MIDWEEK MINUTES January 17, 2015
Midweek
Minutes
January 17,
2015
Hello,
Winners!
It’s been busy!
Aren’t you glad you get the newsletter by email because I have been remiss in
posting it on the ZIG’S WINNERS Facebook page. I apologize, and as soon as I
get caught up with some school stuff, I will post the last few on there.
The weather turned
out pretty nice for the end of the week, didn’t it? That hint of a spring to
come is out there, but we need to be patient because it’s not over until it’s
over. It was really nice to see so many members come out this morning for the
Hastings meeting! I know the post-holiday cold was difficult, but members who
are attending are not only BRAVE, but they are coming to meetings whether the
scale is friendly or not.
Winter getting you
down? Having a hard time getting back on track after the the holidays? Don't
want to step on the scale because you feel like a failure. Still think you can
do it on your own? Still going to wait "until the time is right"? Until the
weather is warmer?
Want to stop making
excuses and beating yourself up now? Do YOU have a DREAM and a desire to lose
that weight for good and keep it off? Well, it's time to put that DREAM into
action! Remember the new 2015 slogan for Weight Watchers...we’re here to help
you with the hard part. All staff members have been there. We ARE there. We
know the ups and downs, and we don’t pass judgment.
Have you been to a
Weight Watchers meeting lately? What needs to happen for you to attend this
week? Sure, once in awhile we get sick. Maybe there's a ball game you need to
attend. Yeah, there sure is a lot going on with everyone. Well, you know,
there are many meetings in the area. Some of our members occasionally attend
meetings on another night or day and even in another town due to commitments on
their regular night, and that's terrific! How MUCH do you want your DREAM?
Soon you WILL have
to take off that winter coat and bare those arms and legs. Heck, I think about
that all the time!
Let's get
together and talk about all of it! See you at the next meeting! Yes, there is a meeting on Monday, Martin Luther King Jr.
Day --Zig
Member
Milestones
Superior: –4.4
lbs.
Hastings: –20
lbs.
5 lb.
star
Carrie R.
(H)
Say When
Why and how to schedule your meals and
snacks.
Oh, to have a personal chef. Just imagine: a
healthy-yet-hearty breakfast prepared every morning, a gourmet packed lunch to
take on the go and a hot dinner waiting for you nightly. Of course, every
delicious meal and snack would be rich in nutritious Weight Watchers Power
Foods.
OK, back to reality. Most likely, you're the chef in the house. You probably also have to juggle hectic schedules, never-ending to-do lists, and long work days. But if you wait until 6 p.m. to decide what’s for dinner, it could be greasy takeout on the table. A few of these last-minute "convenience dinners," could tip you back into unhealthy eating habits.
If you created a meal schedule in your Weekly, you’re ahead of the game. Planning meals in advance will help to keep you in control and on track — especially when life gets busy. Plus, your choices will be healthier, since you're not making spur-of-the-moment decisions when you're already hungry. What kind of choices are we talking about? Check out our Starter Meals which offer an array of easy, wholesome options for any time of day, including dozens each for such preferences as vegetarian, lower-carb, gluten-free and more!
5 meal-planning perks
OK, back to reality. Most likely, you're the chef in the house. You probably also have to juggle hectic schedules, never-ending to-do lists, and long work days. But if you wait until 6 p.m. to decide what’s for dinner, it could be greasy takeout on the table. A few of these last-minute "convenience dinners," could tip you back into unhealthy eating habits.
If you created a meal schedule in your Weekly, you’re ahead of the game. Planning meals in advance will help to keep you in control and on track — especially when life gets busy. Plus, your choices will be healthier, since you're not making spur-of-the-moment decisions when you're already hungry. What kind of choices are we talking about? Check out our Starter Meals which offer an array of easy, wholesome options for any time of day, including dozens each for such preferences as vegetarian, lower-carb, gluten-free and more!
5 meal-planning perks
- You won’t seesaw between “running on empty” and “too full.” Research shows that going too long without eating can make us way too hungry, so that we overdo it when we finally do eat. If you’re having a meal or snack at least every four hours, your hunger and energy levels remain more even and predictable throughout the day.
- It gives you structure. Knowing when you'll be eating lets you arrange the rest of your day accordingly — so you benefit from a more orderly, controlled schedule all around. Having a solid meal schedule can also have a ripple effect, helping you stick with other healthy behaviors.
- You can save some cash. Smart food picks don't have to hit your wallet hard. Read some of the ways our Community users keep supermarket costs down. Plus, when you’re doing the cooking, you'll save money you'd normally spend on takeout and pre-packaged meals.
- It’s an opportunity to teach kids about healthy foods. Get them into the kitchen with you, prepping meals and learning to appreciate the variety of nutritious ingredients and delicious dishes. The more kids learn at home, the easier it will be for them to make smart food choices at school, at restaurants, and beyond.
- You won't be thinking about food all the time. It might seem counterintuitive, but scheduling meals helps keep your mind off food between meals and snacks because the decision is made. So, you can move on knowing you'll be enjoying a meal or snack at a set time.
Join
for Free – 12/28/14 – 3/14/15
The joining offer is
good towards the Pay As You Go payment option.
There is no starter
fee associated with Meetings + Essentials (Monthly Pass) at this time.
2015 New Year, New You Challenge: Week 3
Welcome to 2015! Here's to
a new year and a fresh resolve to set yourself up for long-term success. Hint:
It's easier than you think.
With its cold weather and post-holiday anticlimax (not to
mention uncomfortably snug pants), January is not the kindest month. Why, then,
do so many of us also spend the first few weeks beating ourselves up about what
we ate and drank in December? Right here and now, we are officially declaring
the holidays Behind Us, and are ready to help you focus on your goals for 2015.
Whether you’re new to Weight Watchers, or simply looking for help you
recommitting or sticking to the Plan, we’ll help you succeed.
Your goal might be a sizeable one, or it might be just a few pounds away. Whichever camp you fall into, contemplating a whole year stretched ahead of you can feel overwhelming. Instead of worrying about the next 12 months, take our Challenge to get a far more manageable set of activities, ideas and motivation. Read the articles over the next four weeks.
Week 3
This week’s task is to move more. So, whatever your current activity level is, add five minutes a day. It’s as simple as that. If you’re not exercising yet, have a little fun and dance around your bedroom with music in your earphones. For the more self-conscious, a walk around the block is a great way to start. Five minutes is all we're asking yet, of course, your five-minute walk around the block might well turn into 10, 15 or even 30 minutes if the mood takes you. (Remember to talk to your doctor before setting out on any new exercise plan.)
And if you’re already active, you can either use those five minutes to extend your workout, or try something completely different — five minutes on the rowing machine might use muscles that your step class overlooked! If you’ve taken a class at the gym that has a fixed start and end time, then do a quick five minutes on the elliptical afterwards. Better yet, instead of just standing around in line waiting for the class to start, look down upon your classmates from the vantage point of an exercise bike, knowing you’re getting a far better warm-up than they are.
Either way, grab the opportunity to try something new — it’s only five minutes of your life. Be sure to come back next week for your week 4 task!
Your goal might be a sizeable one, or it might be just a few pounds away. Whichever camp you fall into, contemplating a whole year stretched ahead of you can feel overwhelming. Instead of worrying about the next 12 months, take our Challenge to get a far more manageable set of activities, ideas and motivation. Read the articles over the next four weeks.
Week 3
This week’s task is to move more. So, whatever your current activity level is, add five minutes a day. It’s as simple as that. If you’re not exercising yet, have a little fun and dance around your bedroom with music in your earphones. For the more self-conscious, a walk around the block is a great way to start. Five minutes is all we're asking yet, of course, your five-minute walk around the block might well turn into 10, 15 or even 30 minutes if the mood takes you. (Remember to talk to your doctor before setting out on any new exercise plan.)
And if you’re already active, you can either use those five minutes to extend your workout, or try something completely different — five minutes on the rowing machine might use muscles that your step class overlooked! If you’ve taken a class at the gym that has a fixed start and end time, then do a quick five minutes on the elliptical afterwards. Better yet, instead of just standing around in line waiting for the class to start, look down upon your classmates from the vantage point of an exercise bike, knowing you’re getting a far better warm-up than they are.
Either way, grab the opportunity to try something new — it’s only five minutes of your life. Be sure to come back next week for your week 4 task!
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
5 Hunger Dilemmas and How to Solve Them
A foolproof plan to keep hunger from gnawing away
at your weight-loss goals.
You’re driving along on your way to work, to the gym, or to
pick up the kids and—bam—it hits you—that overwhelming gnawing hunger. The next
thing you know, you’re pulling into a drive through and ordering up a
storm.
Isn’t it fascinating (and frustrating) how the “I have to
eat now!” feeling can hit even if you’ve been making good nutrition a top
priority? Experts are discovering that when you eat, what your food tastes like,
and even how much you drink can have a major impact on how often hunger pangs
strike.
We asked leading nutritionists to share with us the five most common reasons you’re frequently famished, as well as their top tips for maximizing satisfaction and keeping hunger at bay.
1. You eat the right foods at the wrong times.
Eating at different times every day can make it difficult for you to tune in to your body’s hunger signals, says Cindy Moore, MS, RD, director of Nutrition Therapy at the Cleveland Clinic. Haphazard eating can hurt your metabolism as well. When British researchers asked women to eat meals at either the same time or at different times each day, those who followed a predictable pattern ate less and burned more calories than those who ate at a different time every day.
The Fix: Plan ahead.
Reviewing your Tracker helps you zero in on when you’re most likely to fall prey to eating at erratic times. (If you haven’t been tracking your food consistently, try doing so for a few days.) Then, says Moore, create a schedule that focuses on eating within 2 hours of waking up and every 3 to 5 hours after that for the rest of the day. If you tend to lose track of time, set your watch or digital organizer to beep when you should eat.
2. You eat breakfast, just not the right kind.
Although any breakfast is better than none, the foods you choose can have a major impact on how satisfied you feel for the rest of the day. Take that convenient cereal bar: It might appear to be a healthy choice when you don’t have time for a sit-down meal, but its mega-dose of simple sugars may have you rummaging through the fridge well before lunch.
The Fix: Build a better mix of nutrients.
The key to making your breakfast hold your appetite at bay until lunch is building a morning meal that contains both protein and carbs. “It’s important to combine some protein along with some complex carbohydrates to provide sustained energy throughout the morning,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, a Long Island–based dietitian in private practice. Opt for no-fuss choices like a slice of cheese on whole-wheat bread, egg whites on toast, whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk, even half a turkey sandwich .
3. Your diet is flawless but flavorless.
If grilled chicken and steamed veggies are staples on your dinner plate, you could be headed for trouble. “If you don't switch up your menu, you’re going to get bored and eventually have difficulty sticking with your weight-loss plan,” says Lona Sandon, MEd, RD, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
The Fix: Spice it up.
Getting creative in the kitchen will give your stand-by recipes new life—and keep you more satisfied in the long run. “Experiment with fresh, flavorful herbs, like basil, gingerroot, oregano, and mint,” suggests Moore. Also, adding acidity (a dash of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar) and sweetness (a teaspoon of honey or brown sugar) can make your staple dishes more complex in taste—and more satisfying. Texture is also key: Aim for combinations of creamy, crunchy, and chewy. Try tossing chopped nuts on your greens or mixing granola into your yogurt.
4. You stockpile your calories.
Do you often eat so sparingly during the day that by the time dinner rolls around you’re famished? That strategy can backfire, leading to uncontrollable overeating in the evening. “When you skip meals it’s harder to think straight, so you’re less concerned with the implications of what you eat,” says Taub-Dix.
The Fix: Frontload those calories.
Eating earlier in the day is a must to head off disaster later on. Limit the size of your evening meal so that you wake up eager for breakfast. Even if you’re not hungry, be sure to eat something—even a small bite. “Treat yourself the way you’d treat your kids—you wouldn’t let them skip meals,” says Taub-Dix.
5. You drink your meals.
With the ever-increasing popularity of lattes for breakfast and smoothies for lunch, many of us are drinking our calories away. But drinking too many caloric beverages can ultimately leave you feeling unsatisfied. When researchers at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, gave study participants 450 extra calories daily in the form of either fluid or solid food, those who ate the extra solids ate less later in the day whereas those who drank the extra fluids did not. The reasoning: Chewing causes the release of hormones that signal fullness, and solid food is digested more slowly than liquids.
The Fix: Rethink convenience.
Slurping down a meal might seem fast and easy, but in the time it takes to drive to the coffee shop, stand on line, and pay for that latte, you could have had something just as quick—and far more satisfying. “Try a slice of toast with peanut butter or a cup of yogurt with some fruit,” says Lona Sandon. If it’s the comfort of a hot drink you crave, go ahead and have that latte—just order it with fat-free milk. And instead of sipping it solo, enjoy it with a few whole-grain crackers or a banana. In other words, focus on food combinations that will get you through to your next meal—no starving required.
Tips
- Eat on Time. Scientists say that failing to eat regularly scheduled meals can boost the body’s output of insulin, which can, in turn, increase appetite and slow calorie burn.
- Plan Ahead. Don’t wait until you’re starving to think about food: Tuck portable snacks like granola bars or string cheese in your purse so you’ll be ready when hunger strikes.
We asked leading nutritionists to share with us the five most common reasons you’re frequently famished, as well as their top tips for maximizing satisfaction and keeping hunger at bay.
1. You eat the right foods at the wrong times.
Eating at different times every day can make it difficult for you to tune in to your body’s hunger signals, says Cindy Moore, MS, RD, director of Nutrition Therapy at the Cleveland Clinic. Haphazard eating can hurt your metabolism as well. When British researchers asked women to eat meals at either the same time or at different times each day, those who followed a predictable pattern ate less and burned more calories than those who ate at a different time every day.
The Fix: Plan ahead.
Reviewing your Tracker helps you zero in on when you’re most likely to fall prey to eating at erratic times. (If you haven’t been tracking your food consistently, try doing so for a few days.) Then, says Moore, create a schedule that focuses on eating within 2 hours of waking up and every 3 to 5 hours after that for the rest of the day. If you tend to lose track of time, set your watch or digital organizer to beep when you should eat.
2. You eat breakfast, just not the right kind.
Although any breakfast is better than none, the foods you choose can have a major impact on how satisfied you feel for the rest of the day. Take that convenient cereal bar: It might appear to be a healthy choice when you don’t have time for a sit-down meal, but its mega-dose of simple sugars may have you rummaging through the fridge well before lunch.
The Fix: Build a better mix of nutrients.
The key to making your breakfast hold your appetite at bay until lunch is building a morning meal that contains both protein and carbs. “It’s important to combine some protein along with some complex carbohydrates to provide sustained energy throughout the morning,” says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, a Long Island–based dietitian in private practice. Opt for no-fuss choices like a slice of cheese on whole-wheat bread, egg whites on toast, whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk, even half a turkey sandwich .
3. Your diet is flawless but flavorless.
If grilled chicken and steamed veggies are staples on your dinner plate, you could be headed for trouble. “If you don't switch up your menu, you’re going to get bored and eventually have difficulty sticking with your weight-loss plan,” says Lona Sandon, MEd, RD, assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
The Fix: Spice it up.
Getting creative in the kitchen will give your stand-by recipes new life—and keep you more satisfied in the long run. “Experiment with fresh, flavorful herbs, like basil, gingerroot, oregano, and mint,” suggests Moore. Also, adding acidity (a dash of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar) and sweetness (a teaspoon of honey or brown sugar) can make your staple dishes more complex in taste—and more satisfying. Texture is also key: Aim for combinations of creamy, crunchy, and chewy. Try tossing chopped nuts on your greens or mixing granola into your yogurt.
4. You stockpile your calories.
Do you often eat so sparingly during the day that by the time dinner rolls around you’re famished? That strategy can backfire, leading to uncontrollable overeating in the evening. “When you skip meals it’s harder to think straight, so you’re less concerned with the implications of what you eat,” says Taub-Dix.
The Fix: Frontload those calories.
Eating earlier in the day is a must to head off disaster later on. Limit the size of your evening meal so that you wake up eager for breakfast. Even if you’re not hungry, be sure to eat something—even a small bite. “Treat yourself the way you’d treat your kids—you wouldn’t let them skip meals,” says Taub-Dix.
5. You drink your meals.
With the ever-increasing popularity of lattes for breakfast and smoothies for lunch, many of us are drinking our calories away. But drinking too many caloric beverages can ultimately leave you feeling unsatisfied. When researchers at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, gave study participants 450 extra calories daily in the form of either fluid or solid food, those who ate the extra solids ate less later in the day whereas those who drank the extra fluids did not. The reasoning: Chewing causes the release of hormones that signal fullness, and solid food is digested more slowly than liquids.
The Fix: Rethink convenience.
Slurping down a meal might seem fast and easy, but in the time it takes to drive to the coffee shop, stand on line, and pay for that latte, you could have had something just as quick—and far more satisfying. “Try a slice of toast with peanut butter or a cup of yogurt with some fruit,” says Lona Sandon. If it’s the comfort of a hot drink you crave, go ahead and have that latte—just order it with fat-free milk. And instead of sipping it solo, enjoy it with a few whole-grain crackers or a banana. In other words, focus on food combinations that will get you through to your next meal—no starving required.
Through 1/31/15 –
Starter Kits on sale for $24.95
12/21-1/31/15 –
PointsPlus Pedometer on sale for $17.95 (originally
$23.95)
1/4 - 1/24 – Mini
Bars are on sale for $4.95
 Plan a Week's Meals in 7 Easy Steps
When you’re trying to
eat better, going to the grocery store without a list is like heading to a new
destination without directions: You’re liable to take some unhealthy detours on
your way to the checkout lane.
That’s why it’s so important to take a few minutes and jot
down some meal plans and a shopping list. The brief investment of your time will
pay off huge dividends in the form of healthy, satisfying meals all week long —
and hopefully a downward trend on the scale, too. Here’s how to get
started.
1. Do the math. To figure out how many meals you need to shop for, think about your schedule. When will you be home to cook? When will you be in a rush and need a 15-minute dinner? When can you leave a slow cooker on all day? Have a daily strategy in mind, even if it means planning to get takeout or popping a frozen pizza into the oven one night. It might also help to quickly chart out exactly what, when and where you’ll be eating your meals each day. 2. Consider your cravings. Perhaps you have a hankering for something seasonal and delicious. Or maybe there’s a recipe you saw on the site recently that looked amazing and you want to try. Make sure you take these preferences into account in your meal planning. You can even accommodate a high PointsPlus™ value dish, if you want. Just start there by entering it into your tracker and build the rest of that day (and the week if necessary) around it using lighter options to “make room” for it in the budget. Don’t forget that you can use the Recipe Builder to swap some of the ingredients for a lower overall PointsPlus value per serving, too. 3. Assess your attitude toward leftovers. If you are happy to eat them, capitalize on this flexibility to make your dinners do double duty. Look for recipes that use similar ingredients (bonus points if you only have to cook them once, but can use them twice, like grilling chicken to use right away as well as in a dish the next day). If you’d rather not see an encore performance of dinner, think of standalone, easy-to-make lunches that have a few overlapping ingredients — ideally pantry staples — for the best mix-and-match potential. Don’t feel like you have to eat the same sandwich every day, either — you can get even more creative when you’re not limited by two slices of bread. 4. Take an inventory. Check your fridge and pantry to make a list of what you already have on hand and could use up during the week (plug ingredients into the “Use what’s in your fridge!” tool here for ideas) and identify what you’ll need to add to the list. 5. Keep it simple, but tasty. You don’t have to produce seven elaborate home-cooked meals each night. Shortcut ingredients, like steam-in-the-bag frozen veggies and precooked chicken breasts, are worth a splurge price-wise if they make it easier for you to stay on Plan. Also, think in terms of “modular meals,” where you don’t need a recipe but can instead cook the components — protein, starch or whole grain, and a vegetable — quickly but flavorfully. Explore different protein options to keep things interesting: try chicken thighs if you normally stick to chicken breasts, opt for pork chops if you normally default to lamb chops, or use venison or buffalo instead of steak. Dress up your meal with a quick DIY sauce, like fruit salsa (chopped mango, red onion and cilantro is delicious on fish or chicken, and it’s “free” on the PointsPlus program!) or a dollop of fat-free Greek yogurt with a little spicy mustard or horseradish mixed in for a kick. 6. Don’t forget breakfast! No matter how pressed for time you are, it’s crucial to make a morning meal part of your routine. Pick up a box or two of low-sugar whole-grain cereal (cold or hot) and a carton of skim milk for a boost of satisfying protein and filling fiber. Buy some frozen berries and low-sugar yogurt to make a quick morning smoothie. Or if you need the food to be edible en route, get ingredients to make portable breakfasts like mini veggie frittatas or homemade granola bars 7. Plan your shopping trip. If you walk into a supermarket hungry and without a list, you’re practically begging to be tempted by unhealthy options and impulse buys. Have a snack before you go, and make a list arranged by the layout of the store: produce first, meat and seafood next, then dairy, and so on. Remember that sticking to the outside edges of the store — where foods can be found in their natural state — is usually a healthier bet than stocking up on processed foods from the center aisles. |
Smart Snacking Tips
So, you have your meals all mapped out — but what about healthy ways to satisfy your hunger in between? Here are some healthy ideas to add to your list:
So, you have your meals all mapped out — but what about healthy ways to satisfy your hunger in between? Here are some healthy ideas to add to your list:
- Fruit — it’s free! Pick up whatever looks best at
the market, but make sure you cover your bases for the week. For instance, fresh
berries don’t keep well, so plan to eat them earlier on. But a bunch of green
bananas and a few unripe pears can be enjoyed many days after your trip to the
store. Canned or jarred fruit is handy, too; buy only varieties packed in water
or their own juice, not sugary syrup.
- Fresh veggies and assorted dips. If you’re pressed
for time, buy them already washed and cut to make your life easier. Some
supermarkets even stock fresh “snack packs” of veggies, low-far cheese, dip and
crackers in the produce section. Fresh green beans, sugar snap peas, carrot
sticks, and broccoli florets all hold up well in the fridge, too. If you buy a
premade dip, check the nutrition label before you put it in your
cart!
- Low-fat dairy. Cheese sticks are portable, and
individual cups of yogurt and cottage cheese have built-in portion control. Add
a little variety to yogurt by mixing in fresh berries or topping it with some
crushed cereal or nuts.
- Nuts, crackers, bars,
pretzels and baked chips. These shelf-stable options are good to stash in
strategic places (like your purse, desk drawer or car glove compartment) in case
you find yourself in need of a quick pick-me-up. Just stay away from snacks that
might be trigger foods (ie something of which you know you could very easily eat
an entire box or bag). And make sure you aren’t only snacking on
processed foods.
NEXT WEEK IN THE MEETING ROOM
“Party without
Panic”
Meeting
Purpose: There are external triggers all around that can lead us
to
unhealthy eating
choices. We’ll explore ways we can enjoy the party & stay on
Plan.
Member
Recipes
Classic
Guacamole
Yields: 12 Serving size: 2 tablespoons, Calories: 27,Total
Fat: 2 g, Saturated Fats: 0 g, Trans Fats: 0 g,
Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 1 mg |Carbohydrates: 2 g,
Dietary fiber: 1 g, Sugars: 1 g, Protein: 1 g
Ingredients
2 medium avocados, peeled and pitted 1/3 cup red onion,
finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno chili, seeded, diced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped 2 Roma tomatoes,
diced
1∕2 teaspoon cumin
Juice from 1 lime
1∕4 teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste
Directions
In a medium mixing bowl, add avocados and mash with a
fork. Add the remaining ingredients and stir
to combine. Add mixture to a glass container, cover and
refrigerate until ready to use.
Sweet Potato
Crunchies
Yields: 2 servings | Calories: 117 | Total Fat: 7 g |
Saturated Fat: 1 g | Trans Fat: 0 g | Previous Points: 3 | Points
Plus: 3 | Carbohydrates: 13 g | Sodium: 21cmg | Dietary
Fiber: 2 g | Sugars: 4 g | Protein: 1 g |
Ingredients
1 sweet potato
1 tablespoon olive oil, for a sweeter taste use unrefined
(nonhydrogented) coconut oil
Directions
Peel sweet potato and cut into julienne strips. A MIU
Stainless Steel Julienne Peeler works best and
costs around $12.00.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Add strings to a large mixing bowl, drizzle with olive oil
and toss to coat. Spread strings evenly over a
large cookie sheet. Stir every 10 minutes and continue to
bake until crispy, approximately 30 minutes.
Strings will continue to get crispy after coming out of
the oven. Discard any potato strings that are
overly brown. Allow to cool at room temperature. Store in
an airtight container or ziplock bag.
Eat as a snack, salad topper or atop soup and many other
side dishes.
If desired, add any of the following spices or herbs
before baking:
Cinnamon
Allspice
Nutmeg
Ginger
Cayenne Pepper
Curry Powder
Black Pepper
Kosher or sea salt
Dried Thyme
Slow Cooker Cheesy Spinach
Lasagna
Recipe Yields: 12 servings |
Serving Size: 34 cup size slice or 1/12th of total recipe | Calories: 269 |
Previous Points: 5 |
Points Plus: 7 | Total Fat: 9 g | Saturated Fat: 4 g |
Trans Fat: 0 g | Cholesterol: 19 mg | Sodium: 302 mg |
Carbohydrates: 34 g | Dietary Fiber: 5 g | Sugars: 11 g |
Protein: 12 g |
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 (5 ounce) package baby spinach or 6 cups packed baby
spinach
2 (24 ounce) Jars marinara sauce, no sugar
added
1 cup reduced fat ricotta cheese
1 cup lowfat cottage cheese
1 cup (part skim) mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 whole wheat lasagna noodles, uncooked (break in
half)
Fresh basil for garnish
Directions
Add oil to a large skillet, add spinach and cook over low
heat just until wilted, about 35 minutes.
Combine in a medium bowl ricotta cheese, cottage cheese,
mozzarella cheese, and oregano.
Add 1 cup marinara to the bottom of the slow cooker. Next,
add a layer of broken lasagna noodles,
spread 1/4 of cheese mixture over noodles, next top with
1/4 of wilted spinach. Repeat the layers until
all the ingredients are used up. I prefer to add cheese
last.
Cover and cook until noodles are al dente and cheese is
bubbly. Cook on lowheat 45 hours or high
heat 23 hours. Remove the lid and add parmesan to the
top. Turn off the slow cooker and allow the
casserole to sit for 15 minutes before cutting. Serve
garnished with fresh basil and additional
parmesan, if desired.
Recommend a 6 quart slow cooker, or approximately that
size.
Taco
Salad
Serving Size: 1 cup | Calories: 204 | Previous Points: 4 |
Points Plus: 5 | Total Fat: 9 gm | Saturated Fats: 2 gm |
Trans Fats: 0 gm | Cholesterol: 63 mg | Sodium: 121 mg |
Carbohydrates: 11 gm | Dietary Fiber: 3 gm | Sugars: 1
gm | Protein: 20 gm
Ingredients
1 chicken breast, on the bone with skin (remove skin after
cooking)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (15 oz.) cans nonfat refried beans
1 tablespoon taco seasoning, Recipe
Kosher or Sea Salt to taste
Topping Suggestions
Roma Tomatoes, diced
Romain Heart Lettuce, chopped
Guacamole, Recipe
Grated cheddar cheese
Olives
Salsa, no sugar added, (Salsa Recipe)
Nonfat Greek yogurt
Corn chips, no sugar added, organic is best
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a roasting pan add chicken, cover and roast
approximately 35 minutes or until the juices run clear.
Allow to cool slightly, remove skin and cut into 1"
chunks. In a medium skillet, combine chicken, taco
seasoning and 1/2 cup water. Cook over mediumlow heat
just until water is absorbed, approximately
5 minutes.
In a separate pot, warm the beans with a little water to
make them more fluid, not runny, just
pourable.
Place the seasoned chicken in the bottom of a 9" x13"
casserole dish. Pour the beans over chicken.
On top of beans, layer with the toppings of choice and
serve.
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