MIDWEEK MINUTES July 2, 2016
Midweek
Minutes
July 2,
2016
Hello, Winners!
Fire
up the grills, put on the bug spray, and give the dog a tranquilizer...it's
America's birthday once again!!! Besides the holiday, for me, the 4th represents
the half way point of the summer (school teacher, ya know), and I have to look
back to see if I am meeting the goals for myself that I set on Memorial Day. How
about you? Are you right on track or do you need to step up and refocus on the
plan? Remember, a holiday doesn't mean to go "hog wild" with the food. Our
bodies don't take a holiday, so let's focus on the food, fitness, and fun in our
holiday planning.
Rural Nebraska is in full summer swing!
I can hear fireworks going off all over town
in the evenings, see the lightning bugs glow, and last night I heard the
locusts...WAY TOO EARLY for that! The temps make for great pool weather and
swimming lessons. (Although the rain today is VERY welcome!!!) The variety of
fruits and veggies are starting to appear at the grocery stores and famers’
market. The sweet corn is coming. The ballgames are peaking and winding
down.
AND IT'S GONNA BE HOT
AGAIN!!!
Our forefathers wanted to make this country
the best that it could be. They wanted us to be able to look at the
Declaration of Independence and immediately think of the goals toward
which we should always be working. Sure, life gets complicated, but I like the basic message. It's
up to us, and it's about our goals and dreams. Even though we shouldn't get
caught up in a long "to do" list, the time is
now to take charge of our own destiny. What better time than Independence
Day?
Unfortunately, Superior will
not be meeting this week due to the holiday,
but you can join us in Hastings on Saturday morning...go to Fairbury on Tuesday.
--Stay cool! ---Zig
I pledge allegiance to myself, reaching weight goal
and Lifetime Membership!
And to the healthy habits for which it stands,
One body...
Under control...
Indisputably!
With confidence and
new clothes for
Fall!
Member
Milestones
Superior: –17.2
lbs.
Hastings: –17.2
lbs.
16
weeks
Norma H. ( S
)
35
lbs.
Laura K. ( H
)
What do the words
“summer party” conjure up for you? If you’re envisioning grilled burgers and
dogs with heaps of potato salad and coleslaw, cupcakes and ice cream, and a
flotilla of beer bottles—and wondering how to navigate it all, no worries.
Summer is also prime time for fresh or grilled veggies, colorful salads and
beautiful berries. Sure, there’s room in your plan for that juicy burger and
potato salad ("deprivation" is a dirty word around here). But as you discussed
this week in your meeting, a party action plan that helps you choose what to
focus on—food, fun, friends—can help you steer clear of BBQ overload. For
starters, refer to the July calendar in your Weekly to
note upcoming events. And download your August calendar here!
Along with the advice in your
Weekly and your meeting, set yourself up for party success with these
tips:
Set your
budget. Before you face the barbecue or buffet, know how many
SmartPoints® values you want to spend, and how you want to divvy them
up. Will you use some of your Weekly SmartPoints? Ask your host what’s on the
menu if possible, decide what you’re most looking forward to eating, and be
super-picky about (or just skip) the rest of the
food.
Do a mental dress rehearsal. Picture the party and what it will feel like to be there. Now imagine yourself making healthy choices, and patting yourself on the back for your smarts. This run-through can help you build the confidence to stick to your guns when faced with the real deal.
Help yourself. Smaller salad plates offer built-in portion protection, so grab one for the main course if you can. Or load up a full-size plate at least halfway with veggies before splitting the rest of it between protein and whole grains, if possible.
Find ways to be active. Food may be the focus, but most backyard parties offer some fun way to earn a few FitPoints®, too! Toss a Frisbee, join in a game of volleyball, go for a swim in the pool, or just run around playing tag with the kids.
And what if you’re hosting?
Beginning 7/1: all Water Enhancers will be permanently
priced down to
$3.95!!!
Enhance your water!
Simply give this bottle a little shake and gently squeeze to dispense
approximately 1/2 teaspoon into 8 ounces of water. Want more flavor? Squeeze to
please.
1.62 Fl oz (48ml) Makes 24 servings.
Product Highlights
• contains vitamin c
• 0 calories per serving
• no artificial sweeteners
1.62 Fl oz (48ml) Makes 24 servings.
Product Highlights
• contains vitamin c
• 0 calories per serving
• no artificial sweeteners
With swimsuit season in full swing, you won't win any
host-with-the-most awards by stuffing your pals silly with heavy beef patties
and franks. We asked David Tutera, celebrity party planner for Jennifer Lopez,
Prince Charles, and Elton John, to share his tips for throwing a healthy summer
shindig.
With Tutera's advice, your friends will never know you've
lightened the menu (unless they happen to get on the scale), and you won't
sabotage your own plans to drop a few pounds.
Start out smart
Why offer the ubiquitous onion dip with limp potato chips (and watch your shady neighbor double-dip), when healthier, more flavorful options abound? Skewer shrimp and pineapple chunks on the grill for low-fat nibbles, or mix grape tomatoes and watermelon balls for a vibrantly colored first-course salad. Alternatively, Tutera suggests rolling newspaper, wax paper, or white construction paper into cones to fill with grilled asparagus and green beans, so your friends can mingle as they nosh.
Why offer the ubiquitous onion dip with limp potato chips (and watch your shady neighbor double-dip), when healthier, more flavorful options abound? Skewer shrimp and pineapple chunks on the grill for low-fat nibbles, or mix grape tomatoes and watermelon balls for a vibrantly colored first-course salad. Alternatively, Tutera suggests rolling newspaper, wax paper, or white construction paper into cones to fill with grilled asparagus and green beans, so your friends can mingle as they nosh.
Sip lightly
Party drinks needn't be a choice between decadent piña coladas (mega calories, morning-after bloat) and deprivational diet soda (it's a party, after all). Strike a delicious compromise with white wine sangria brimming with fresh fruit. Or, try Tutera's signature sipper: Blend Belvedere vodka, seltzer, and a splash of diet lemonade. Garnish with mint.
Party drinks needn't be a choice between decadent piña coladas (mega calories, morning-after bloat) and deprivational diet soda (it's a party, after all). Strike a delicious compromise with white wine sangria brimming with fresh fruit. Or, try Tutera's signature sipper: Blend Belvedere vodka, seltzer, and a splash of diet lemonade. Garnish with mint.
Entertain new entrée
ideas
"You don't need to be at the beach to have a clambake," says Tutera, who steams lobster, mussels, clams, shrimp, and low-fat turkey sausage along with corn, leeks, and onions for a New England summer meal. You could also serve grilled mahi mahi or tuna brushed with honey on a bed of greens with a side of grilled fruit, fruit salsa, or mango chutney. It's an entrée with a lot of plate appeal and without the hamburger hangover.
"You don't need to be at the beach to have a clambake," says Tutera, who steams lobster, mussels, clams, shrimp, and low-fat turkey sausage along with corn, leeks, and onions for a New England summer meal. You could also serve grilled mahi mahi or tuna brushed with honey on a bed of greens with a side of grilled fruit, fruit salsa, or mango chutney. It's an entrée with a lot of plate appeal and without the hamburger hangover.
Sweeten the deal
Fruits and fresh berries topped with low-fat crème fraiche or low-fat whipped cream will satisfy your guests' sweet tooth without sending them into sugar shock, says Tutera. For a cool finale, scoop a trio of sorbets into a glass or an oblong dish and top them off with a sprig of mint or basil.
Fruits and fresh berries topped with low-fat crème fraiche or low-fat whipped cream will satisfy your guests' sweet tooth without sending them into sugar shock, says Tutera. For a cool finale, scoop a trio of sorbets into a glass or an oblong dish and top them off with a sprig of mint or basil.
Set the scene
"A lot of people think summer parties are just about being outside," says Tutera, adding that in entertaining, as in life, it's the little things that count. So pick a fabulous tablecloth to set the mood, swap your paper plates for colorful plastic, load up on candles (but keep smelly citronellas away from the food), and finish with pots of sunflowers or a tray of natural grass.
"A lot of people think summer parties are just about being outside," says Tutera, adding that in entertaining, as in life, it's the little things that count. So pick a fabulous tablecloth to set the mood, swap your paper plates for colorful plastic, load up on candles (but keep smelly citronellas away from the food), and finish with pots of sunflowers or a tray of natural grass.
Get moving
"Music is the heartbeat of any party," says Tutera. Not only is it a salve for the dreaded awkward silence, but the right soundtrack is bound to get your friends burning off their meals faster than your can say merengue. Pop in a crowd-pleasing mix and you're good to groove.
"Music is the heartbeat of any party," says Tutera. Not only is it a salve for the dreaded awkward silence, but the right soundtrack is bound to get your friends burning off their meals faster than your can say merengue. Pop in a crowd-pleasing mix and you're good to groove.
THIS COMING WEEK in the
meeting:
The
box on the floor (scale) isn’t the only way to
measure our success.
We’re
looking Beyond the Scale next week for successes
that
make us proud and motivated to succeed. See you
then.
Member
Recipes
Homemade Peach Ice
Cream
yield: 8 (1/2
CUP) SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups ripe peaches,
sliced and peeled (the riper the peaches, the stronger the peach
flavor)
1 cup fat free half
and half
1/2 cup
sugar
1/2 cup whole
milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
extract
DIRECTIONS:
Place the peach
slices in a food processor (a blender would work fine as well) and run until
finely chopped.
Put the peaches, half
and half, sugar, milk and vanilla in a large bowl and stir to
combine.
Put the entire
mixture into an ice cream freezer/maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s
instructions.
If the ice cream has
not yet reached your desired consistency, transfer it to a sealed container and
put in the freezer until fully frozen.
Mine did not need
additional freezing, but all ice cream freezers are different. Freeze any
leftovers.
WEIGHT
WATCHERS SMARTPOINTS:4 per serving (SP
calculated using the recipe builder on
weightwatchers.com)
KFC Coleslaw
Clone
Makes 8 Servings
1 cup fat-free Miracle Whip
1/4 cup Splenda
8 cups cabbage, finely minced
2 tbsp carrot, shredded then minced
2 tbsp minced onion
1/4 cup Splenda
8 cups cabbage, finely minced
2 tbsp carrot, shredded then minced
2 tbsp minced onion
Combine the Miracle Whip with the sugar in a large
bowl. Mix well until the
sugar is dissolved. Add the cabbage, carrot, and onion, and toss well. Be sure
the cabbage is chopped into very small pieces, about the size of rice.
Cover and chill for several hours.
sugar is dissolved. Add the cabbage, carrot, and onion, and toss well. Be sure
the cabbage is chopped into very small pieces, about the size of rice.
Cover and chill for several hours.
SERVING SIZE: Approximately 3/4
cup
Smart Points = 3
Low Sugar Rhubarb
Bars
Makes 18
bars @ 5 SP
Crust
1 cup almond
flour or almond meal
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 tablespoon pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1 tablespoon pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
3 cups
strawberries, hulled and diced
3 cups rhubarb, diced
½ orange, juiced
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups rhubarb, diced
½ orange, juiced
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Spray a 9x13
glass casserole with non-stick spray. Combine almond flour, whole-wheat flour,
all-purpose flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter, egg, and
vanilla and pulse until the mixture is a little clumpy. You may have to scrape
down the sides of the bowl. Reserve ½ cup of the mixture for the top of the
dessert. Press the rest into a 9x13 glass casserole.
Heat the
oven to 400 F. To make the filling mix 2 cups strawberries, 2 cups rhubarb,
orange juice, sugar, and cornstarch in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer
over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture is very thick (about 3
minutes). Mix in 1 cup of strawberries and 1 cup of rhubarb. Spread mixture on
top of crust and add the reserved crust to the top by sprinkling it
over.
Bake the
bars for 15 minutes and reduce the oven temperature to 350 F. Bake for 25
minutes more until the top is lightly browned. Let cool for 1 ½ hours before
slicing into bars.
One bar is
138 calories, 5.7 g fat, 1.9 g saturated fat, 19.7 g carbohydrates, 7.7 g sugar,
3 g protein,2 g fiber, 89 mg sodium, 5 SmartPts
Iced Mocha
Recipe
(makes
one)
1/2 cup
coffee (of your choice)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon chocolate syrup (such as Hershey's)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon chocolate syrup (such as Hershey's)
Mix coffee,
almond milk, and syrup in a mason jar. Store, covered, in fridge until ready to
drink. Add lots of ice cubes and enjoy!
For one
mason jar = 74 calories, 1.7 g fat, 13.2 g carbohydrates, 9.3 g sugar, 1.0 g
protein, 1.0 gfiber, 106 mg sodium, 3 SmartPts
Berry Watermelon Fruit
Salad
Yield: 4-6 Servings;
0 Smart Points
Ingredients
4 cups watermelon,
cubed
1 pint strawberries,
hulled and quartered
1 pint
blueberries
1 pint
raspberries
1 pint cherries,
pitted and halved
1/2 pint
blackberries
squeeze of fresh lime
juice
Instructions
Cut all of the fruit
into bite-sized pieces. Add to a large mixing bowl, and gently toss together.
Top with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, to taste. Serve
chilled.
Molasses Baked Beans
|
1 cup onion,
chopped
|
|
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and
minced
|
|
1 can (15 1/2 oz) great northern beans,
drained
|
|
1 can (16 oz) pinto beans,
drained
|
|
1⁄2 cup
ketchup
|
|
1⁄2 cup water
|
|
3 tbsp
molasses
|
|
2 tbsp yellow
mustard
|
|
1 tsp chili
powder
|
|
1⁄2 tsp liquid smoke
flavoring
|
Directions
Preheat oven to 350
degrees F (175 degrees C).
Coat a small nonstick
skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add onion and
jalapeno pepper and saute for 2 minutes or until tender. Combine onion mixture,
great northern beans, pinto beans, ketchup, water, molasses, mustard, chili
powder, and liquid smoke in a large bowl and stir well to combine. Spoon bean
mixture into a 2 quart casserole coated with cooking
spray.
Bake uncovered for 1
hour or until thick and bubbly.
Serves 10 - Per serving: 5
SmartPoints;
Red, White and Blueberry
Trifle
Gina’s Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 14 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Smart Points: 9
Gina’s Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 14 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Smart Points: 9
10 oz angel food
cake, cut into 1-inch cubes*
2 pints strawberries,
sliced
2 pints
blueberries
For the cream filling:
6 tbsp fat-free
sweetened condensed milk (I used Borden Eagle)
1 1/2 cups cold
water
1 (4 oz) package
white chocolate or cheesecake instant pudding mix
Whisk the condensed
milk and water in a bowl. Whisk in the pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for
2 minutes or until soft-set; fold in the whipped
topping.
Arrange half of the
cake in the bottom of a 14-cup trifle dish. Sprinkle evenly with a layer of
blueberries. Spread half of the cream mixture over the blueberries and gently
spread (I piped it using a plastic bag and cut the corner off). Top with a layer
of strawberries. Layer the remaining cake cubes on top of the strawberries, then
add more blueberries and top with the remaining cream mixture. Finish with the
remaining strawberries and blueberries, arranging them in a pretty pattern.
Cover and refrigerate at least one 1 hour.
*I only used 10 oz of a 16 oz
cake.
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