end of April to convince the "powers that be" to keep us in Superior.
 
 
Everyone: The newsletter will be on our Facebook page Zig's Winners, and also on the blog http://midweekminutes.blogspot.com/. Have a Happy Easter weekend, and yes, there will be meetings this coming week! --Zig


 




 

How EGGS-CITING are these Member Milestones!


Total Losses
Superior: -11.6 lbs.
Edgar -21.2 lbs.
Hastings: -22.2 lbs.

 
5 lb. star
Max V. (E)
Lori V. (E)
Mildred J. (E

 
35 lb. star
Carol B. (E))

 
16 week Stay and Succeed Charm
Chris F. (E)

 
5%
Cal S. (S)


BIGGEST LOSER
JoAnn E. (S)
Mildred J. (E)



Safe House

Is your home a weight-loss danger zone? Getting rid of potential landmines — and replacing them with helpful foods and tools — is one of the best things you can do for your weight-loss goals.
Changing your environment to set yourself up for success is one of the cornerstones of the Weight Watchers 360° program. Just imagine if you could take your Leader home with you and ask for his or her feedback on your fridge, pantry, closets and more. You'd get great advice, right? Well, since you can’t take your Leader home (or to the office, or the restaurant) we created the next best thing: our Spaces tool, which is designed to help you outsmart potential pitfalls wherever you happen to be. You’ll talk more about it at your meeting this week, and get helpful tips on making your home a truly Plan-friendly space, but we’ve gathered some great ideas so you can get started right now. They’ll help you more easily stick to this month’s RoutineAfter each meal or snack, decide how many PointsPlus® values you’ll use for your next meal — by bringing healthy choices front and center. It’s time for a little renovation!
Transform your home from Tower of Temptation to Sanctuary of Safety
You might have already made some changes at home, especially in the kitchen, since starting your weight-loss journey. If so, that’s a great start! But could you be doing more to set yourself up for success? Would a designated “food-free zone” in a spot where you often snack mindlessly (like in front of the TV or computer) help you avoid those moments of overindulgence? Could you
set up a mini home “gym” — a jump rope and some dumbbells to start — as a way to encourage more activity during your day?
Here are some more ways to rethink and “renovate” some common trouble spots at home:
Put “green-light” snacks in plain sight. Fresh fruits and veggies should be the first thing you see when you open your fridge, along with healthy snacks like low-fat cheese, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, or whatever else you like to munch on. Ideally everything should also be pre-washed and trimmed if necessary and portioned into easy-to-grab single servings. Apply the same strategy to your pantry with popcorn, nuts and other shelf-stable snacks. Budget 15 minutes after your grocery-store run to getting everything squared away.

Keep treats out of sight or out of the house. This one seems like a no-brainer, but can be a hard rule to follow! If you absolutely can’t control yourself around certain trigger foods, like cookies or ice cream, you’re better off not having them at home at all (even healthy varieties, if you might consume them in quantity). Otherwise, stash them in out-of-sight places, like that cabinet over the fridge or the very top shelf of the pantry, so they’re not an in-your-face temptation. Tip: If you must have chocolate or ice cream or chips or something to satisfy a similar craving on hand, don’t get your favorite item. Instead, settle for a “second-best” that will (for you) take the edge off without sending you into overdrive (like a chocolate lollipop instead of milk chocolate candies, or pretzels instead of potato chips).

Ditch restaurant leftovers if they’ll just taunt you. Bringing home half of a healthy but oversized meal is one thing. Hanging onto containers of your husband’s Chinese food or your daughter’s leftover pepperoni pizza is only a good idea if you know you’ll be able to resist them, or work them into your daily PointsPlus value budget. If not, they’re better off in the trash. Tip: If your leftovers can be frozen, that’s another option — it’s hard to impulse-eat a slice of pizza straight from the freezer!

Chew gum while you’re prepping meals. All those little bites, licks and tastes add up. Avoid temptation altogether by keeping your mouth busy and minty-fresh instead of nibbling. Tip: Not a fan of gum? Brush your teeth immediately before cooking for a similar effect.

Let your kitchen cook you dinner. Well, with a little help at least. Slow cookers are indispensable for weeknight meals and they’re more versatile than you might think! (You can even use them to make a hot breakfast that’s ready as soon as you are in the morning.)



 

 




WEEKLY PRICE INCREASE


The BEST price deal of Monthly Pass does NOT change,

but the weekly fee increase for Traditional Meetings goes up to $14.00 starting March 31.


 




 

Check-in: this month’s Routine...How often did you know what you’d have for your next meal?

When you were successful, you probably wound up being less swayed by less than optimal choices. Think about what might have helped:

Maybe you pre-tracked, or factored in your Good Health Guidelines, or made your lunch the night before.

If you can still use some help with this Routine, the Routines Tool on eTools (for subscribers) can be just the thing







Check out our NEW Spaces tips!


Friday, March 22, 2013

You probably know that setting up your environment for success, wherever you are, can be a really powerful tool. We totally agree; in fact, we’re constantly looking for new problems to fix to keep everyone (including the Weight Watchers editors!) on Plan even when life throws a curve ball.

Take this week, for example: The Passover holiday is upon us, which can mean making big changes to what we eat. As delicious as the special dishes can be, it can be a little bit too easy to loosen up on planning and tracking when our routines change.

And then there’s the towers of chocolate eggs and bunnies, jelly beans and all kinds of pastel-colored goodies down every grocery aisle as Easter rolls around. (See how “Easter” is only one letter away from “Eater”??) What’s a Weight Watchers member or subscriber to do?

Well, head to the Spaces tool, that’s what. Select the “Occasions” Space and you’ll see straight away the tips and action plans that’ll get you through this latest holiday season with your good intentions intact. Add the tips that are most helpful to you, and that you think you can (and will) do. Good luck, and happy holidays!

The Weight Watchers Product Team




THIS WEEK ONLY!

 


The Ultimate 360° Kit$34.95


Wanted to buy one but waiting for a deal?
Here you go!




Cooking For One: Freezer-Friendly Finds

A properly stocked freezer is key to creative, last-minute meal prep.
The icebox isn’t just for storing fro-yo and stashing treats. A stocked freezer can be the difference between making a quick stovetop (or microwave) meal for one, and giving up and ordering delivery. Push aside those Thin Mints and make room for these essentials.
1. Frozen vegetables have long been a staple for quick, healthy meals. They have as many (if not more) nutrients as fresh veggies, and don’t have the added sodium that some of their canned counterparts do. For zero PointsPlus values, it’d be silly not to have a variety on hand. Use them to bulk up canned soups and chilis, add to pastas, stir-fries, and omelets, or just nuke some broccoli with a little shredded cheese for a quick snack.

Tip: Make sure to buy the bags and not the blocks so you don’t have to chip away a single portion of spinach.


2. Snacks from the freezer aisle might not seem like the most nutritious option, but if you think outside the (ice cream sandwich) box, you’ll find lots of treats that’ll get you through your afternoon slump. Add frozen fruit to some greek yogurt or cereal, or to top a whole grain (frozen) waffle. You can find everything from cherries and peaches to pineapple and mango. Smoothies, anyone?
If you’re more of a savory snacker, microwave some protein- and fiber-rich edamame (you can buy them in or out of the shell). Or keep veggie or shrimp dumplings on hand--dip them in low-sodium soy sauce.

3. Frozen seafood has come a long way since fish sticks. Look for single-serving filets of tilapia, salmon, halibut, and cod that are easy to prepare (some even come pre-seasoned).
Tip: Bags of pre-cooked frozen shrimp and scallops let you control the portion size: they come in re-sealable bags so you can just take as many as you need without the rest going to waste.


4. Grains and pastas are a time-saving freezer staple. Look for quinoa you can microwave and add vegetables to, ravioli (that can keep in the freezer for months), and even vegetarian rice dishes like Indian biryani for a quick meal you can make without consulting a cookbook.
 
5. Chicken, turkey, beef, and pork can last a few months in your freezer, so stock up when your grocer has a sale. You can also find pre-cooked items like turkey meatballs and chicken sausage that are ready after just a few minutes in the microwave.
Tip: Portion meats into solo servings before you stash them in the freezer.


6. Leftovers like soups, stews, casseroles, and lasagnas freeze very well. Portion them out before you freeze them for a budget-friendly lunch you can grab as you’re walking out the door for work. Bought a whole baguette only to nibble a slice or two? Wrap it tightly in aluminum foil, place in a zipper bag, and freeze it. Once defrosted it’ll taste like it left the bakery that day.

7. Herbs and spices like cilantro, garlic, ginger, and chili peppers can now be found in the freezer aisle, which is great for those who love bold, fresh flavor but hate waste. Brands like Dorot offer individual portions in an ice cube-like tray that ensures you won’t be throwing out that whole bunch of fresh basil after using it for one pasta dish.




Make it happen!

 


The Success Handbook (available only in the Ultimate Weight Watchers 360° Kit*) helps you identify strategies, temptation
busters, and ways to overcome challenges. It’s written by Jennifer Hudson’s and Jessica Simpson’s Leader, Liz Josefsberg!
The Kit is on SALE this week...$5.00 off!







NEXT WEEK in your Meeting...

Why Do We Do What We Do...
and how can we make better choices?






Member Recipes

Diet Soda Cake
Servings:
12 pieces

Serving Size:
1 slice
Points+:
5 pts


Diet Soda Cupcakes
Servings:
24

Serving Size:
1 cupcake
Points+:
2 pts

1 dry box cake, any flavor
10 oz diet soda, any flavor
2 egg whites
Baking spray

Preheat
oven according to box directions.
Spray
9 x 13 pan.

Beat
cake mix, diet soda and egg whites.
Pour
into pan.

Bake
as directed on box, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted.

Let cake cool
about 10 minutes before cutting.
Cut
into 12 pieces.
Top
with fat free whipped cream if you wish.



Lemon Pie

1 Ready Made Reduced Fat Graham Cracker Crust
1 (.8 oz) Package Sugar Free Cook and Serve Vanilla Pudding Mix
1 (.3 oz.) Package Sugar Free Lemon Jello
2 Cups Water
1 (8 oz.) Container Fat Free Cool Whip

In a microwave safe bowl, combine the water and pudding mix with a wire whisk.
Microwave on high, stirring occasionally until thick (approx. 4-5 minutes).
Stir in the Jello and allow to cool slightly. Pour the lemon mixture into the pie shell and refrigerate until firm. Spread the cool whip on top and serve or return to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

8 servings @ 4PP


 

Baked Egg Bread Boat Recipe

A delicious and divine breakfast recipe, each of these egg bread boats are worth every point. Baguettes filled with cheese, ham, veggies and eggs…what a way to eat!


4 demi sourdough baguettes
1/2 cup liquid egg whites
2 tbsp fat free half and half
2 oz lean ham, diced
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup reduced fat swiss cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut a deep “V” shape into the baguettes and pull out most of the bread inside.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the egg whites and half and half. Add in remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
Place each bread “boat” onto a baking sheet, and evenly divide the egg mixture into each one, slowly pouring it into the hollowed out “V”.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until bread becomes golden brown, and egg mixture is cooked through and set.
Remove from oven and let cool for about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serving size is 1 boat
Each serving = 9 Points +



Skinny Honey Baked Ham

1 Trader Joe’s spiral cut, bone-in ham (about 4 pounds, fully cooked)
¼ cup pineapple juice or apple juice
¼ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place ham, cut end down, in a large 13 x 9 pan. Throw away the glaze packet, if using the Trader Joe’s ham.
3. In a small bowl, mix together pineapple juice and orange juice. Spoon 2 tablespoons over ham. Bake ham for 5 minutes.
Remove from oven drizzle 2 more tablespoons all over ham. Bake for an additional 5 minutes and spoon the remaining juices over the ham. Remove ham from oven.
4. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, honey and 1 tablespoon of orange juice.
Spoon mixture all over outside of ham. Place ham back in oven and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
 
Makes 10-12 servings (each serving 3 ounces)
Each serving is 5 PP5 www.skinnykitchen.com




Slow Cooker Rotisserie ChickenPoints: drumstick 2 pts, wing 3 pts, thigh 4 pts, 4 oz breast 5 pts
Servings: varies
Serving Size: varies
Nutritional Info: varies


1 3 lb. chicken, cleaned with fat removed
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 lemon
Optional: 3-5 small red potatoes (add points based on size)

Make 3-5 aluminum balls and place in the bottom of the slow cooker.
You can also wrap 3-5 small potatoes in the tinfoil and place those in the bottom of the slow cooker.
Mix together all of the spices and add the juice of the lemon. Rub the spice rub all over the chicken.
Stuff the lemon into the chicken cavity and place on top of the aluminum foil balls or wrapped potatoes.
Cook on low for 8 hours.

Optional: For crispy skin, preheat the oven to 500 degrees and roast the chicken for 10 minutes before serving to crisp up the skin..



Easter Pork Tenderloin

1/2 cup(s) reduced-calorie pancake syrup
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 1/2 pound(s) uncooked lean pork tenderloin, use two 1 1/4-pound pieces

Cooking instructions: In a large zip-close plastic bag, combine syrup, dry mustard, cloves, ginger, salt, cinnamon and pepper. Trim pork of all visible fat and cut each tenderloin in half width-wise.
Add tenderloins to plastic bag, squeeze out air and seal bag; turn to coat tenderloins.
Place bag on a plate and refrigerate on bottom shelf, turning bag occasionally, at least 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat broiler. Place tenderloins in a roasting pan and pour marinade over them.
Broil 5 inches from heat until pork reaches an internal temperature of 160°F, about 6 minutes per side.
Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before slicing. Yields about 4 ounces of meat per serving.

PointsPlus value per 4 ounce serving: 4 www.slenderkitchen.com



Skinny Corn Bread Casserole
2 large onions, chopped (about 3½ cups)
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons reduced-fat butter or Smart Balance Light
4 egg whites
1 egg, I love Egg-Land’s Best eggs
2 tablespoons fat-free or reduced-fat milk
1 (1-LB) package Marie Callender’s Original Corn Bread Mix
2 (14.5 oz) cans cream-style corn
1 cup fat-free sour cream (½ pint)
½ cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a 13”x9” baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, add the onions and butter. Cook in the microwave on high for about 4 minutes until soft. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the egg whites, egg and milk. Stir in the cornbread mix and cream-style corn. Spread cornbread batter into the prepared dish.
4. Spoon the cooked onions and liquid left in the bowl evenly over the top.
5. Using a rubber spatula carefully spread the sour cream over the onions. It’s not necessary to completely cover the onions. The sour cream will create little pillows.
6. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top of the sour cream.
7. Bake for about 40-45 minutes until golden brown.
9. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting into 16 squares. This casserole may be made ahead of time, refrigerated and reheated. It also freezes great.

Makes 16 servings (each serving, 1 slice) @ 5 PP www.skinnykitchen.com
Cheesy Potluck Potatoes
2 lb (32 oz) bag of frozen hash brown potatoes (I used the cubed kind), defrosted (or just use refrigerated)
¼ cup chopped onion
1 cup fat free sour cream
10.75 oz can of 98% fat free cream of chicken OR cream of mushroom soup for a vegetarian option
1 cup 2% reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
¾ cup of corn flakes, crushed

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly mist a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the corn flakes and stir until thoroughly combined.
3. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread evenly.

Sprinkle the corn flakes over the top and bake for one hour until potatoes are cooked through.

Slice into eight pieces and serve.

Yields 8 servings. WW P+: 5 per serving* (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)






Springtime Ham, Asparagus and Cheese Melt For Easter with Weight Watchers Points
Sometimes the simple to prepare meals are the tastiest. This open-faced delight surely delivers.
We’ve layered a skinny ham salad on top of toasted garlic bread, followed by fresh steamed asparagus and reduced-fat cheese then into the oven to melt.
It might sound like a strange combination but wait until you taste it.
The skinny on one of these delectable halves is 221 calories, 7.5 grams of fat, and 5 Weight watchers POINTS.
It’s delicious and perfect to serve for brunch or lunch.

4 slices sourdough wheat bread or cracked wheat sourdough bread
4 tablespoons reduced-fat butter
1 tablespoon garlic powder with parsley (we like Lawry’s)
2 cups lean ham or turkey ham, chopped (from a thick slice)
¼ cup reduced-fat mayonnaise (we like Best Foods Light)
2 tablespoons mustard
16 asparagus spears, steamed
6 slices reduced-fat Swiss or Jarlsberg cheese, cut in half

1. Toast each slice of bread. Spread each with ½ tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle each with garlic powder. Cut each piece in half and place on a baking sheet.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the ham, mayonnaise, and mustard. Place the ham salad on top of the garlic bread.
Place 2 asparagus spears over the ham salad. Top each with evenly with cheese slices.
3. Broil 3 to 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated and lightly brown. Serve with a fork and knife.
Makes 8 halves, 1-2 per person
PointsPlus® Value: 5
 


 

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