MIDWEEK MINUTES November 15, 2014u
Midweek Minutes
November 15, 2014
Hello, Winners!
It’s been all about the weather this week, hasn’t it? I’m sitting
here on Friday evening listening to the forecast for snow for the morning.
I’ll probably be back to let you know about the drive after I see what it’s like
in the morning on my way to Hastings for the Saturday morning meeting! Monday
evening was weird. The winds, remember that? The corn stalks were being blown
across the highway, and when I got about 10 miles from home, I thought maybe I
saw some snow flurries. I wasn’t sure. I got home; fed my two inside kitties,
Emma and Rowena; fed the stray cats outside; and came in to finish watching
Dancing With the Stars. Pretty soon, Rowena, my adventurous,
thunderstorm-loving kitty, wanted to go outside. When I opened the front door,
it looked as though we were having a blizzard! Yes, Rowena did go outside and
do her business, but she was back in a flash! I was so glad I made it
home!
It’s been a VERY C-O-L-D week, hasn’t
it? It’s much too early for this. My body is not ready for the shock we had
this week with the plunging temperatures.
I’m also thinking that nobody wants to venture out in this weather,
but people were out in droves at Wal-Mart today, presumable to get ahead of the
predicted snow. We didn’t have school today, so I scheduled a dentist
appointment, got my nails done, went the Herberger’s, and also went to
Wal-Mart. There, I saw our dear Superior member Jon...ask him about the good
news he shared with me when I saw him!
As I mentioned in the meeting room, I was asked to talk to a
diabetes support group at the Brodstone Memorial Hospital (next Thursday), and I
picked our members’ brains for tips to stay on track during the holidays!
Wonderful ideas were shared! Here are some of them.
• Don’t
eat
because you are
stressed
• Plan ahead.
• Use that WPPA for those “once-a-year” favorites
• Use that WPPA for those “once-a-year” favorites
• Eat light the rest of the day if
you are having a holiday meal that day.
• Have a large glass of water before your meal.
• Skip the skin (turkey).
• Wear a belt for your meal and keep it on all day.
• No stretch waistbands!
• Take a walk after you eat.
• Fill at least 1/2 your plate with veggies.
• Eat slowly.
• Serving spoons that also serve as measuring cups are a must
at thanksgiving! (We have the Gourmet Measuring Spoons set for you...last minute shopping at the meeting this week!)
• If you want to eat a bit of everything....do it. Just control your portions.
• Try taking 1/2 instead of a whole piece.
• Have a large glass of water before your meal.
• Skip the skin (turkey).
• Wear a belt for your meal and keep it on all day.
• No stretch waistbands!
• Take a walk after you eat.
• Fill at least 1/2 your plate with veggies.
• Eat slowly.
• Serving spoons that also serve as measuring cups are a must
at thanksgiving! (We have the Gourmet Measuring Spoons set for you...last minute shopping at the meeting this week!)
• If you want to eat a bit of everything....do it. Just control your portions.
• Try taking 1/2 instead of a whole piece.
If you're cooking...
• Count those BLT’s or stay away from tasting while you cook or bake.
• Send most leftovers (especially those most tempting to you) home with others!
• Count those BLT’s or stay away from tasting while you cook or bake.
• Send most leftovers (especially those most tempting to you) home with others!
• Lighten up some ingredients; nobody will
notice.
• Let someone else be the designated taster.
• Let someone else be the designated taster.
If you're eating away from home...•
Don't forget your spray butter!
• Make or bring your favorite 'low-cal' dish(es) or a veggie tray
• Make or bring your favorite 'low-cal' dish(es) or a veggie tray
• Remember to pack healthy snacks for when you are
traveling
• Politely refuse to take leftovers home.
• Don’t wait to get back into control...do it at the next meal.
• Bring your healthy snacks to work
and stay out of the break room• Don’t wait to get back into control...do it at the next meal.
• Keep in mind the true meaning of the holiday...not the food
So, a little snow should not stop us from coming to our meetings,
right? We are done with excuses, not that I want to put anyone in danger, but
I’m going to be there in the morning. I might have to leave home a bit earlier
than normal.
Update: So, now it’s Saturday afternoon. It was dry down here
in Blue Hill when I drove away for the meeting. Lots of would-be hunters were
out and about driving south. When I arrived in Hastings, Hastings had a little
snow cover already, but it wasn’t snowing at 7 A.M. Then, the snow started up
again really good, but we actually had 15 members come! The visibility on most
of the drive home was not pleasant, but the snow tapered off the farther south I
got. I hope everyone in Hastings got where they were going safely. Right now,
it’s not snowing down here, but the map says more is coming. I’m glad to be
home! See you all in the meeting room this week for “The Great Plate”...a fun
and eye-opening meeting! ---Zig
No Turkeys here with these Member
Milestones
Total Loss
Superior: –5 lbs.
Hastings: –14.6 lbs.
10 lb. star
Lori H. ( H )
25 lb. star
Vicki S. ( H )
BIGGEST LOSER
Lori S. ( S )
Robert T. ( H )
Be a Fitness Sneak
Reap the
benefits of short bursts of activity!
Between work, family, social obligations — let's
just call it life— does exercise
often fall off your “to-do” list? Maybe you're not able to wedge an hour-long
bike ride or kickboxing class in your schedule, but you probablycan find 10 minutes throughout your day to sneak
in a round of push-ups here, a brisk walk there. Such mini workouts can pay off
big! In fact, you can reap some of the same health
benefits from 10 minutes of aerobic exercise that you
can from longer, sweatier stints — including stronger muscles, better mood, and
lower blood pressure — which can ultimately play into weight loss and help stave
off health problems like diabetes and heart
disease.
Got 10 minutes?
The more mini-workouts you can shoehorn in, the better: To have a truly healthy and fit body and maintain your weight loss, being active throughout your day is key. The trick is to build exercise into activities you do every day. Wear our ActiveLink 2.0 activity monitor (available for purchase in participating meeting locations) and you can see the progress you make — which is a pretty powerful incentive!
The more mini-workouts you can shoehorn in, the better: To have a truly healthy and fit body and maintain your weight loss, being active throughout your day is key. The trick is to build exercise into activities you do every day. Wear our ActiveLink 2.0 activity monitor (available for purchase in participating meeting locations) and you can see the progress you make — which is a pretty powerful incentive!
Along with the
ideas you might hear from your fellow meetings members during Share Your
Success, try these fast moves:
Making dinner … Turn on the stereo or grab your smartphone to queue up a favorite playlist and dance, dance, dance!
Buying groceries … If you have canned items in your cart, do a few arm curls while on line. Have fewer than six bags? If it’s not too much of a strain, carry them to the car.
Gassing up the car … Alternate calf raises with forward lunges while you’re filling the tank.
Watching TV … Work your core by doing a series of planks or crunches during commercials.
Working at the office … Set your calendar for hourly reminders, then get up and do chair dips, squats or a few stretches.
Making dinner … Turn on the stereo or grab your smartphone to queue up a favorite playlist and dance, dance, dance!
Buying groceries … If you have canned items in your cart, do a few arm curls while on line. Have fewer than six bags? If it’s not too much of a strain, carry them to the car.
Gassing up the car … Alternate calf raises with forward lunges while you’re filling the tank.
Watching TV … Work your core by doing a series of planks or crunches during commercials.
Working at the office … Set your calendar for hourly reminders, then get up and do chair dips, squats or a few stretches.
You KNOW your meeting will
help you stay on track through the holidays,
so we’re challenging you
to...
OR
just get the NEW
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This new version of ActiveLink* has many great new
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A smaller, sleeker, waterproof design (yes,
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Wireless syncing using Bluetooth
A brand-new metric to track: Sleep!
A dedicated ActiveLink app for iOS and Android, where
youcan see all their activity and
sleep data right on your smartphone
All-new accessories (2 wristbands, belt clip, necklace
clip) included in the box
Updated ActiveLink software and website support at
www.getactivelink.com
$59.95 Retail Price for new ActiveLink 2.0 purchases
$39.95 "Upgrade" offer for previous ActiveLink customers
Perfect for your holiday
gatherings!
Gourmet Measure Serving Spoon
Set—on sale for $17.95
Serve it up… in style! Who said measuring cups
need to be hidden in a drawer? Now you can
measure and serve in style with our Gourmet
Measure Serving Spoon Set. It’s a great way to make sure you place a reasonable
and accurate portion of the food you want on your
plate,
no matter who’s at your table. Their
sleek,
attractive design and style fit any decor. And,
these attractive pieces are perfect for using
every day and even for special
occasions.
product highlights
• Spoon set includes ½ cup solid spoon, ½ cup
slotted spoon and ¼ cup ladle
• Elegant and accurate portioning
• Easy to clean and dishwasher safe
Thanksgiving Cheat Sheet
See how a traditional turkey dinner adds
up—or doesn't have to—with our interactive Thanksgiving
plate.
For some of us,
Thanksgiving is a simple turkey dinner and a time to give thanks. But for many,
it's an eating orgy and a six-week countdown to the same
lose-weight-and-get-back-in-shape New Year's resolution that we make year after
year…after year.
Break the cycle this
holiday season. Enjoy Thanksgiving but don't overindulge; head into the New Year
feeling confident, slimmer and in control.
Ready, set, eat
Consider the worst-case scenario: If you were to eat a serving of dark-meat turkey with all the fixings and sides on the plate above, it would total a whopping 40 PointsPlus® values. Here's how to slash that number:
Consider the worst-case scenario: If you were to eat a serving of dark-meat turkey with all the fixings and sides on the plate above, it would total a whopping 40 PointsPlus® values. Here's how to slash that number:
Make
classic recipes light
If you're hosting dinner or bringing a dish to someone else's house, consider trimming the fat from your recipes. For instance:
If you're hosting dinner or bringing a dish to someone else's house, consider trimming the fat from your recipes. For instance:
- Make your mashed potatoes creamy with naturally lowfat buttermilk instead of butter
- Pour your turkey pan drippings into a large glass bowl (or you can use a gravy/fat separator) and allow them to sit for 5 minutes so you can skim off a layer of fat. Use some of the fat in your gravy, not all
- Slim down your pie by making a light cookie-crumb layer instead of a traditional pie crust
- Leave off the top (or bottom) crust instead of using both. Or forget all about the crusts and bake your pie filling in small ramekins for mini soufflés instead
- Use whole-wheat bread, not white, for stuffing to increase the fiber and decrease thePointsPlus values (not to mention upping its vitamin and mineral profile)
Compare the PointsPlus values for some traditional Thanksgiving dishes versus our sure-to-please renovated recipes:
| Traditional Recipe | PointsPlusValue | Weight Watchers Recipe | PointsPlusValue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green bean casserole (3/4 cup) | 5 | Green beans with almonds (3/4 cup) | 2 |
| Candied sweet potatoes (1 cup) | 11 | Candied sweet potatoes(1 cup) | 5 |
| Garlic mashed potatoes (3/4 cup) | 8 | Garlic mashed potatoes (3/4 cup) | 4 |
| Mashed sweet potatoes, canned (1/2 cup) | 3 | Mashed sweet potatoes (1/2 cup) | 2 |
| Canned cranberry sauce (1/3 cup) | 8 | Cranberry-orange relish (1/3 cup) | 3 |
| Bread stuffing (1 cup) | 9 | Bread stuffing (1 cup) | 3 |
| Pumpkin pie (1 slice) | 8 | Pumpkin pie (1 slice) | 4 |
| Pecan pie (1 slice) | 14 | Pecan tartlets (1 item) | 4 |
To help you size up your servings, come armed with some visuals:
- 1 cup of mashed potatoes is about the size of a tennis ball or your fist
- 3 ounces of turkey equal a computer mouse or a checkbook
- 1/2 cup of green bean casserole fits into a small cupcake wrapper or an ice cream scoop
- 1/4 cup of gravy equals 4 tablespoons; measure out some water in your gravy ladle to see how many tablespoons one full ladle holds
Look up the PointsPlus values of common foods before the meal so you can make smarter choices. Here's a mini guide:
| Item | PointsPlusValue | Item | PointsPlusValue |
|---|---|---|---|
| White meat turkey (no skin; 4 oz) | 4 | Turkey leg (with skin; 4 oz) | 6 |
| Mashed sweet potatoes (1 cup) | 7 | Candied sweet potatoes (1 cup) | 11 |
| Apple pie (1 slice store-bought) | 8 | Pecan pie (1 slice store-bought) | 12 |
| Wine (4 fl oz) | 4 | Vodka (2 fl oz) | 5 |
Hopefully not all the vegetables are drenched in butter. Opt for two spoonfuls of vegetable side dishes for each starch-based one that you take (and no, potatoes are not a vegetable in this case).
Plan on eating leftovers
There are usually more than enough side dishes for a few meals. Whatever you don't taste today, you can taste tomorrow.
Seek satisfaction
Think about what's worth eating and what's not. You can make yourself a baked sweet potato anytime, but your aunt's sweet potato pie is a once-a-year specialty.
Fend off food-pushing relatives
Don't eat something just because your mom wants you to. Compliment her outfit, ask for a recipe, inquire about an old friend — anything to change the topic from why you didn't touch either her pecan pie or pumpkin cheesecake.
Thanksgiving...a SNAP with all of the articles on etools
found under
The
Ultimate Thanksgiving Guide!
BAD WEATHER: If there will be a meeting
cancellation due to SNOW, etc., please stay tuned to NTV or KHAS-TV. I will call
them to announce a meeting cancellation by 3 P.M. for Superior...and as early
as I can (or the night before) for Hastings Saturday morning meetings. You can
also log on to their websites where they have weather closings.
You can also call
the Weight Watchers' 800 number to find out if we are having a meeting.
1-800-651-6000.
Community Talks: Thanksgiving Day Activities
Thanksgiving is filled with family, fun and food, but
often laziness gets the better of us. Here are some enjoyable ways to avoid
grogginess and the TV.
We’ve asked the WeightWatchers.com
Community to inspire us with what activities they do on T-Day to beat the slump
at the end of the meal. While not all the activities they suggest are ones that
will burn off a turkey's-worth of calories, anything that takes the mind off
yummy leftovers is a bonus. Find out what family activities Community Users are
enjoying, and then share your suggestions on the Message Boards.
Skipping the turkey day stupor In SAYRAY85’s family, football is a big deal. “We love to go outside after Thanksgiving lunch and divide into teams.”
MISSYRAELIZRBETH is the girl who earns a lot of activity PointsPlus™ values on Thanksgiving. She has many young cousins who like to go for walks, especially when it snows, and they love to play hide and go seek.
“After our Thanksgiving Day meal,” tells FARRFAMILY5, “we usually go out in the boat. In Florida it is a great way to spend time with our kids. They ride the tube and try wakeboarding.”
ldianis’s family has made it a tradition to go for a long walk together in the evening after the meal. “It puts all that freshly consumed energy to work,” she tells, “it also helps the food settle and jumpstarts digestion, and we feel better and sleep better that night.”
1CUTEMOM1 takes Thanksgiving activities into the 21st century. “As long as the weather is decent, my family and I go Geocaching. It gets you out and hiking in search of a ‘treasure box’ with a GPS. Based on who's over for the meal we can decide what level to do”
Doing the day differently After the feast BLACKBELT61 takes her guests out onto her deck and lights a huge fire. “With around 25 people all gathered around the bright orange and purple flames on a cool New England night, the many generations share stories, sing songs, recite poetry and dance. It is a fabulous way to bond and make the day even more special.”
MR.SLIM and his kids spend some time helping out at the local soup kitchen. “It helps take a lot of focus away from ‘The Feast,’” he shares.
DUNEDIVA1 lives in a warm climate so her family takes quad bikes to a desert in Southern California and spends Thanksgiving in the sand. “We love to ride the dunes - but we have a full Thanksgiving dinner with our friends and family and eat outside in the desert. We bury our turkey to cook it!”
Sticking to the basics “The best way to get activity in on Thanksgiving,” according to psych05 “is to go Black Friday shopping with your pedometer!”
DLDEROSSETT’s family tradition is that after dinner her relatives all go to the movies to see the newest Christmas release.
Where sunny422 lives in Michigan it's usually pretty nasty outside so her family plays games. “Blokus is a favorite but we also like Clue and Trivial Pursuit.”
BOUNCINGTIGGER1’s son’s high school band plays in the downtown Chicago parade. Her family takes the train down and walks all around the city.
Ideas from the WeightWatchers.com team Patti: Well since I'm the chief, cook and bottle washer in my house I usually end up standing at the sink doing the dishes after dinner. It helps me to digest and I don't go into the tryptophan coma. Also, I usually keep the desserts in the basement refrigerator and it forces me to make a few trips up and down a couple of flights of stairs as well.
Mary: Be the babysitter! I have three nephews and two nieces that are always ready to burn off some energy. It is usually still warm enough to ride bikes or throw a ball outside. If there is early snow, we wrestle or hula hoop.
Jason: I've made it a habit to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with a different family, in a different state every year.
Elly: Since I started running, I've been looking for Turkey trots. If I start the day out with a run, it somehow sets me up for a healthier day than I would have had otherwise.
Skipping the turkey day stupor In SAYRAY85’s family, football is a big deal. “We love to go outside after Thanksgiving lunch and divide into teams.”
MISSYRAELIZRBETH is the girl who earns a lot of activity PointsPlus™ values on Thanksgiving. She has many young cousins who like to go for walks, especially when it snows, and they love to play hide and go seek.
“After our Thanksgiving Day meal,” tells FARRFAMILY5, “we usually go out in the boat. In Florida it is a great way to spend time with our kids. They ride the tube and try wakeboarding.”
ldianis’s family has made it a tradition to go for a long walk together in the evening after the meal. “It puts all that freshly consumed energy to work,” she tells, “it also helps the food settle and jumpstarts digestion, and we feel better and sleep better that night.”
1CUTEMOM1 takes Thanksgiving activities into the 21st century. “As long as the weather is decent, my family and I go Geocaching. It gets you out and hiking in search of a ‘treasure box’ with a GPS. Based on who's over for the meal we can decide what level to do”
Doing the day differently After the feast BLACKBELT61 takes her guests out onto her deck and lights a huge fire. “With around 25 people all gathered around the bright orange and purple flames on a cool New England night, the many generations share stories, sing songs, recite poetry and dance. It is a fabulous way to bond and make the day even more special.”
MR.SLIM and his kids spend some time helping out at the local soup kitchen. “It helps take a lot of focus away from ‘The Feast,’” he shares.
DUNEDIVA1 lives in a warm climate so her family takes quad bikes to a desert in Southern California and spends Thanksgiving in the sand. “We love to ride the dunes - but we have a full Thanksgiving dinner with our friends and family and eat outside in the desert. We bury our turkey to cook it!”
Sticking to the basics “The best way to get activity in on Thanksgiving,” according to psych05 “is to go Black Friday shopping with your pedometer!”
DLDEROSSETT’s family tradition is that after dinner her relatives all go to the movies to see the newest Christmas release.
Where sunny422 lives in Michigan it's usually pretty nasty outside so her family plays games. “Blokus is a favorite but we also like Clue and Trivial Pursuit.”
BOUNCINGTIGGER1’s son’s high school band plays in the downtown Chicago parade. Her family takes the train down and walks all around the city.
Ideas from the WeightWatchers.com team Patti: Well since I'm the chief, cook and bottle washer in my house I usually end up standing at the sink doing the dishes after dinner. It helps me to digest and I don't go into the tryptophan coma. Also, I usually keep the desserts in the basement refrigerator and it forces me to make a few trips up and down a couple of flights of stairs as well.
Mary: Be the babysitter! I have three nephews and two nieces that are always ready to burn off some energy. It is usually still warm enough to ride bikes or throw a ball outside. If there is early snow, we wrestle or hula hoop.
Jason: I've made it a habit to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with a different family, in a different state every year.
Elly: Since I started running, I've been looking for Turkey trots. If I start the day out with a run, it somehow sets me up for a healthier day than I would have had otherwise.
NEXT WEEK AT YOUR
MEETING
What's your game plan for the BIG DAY?
Join us for one of the most fun
meetings
of
the year! “The Great Plate”
Member
Recipes
Thanksgiving Stuffing
Recipe
12 slices of
low calorie, high fiber bread (I used Sara Lee Delighful), dried and cut into
bite size cubes (see Tip)
4 cups water
2 extra large
chicken bouillon cubes (about 1oz)
5 celery
stalks, chopped
1 large onion
chopped
1/4 cup liquid
egg substitute
2 tbsp light
butter (I used Brummel and Brown)
1 tsp fresh
sage, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh
thyme, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh
rosemary, finely chopped
1/2 tsp black
pepper
Preheat oven
to 400 degrees.
In a large
saucepan, heat water, butter and bouillon to a boil.
Add in
celery, onion, sage, thyme, rosemary and pepper, and turn heat down to medium.
Simmer until celery and onion are soft, about 15-20 min.
In the
meantime, put bread cubes into a large oven safe bowl or casserole dish.
Pour broth
over bread cubes and combine gently until all bread cubes are saturated.
Gently mix
in the egg substitute.
Place
stuffing into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until stuffing reaches
desired texture.
Quick
Notes
TIP: To dry
out your bread, turn your oven onto the lowest setting (mine was 175 degrees)
and evenly spread out all the slices of bread on a large, un-greased cookie
sheet.
Let bread
slowly toast in the oven for about 4-6 hours. As soon as bread stiffens, turn
off oven and leave it in there overnight. Bread should be fully stiffened, with
all moisture removed, but not burned or charred.
Entire recipe makes 4
servings
Serving size is about 1 ½ cups
Each serving = 5 Points +
Serving size is about 1 ½ cups
Each serving = 5 Points +
Cheesy Au
Gratin Potatoes
4 medium sized potatoes,
sliced about ¼” thick
1 small onion, sliced
into rings
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
cheese
1/2 cup plain, non-fat
Greek yogurt
4oz reduced fat cream
cheese
2 cups fat free milk
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp whole wheat flour
Additional salt and
pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400
degrees. Spray a 1 quart casserole dish with non-fat cooking spray.
Layer 1/2 of the
potatoes into bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Top with the onion slices,
and add the remaining potatoes.
Season with salt and
pepper to taste.
In a medium-size
saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and salt, and stir
constantly with a whisk for one minute.
Stir in milk. Cook
until mixture has thickened. S
tir in cream cheese,
shredded cheese, and yogurt all at once, and continue stirring until melted,
about a minute or so.
Pour cheese over the
potatoes, and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
Bake for about 1-1 ½
hours, or until potatoes are cooked through, and top of potatoes has begun to
brown and crisp.
Entire
recipe makes 6 servings
Serving size is about ¾ cup
Each serving = 6 Points +
Serving size is about ¾ cup
Each serving = 6 Points +
Four Cheese Mashed
Potato Casserole
|
5
|
lb white potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces (about
14 cups)
|
|
3
|
oz (from 8-oz package) reduced-fat cream cheese
(Neufchâtel), softened
|
|
1/4
|
cup crumbled blue cheese
|
|
1
|
cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (4
oz)
|
|
1/4
|
cup shredded Parmesan cheese
|
|
1
|
container (8 oz) reduced-fat sour
cream
|
|
1
|
teaspoon garlic salt
|
|
1/4
|
teaspoon paprika
|
|
|
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives, if desired
|
| In 6-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, place potatoes. Add enough water to cover potatoes. Heat to boiling over high heat; reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered 15 to 18 minutes or until tender; drain. Mash potatoes in saucepan with potato masher or electric mixer on low speed. | |
| Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese, blue cheese, Cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese with electric mixer on low speed until smooth. Beat in sour cream and garlic salt. | |
| Heat oven to 350ºF. Stir cheese mixture into mashed potatoes until well blended. If potatoes are too stiff, stir in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency. Spoon into ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish. | |
| Bake uncovered 35 to 40 minutes or until hot and top is lightly browned. Sprinkle with paprika and chives. |
Serving: 1/2 Cup = 3
PP
1 10 3/4 oz. can 98% ff cream of mushroom soup (condensed)
1/2 cup ff milk
1 dash pepper
16-20 oz. bag frozen french cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French's French Fried Onions
Mix soup, milk, pepper, beans and 2/3 cup onions in 1 1/2-qt. casserole. Bake at 350°F. for 25 min. or until hot. Stir. Sprinkle with remaining onions. Bake 5 min.
Foolproof Fat-Free Gravy
Makes 2 1/2
cups
2
cups turkey drippings
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp unbleached flour
1/2 cup skim milk
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp unbleached flour
1/2 cup skim milk
Defat
the pan drippings by placing them in a fat separator cup.
(If
you don't have a separator cup, pour the drippings into a bowl, add a few ice
cubes, and skim off the fat once it rises and hardens.)
Combine
the fat-free drippings, pepper, poultry seasoning, and bouillon granules in a 1
quart saucepan, and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
While
the gravy is heating, combine the flour and milk in a jar with a tight-fitting
lid, and shake until smooth.
Slowly
add the milk mixture to the simmering broth, stirring constantly with a wire
whisk.
Continue
to cook and stir until the gravy is thick and bubbly. Transfer the gravy to a
warmed gravy boat or pitcher, and serve hot with the turkey.
PP:
1
SERVING
SIZE: 2
tablespoons
I Can't Believe It's Not Sweet Potato Pie
serves 4
@ 4 POINTSPLUS
1 large butternut squash
(large enough to yield 2 cups mashed flesh)
1/2 cup Egg Beaters;
Original
1/3 cup light vanilla
soymilk
1/3 cup sugar-free maple
syrup
1 tsp.
cinnamon
1/4 cup SPLENDA;
Granular
1 tsp. vanilla
extract
2/3 cup miniature
marshmallows
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Peel squash and cut into large chunks (removing seeds).
Fill a large, microwave-safe dish with a
half an inch of water. Place squash into dish and cover with plastic wrap.
Microwave for approximately 8 minutes (and drain).
Squash should be tender enough to mash, but
not fully cooked. With a potato masher, food processor or fork, mash
squash.
Measure out 2 generous cups, lightly
packed, and place in an oven-safe baking dish. Add all ingredients except for
marshmallows.
Mix ingredients thoroughly, but do not
over-stir; squash should still be pulpy. Allow to cook for 45 – 50
minutes.
Remove from oven, and disperse marshmallows over
top of pie. Return to oven for 5 minutes, until marshmallows begin to brown.
Allow to cool. Serves 4.
IMPOSSIBLE
PUMPKIN PIE
Serves 8
Per serving: 4 PP
Per serving: 4 PP
3/4 cup Splenda
1/2 cup Reduced Fat buttermilk baking mix
2 Tablespoons margarine -- melted
1 12 oz. can evaporated skim milk
2 eggs (use Egg Beaters)
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
2 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 teaspoons vanilla
Mix all ingredients together. Pour all but 1-2 cups into sprayed pie pan.
Add remaining 1-2 cups after you have the pie pan in the oven so that it will not spill.
Bake 350 degrees for 55 minutes in 9" sprayed pan. Pie is done when knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
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