Crock Pot Lima Bean Soup

Crock Pot
Lima Bean Soup
6 servings @ 8 each
Cornbread Muffins
1 muffin @ 3 each
Sliced Strawberries
½ cup @ 0 each
12 oz dried baby lima beans
1 onion, diced
1 ½ c diced carrots
2 c diced red potatoes
14 oz smoked turkey sausage, thin sliced
3 c FF beef broth
(1 t minced garlic, 1 t salt, ¼ t pepper,
1 t dried oregano, 3 c water, 1 bay leaf)
1 bag Betty Crocker cornbread & muffin mix
3 c sliced strawberries
Soak beans overnight; drain & rinse again.
Combine all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on
low for 8 – 9 hours. Remove bay leaf. Use a
potato masher; mash some of the beans &
potatoes. Stir well. Divide into 6 servings.
Bake cornbread as directed. Makes 6
muffins.
Serve strawberries on the side.

Happy Holidays everyone!! Just a reminder all WW centers / travelers etc will be closed tomorrow = 12/25. ♥

meeting topic for the week

Our meeting topic for the week is: Your Get-Moving Goal.

  
Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

Larger Image
Weight Watchers Recipe

Ratings (263) Rate it
1PointsPlus Value
Track
Prep time:  8 min
Cook time:  120 min
Serves: 24
These cookies are the perfect combination of vanilla and chocolate. If you prefer chewy meringues, make them the day before you plan to eat them.
Recipe Read All Reviews (260)
Ingredients
1 spray(s) cooking spray  
1 tsp all-purpose flour  
      4 large egg white(s)  
1 cup(s) sugar  
1/2 cup(s) mini chocolate chips, semi-sweet  
1/2 tsp vanilla extract  
Instructions
Preheat oven to 200ºF.

Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray; coat with a light dusting of flour and shake off excess.

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form; gently fold in chocolate and vanilla extract.

Drop mixture by heaping tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart, making 24 cookies.

Bake until lightly golden and no longer sticky on the surface, about 1 hour. Turn oven off and let cookies sit in oven for 1 hour. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Yields 1 cookie per serving.

Mini Brownie Cupcakes

Weight Watchers Recipe

Ratings (273)
2PointsPlus Value
Prep time:  7 min
Cook time:  15 min
Serves: 36
Just the right amount of chocolate! Serve these as pictured or top with light whipped topping and sprinkles or fresh fruit.
Ingredients
21 oz regular brownie dry mix  
1/2 cup(s) water  
      1/2 cup(s) unsweetened applesauce  
      2 large egg white(s), lightly beaten  
1 Tbsp powdered sugar  
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line 36 mini muffin tin holes with mini cupcake wrappers.

In a large mixing bowl, combine brownie mix, water, applesauce and egg whites. Mix 50 times with a wooden spoon (use 50 strokes); do not under or over mix. Pour brownie mixture into prepared muffin tins, about 1 tablespoon per hole.

Bake cupcakes until a tester inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely; remove cupcakes from pan. Before serving, dust with powdered sugar. Yields 1 cupcake per serving.

 

Adjusting your PointsPlus® Budget in the Plan Manager Your Leader will have told you about some new ways to make the PointsPlus program even more flexible. Find out how you can make these changes in the Plan Manager. Article By: Elly Trickett McNerney We’ve always prided ourselves on providing a flexible and livable weight-loss program. But recently we’ve added some new features that we feel really take the program to the next level of flexibility, including the ability to adjust your daily PointsPlus Target if you need to. We’ve also made changes to the Plan Manager Settings that allow you to do this, plus choose how you swap your earned activity PointsPlus values (or not to swap them at all) and how much of your weekly PointsPlus Allowance to use. All this can add up to more ways to help control your weight-loss progress, or your success in Maintenance, and more ways to make the Plan right for you. Not everyone will need to make any of the available tweaks, of course. Talk to your Leader to find out more about the changes that are possible, and once you have decided together which, if any, are right for you, this article will explain how to make them in your Plan Manager. If your daily PointsPlus Target was lowered for you First things first: Some people have found that their daily PointsPlus Target has been lowered. If you are one of these people, your Receptionist or Leader will have explained why. You will also have learned that a new plan feature for PointsPlus 2012 is that the daily Target is flexible. If, in talking to your Leader, you decide that you were happy with your weight loss or maintenance with a higher number, then you can adjust your settings here. Lowering your budget Every now and then it can become necessary to make some tangible changes to the way you use PointsPlus values. We’ve always given members the flexibility to choose how (or even whether) to swap activity PointsPlus values for food, and to choose how much of their weekly PointsPlus Allowance to use. We’ve now added features in the Plan Manager that will make it easier for you to keep track of these choices. In the Settings panel you can now: Change the way you swap your activity PointsPlus values, from weekly (they roll over day to day), to daily (use them or lose them!) — or vice versa. Choose not to swap your activity PointsPlus values for food at all Play with your weekly PointsPlus Allowance, experimenting with using fewer than the full 49 Draw first from your activity PointsPlus values rather than from your weekly PointsPlus Allowance when you go over your daily PointsPlus Target If you’re losing weight too quickly Remember, a safe rate of weight loss is between .5 and 2 pounds per week. If you’re consistently losing more than an average of 2 pounds a week even while using your weekly PointsPlus Allowance and/or any activity PointsPlus values you may be earning, your Leader may advise you that you might want to increase your daily PointsPlus Target. Again, you can do this in the Plan Manager Settings. Going into Maintenance It doesn’t take a huge leap of logic to figure out that you’re going to need to add a few PointsPlus values to your day to move out of weight-loss mode and into Maintenance. You’ll need to do this when you’ve reached your Goal, plus you may choose to do this during a particularly tricky time (a vacation, say) when you’re OK with maintaining your weight rather than losing. The default increase for going into Maintenance is to add 6 PointsPlus values per day, but you may find that’s too many or, even, not enough. In Maintenance, it may take you a little while to stabilize your weight. If your weight goes up, or down, by more than 1 pound in a week, ask your Leader for tips on how to adjust your Target accordingly. You can do this in your Plan Manager Settings.

There Are No Shortcuts
Miracle diets, pills and potions are mere shortcuts that will lead you to a dead end. If a healthy body is aimed, you have to work for it. You have to earn it.
People have problem areas. Even people, who have achieved their ideal body weight, will still have problem areas. It could be the love handles, the flabby arms, the sagging skin or the hips. Then you will find the market offering all sorts of products, from creams and applications to get rid of the fats to gadgets and machines to tone the arms, thighs or the abs. Don't waste your money.
Bottom Line.... Consistent daily effort and making healthier Choices, and having a workout plan will get you and keep you where you want to be and help you look younger too. Who doesn't want that?

Savory Balsamic Chicken

Savory Balsamic
Chicken
6 servings @ 5 each
Carrot & Apple Casserole
6 servings @ 4 each
1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
(1/3 c AP flour, 2 T butter-divided, 1 T veg. oil,
½ c Worcestershire, 1 ½ T balsamic vinegar)
1 ½ c low sodium chicken broth
16 oz bag sliced carrots
2 large Gala or Fuji apples, thin sliced
(¼ c sugar, ¼ c brown sugar, 1 t cinnamon,
2 T light butter)
Season chicken w/ salt & pepper, & flour.
Heat 1 T butter & oil in large skillet; cook chicken
until browned & done. Remove chicken. Add
remaining ingredients to skillet; bring to low boil;
cook 5 min. Pour sauce over chicken.
Boil carrots in water for 3 min; drain. Combine
carrots & apples into a sprayed 8 x 8 baking
dish. Top w/ sugars & cinnamon. Dot with
butter. Bake 45 min @ 325.

Be sure to come into your meeting rooms this week for the topic of : A powerful option!

   Come to your meeting:
        Learn more: Pick up your new Meet PointsPlus 2012 booklet
        Recharge your efforts: Stay for a PowerStart® Session with a new
PowerStart tracker filled with a week’s worth of preTracked meals.
        Learn ways to personalize your plan: Options for greater flexibility.
        New weekly PointsPlus activity goal: To help you move more.
Check out our site and see what’s new:
        New site design: Find what’s relevant to you, faster
Coming Soon:
        New tools: Calculate and track at the grocery store with the new
Barcode scanner app

next weeks meeting topic

Be sure to come in tomorrow to find out al about: Your new flexible Daily points target!

one glass of beer or wine can contain close to 100 calories. If you're having a couple of drinks with your pals a few nights a week, you could be adding 1,000 unexpected calories to your diet.

"You can have anything you want if you want it badly
enough. You can be anything you want to be, do
anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that
desire with singleness of purpose." - Abraham Lincoln

White Bean and Ground Turkey Slow Cooker Chipotle Chili

White Bean and Ground Turkey Slow Cooker Chipotle Chili
Weight Watchers Recipe


Course: main meals
PointsPlus® Value: 7
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 18 min
Cooking Time: 250 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

This slightly spiced white chili is the perfect freezer staple to have on hand for too-busy-to-cook-nights.

Ingredients
1 spray(s) cooking spray
2 pound(s) uncooked ground turkey breast
1 large uncooked onion(s), chopped
2 clove(s) garlic clove(s), chopped (medium)
32 oz fat-free chicken broth
1 tsp Durkee ground cumin, or other brand
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp chili powder, chipotle variety
30 oz canned white beans, drained and rinsed
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup(s) cilantro, fresh, coarsely chopped (plus extra for garnish)
Instructions
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Cook turkey, onion and garlic over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until turkey is browned, about 10 minutes; drain off any fat.

Add turkey mixture and remaining ingredients to a 3 1/2 quart or larger slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat setting for at least 4 hours. Yields about 1 cup per serving. (Note: For additional color, top with extra freshly chopped cilantro just before serving.)

If the chili is too thick after it’s been frozen and then defrosted, add extra broth and then reheat to achieve desired consistency.

"Positive minds produce positive lives." - Joyce Meyer

"There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results."

When exercising outside, layer your clothing. Before your body warms up, you may feel chilled, but once the blood gets pumping, you'll feel overdressed.

   

HG's Yum-azing Turkey Artichoke Panini

Lean-O Panino! 
This sandwich is hot stuff! Lean turkey, a cheesy artichoke spread, lots of veggies -- all pressed 'n grilled to toasty perfection! Step aside, Panera...

Ingredients:
1 slice red onion, rings intact
1/4 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper cut into 2-inch strips (about 1/4th of a pepper)
1 artichoke heart packed in water, drained and finely chopped
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese
1 tsp. reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping, divided
1/8 tsp. plus a dash garlic powder, divided
2 tsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown)
Dash crushed dried rosemary
One 100-calorie flat sandwich bun (like Arnold Select/Oroweat Sandwich Thins)
2 oz. thickly sliced reduced-sodium turkey breast (about 1 slice)
1/4 cup baby spinach leaves

Directions:
Bring a grill pan (or skillet) sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Add onion and pepper and cook until softened and lightly blackened, 5 - 7 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine chopped artichoke, cheese wedge, 1/2 tsp. Parm-style topping, and a dash of garlic powder. Mix thoroughly and set aside. In another small bowl, combine butter, remaining 1/2 tsp. Parm-style topping, remaining 1/8 tsp. garlic powder, and rosemary. Mix well and set aside.

Plate bun halves, cut sides up. Evenly spread artichoke-cheese mixture on both halves. Evenly top one half with turkey, cooked onion and pepper, and spinach. Place the other bun half on top, artichoke-cheese side down. Spread half the butter mixture evenly on the upward-facing bun half.

Clean pan, if needed. Re-spray with nonstick spray and bring to medium heat on the stove. Place sandwich in the pan, buttered side down. Spread remaining butter mixture on the upward-facing bun half. Cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side, pressing down with a spatula to seal. Slice in half, if you like, and enjoy!

MAKES 1 SERVING

Serving Size: 1 sandwich (entire recipe)
Calories: 264
Fat: 7g
Sodium: 898mg
Carbs: 31g
Fiber: 7g
Sugars: 6g
Protein: 21g

PointsPlus® value 7*

Lemon Chicken & Broccoli

Lemon Chicken
& Broccoli
6 servings @ 4 each
Brown Rice
½ cup @ 3 each
(3T AP flour, ½ t salt, ¼ t pepper,
1 T olive oil, 1 T minced garlic)
1 ½ lbs boneless/skinless chicken breast, cubed
2 c FF chicken broth
14 oz bag broccoli florets
3 t lemon zest, 1 ½ T lemon juice
3 T chopped parsley
3 c cooked brown rice
Combine 1 ½ T flour, ¼ t salt, & ¼ t pepper; toss with chicken. Heat oil in a large pan; add garlic & chicken and cook until browned. Remove from pan. Add 1 c broth to pan & stir; bring to low boil. Add broccoli; cover & cook 1 min. Combine remaining broth, flour, & salt; add to pan and let simmer 1 – 2 min. Add chicken & zest to pan; heat thoroughly. Stir in parsley & lemon juice.
Cook rice as directed. Serving: ½ cup

this weeks meeting topic

This week's meeting topic: Budgeting for Happier Holidays. See ya in the meeting rooms! :-)

Chicken & Stuffing Bake
6 servings @ 7 each
Pecan Carrots
6 servings @ 3 each
1 box Stove Top stuffing, chicken flavored
1 ½ lb boneless/skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 can FF cream of chicken soup
(1/3 c FF sour cream)
16 oz bag frozen mixed veggies
2 lbs carrots, peeled & sliced
(3 T light margarine, 3 T orange marmalade)
¼ c chopped pecans
Prepare stuffing as directed omitting margarine. Combine chicken & remaining ingredients; place in a sprayed 9 x 13 baking dish and top with stuffing. Cover with foil & bake 40 min @ 400 or until done. Remove foil last 10 min of cooking.
Boil carrots in a large pan until tender. Drain; stir in remaining ingredients; cook until heated.

Are you suffering from holiday stress? Take 30 mins for yourself to attend a meeting this week and learn some techniques to handle challenges & stress!
What causes YOU stress?

No Excuses workout! No weights, no gym, no dvds...no problem! You can get a great workout with just your body...give this workout a shot! If you're just starting out just do as many as you can and with proper form (push ups on your knees until you get stronger:)

Lift weights & your spirits. Studies show that even a little bit of exercise can affect the mood-controlling parts of your brain. Try a bicep curl by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your arms at your side and slowly bend your arm, bringing the weight up toward your face. Do 12 reps each and the next time you have a rough day remember to reach for a dumbbell instead of junk food.

Bacon & Spinach Penne

Bacon & Spinach
Penne
6 servings @ 10 each
Steamed Asparagus
6 servings @ 0 each
16 oz box penne pasta, cooked & drained
8 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
1 medium onion, halved & sliced thin
8 oz sliced mushrooms
(1 t min. garlic, ¼ t crushed red pepper flakes)
1 bag fresh spinach
1 ½ lbs asparagus
Boil pasta. Reserve 1 to 2 c of pasta water. Fry bacon in a large deep pan; remove bacon & drain all but 2 T fat. Add onions & mushrooms to pan & sauté until lightly browned; add garlic & red pepper flakes. Add spinach to pan; stir & cover until spinach is wilted., about 2 min. Add pasta to pan; add 1 c pasta water; add more if needed. Toss in crumbled bacon.
Steam asparagus til tender. Season to taste.

next weeks meeting topic

Be sure to come in starting tomorrow for: YOUR Stress-Less Holiday!

It's easy to forget about the foods we eat throughout the day. The cure for "calorie amnesia" is to log every bite you put in your mouth. It'll also help you see what needs to be cut from your eating plan.

drinking enough water is a great way to avoid eating when you're not really hungry at all. Keep a pitcher on your desk filled with water and an inviting dash of berries, cucumbers and slices of orange to give yourself more incentive to sip.

Broccoli & Potato
Soup
6 servings @ 5 each
Garlic Toast
1 piece @ 3 each
(¼ c AP flour, 1 ¼ c FF milk)
3 1/4 c FF chicken broth
3 c peeled & cubed potatoes
2 c frozen broccoli florets
1 small onion, chopped
1 c shredded 2 % sharp cheese
6 T bacon bits
6 pieces Cole’s garlic toast
Blend flour &1/2 c chicken broth until smooth; set aside. Combine remaining broth, potatoes, broccoli, & onion; place in stock pot. Bring to boil; cover & reduce heat. Simmer 10 min. Blend in flour mixture, cook 5 min. Stir in milk & cheese until melted. Divide into 6 servings. Top each with 1 T bacon bits.
Bake toast as directed. Serving: 1 piece

Everything is OK in moderation – buy your favorite treats in individually wrapped containers or create one-serving treat packs out of the full-size container. Write the points plus values on them ahead of time.

Do you know people interested in joining? Tell them not to wait! The price for Monthly Passes for new members is going up soon, so the time to come register is NOW! If you have a Monthly Pass, you'll continue to enjoy the $39.95 great monthly price with no increase.

~ Good Morning ~ May the sun shine bright upon your day, my heart feel love and gratitude, may you know that anything is possible if you believe ~ Have a beautiful day ~ Waves of Gratitude

this weeks meeting topic

Be sure to come in this week for the meeting topic of: The Great Thanksgiving plate!

just an FYI

FYI everyone! There's a 5k to benefit the SCV Food pantry & OLPH school on Sat 11/19 & doesn't start til 9:30 am, so you can still sleep in a bit!!!!! $35 nice t-shirt included! As for our regular ww's 5k, how bout that Sat. eve or Sat the 26th? Burn off the stuffing!!!
online registration at www.active.com

Come see us in Acton

Just a little note that there is a new WW meeting, Monday nights - weigh in at 6pm, meeting at 6:30.  It's off of Crown Valley and Syracuse, in the building behind Acton Elementary....You can check the www.weightwatchers.com website for details. Jenny is the leader and she is FANTASTIC!

Recipe: Chicken and Rice Wraps

Here's a healthy wrap recipe that's simple to make and tastes great served either hot or cold. Makes one dinner for two . . . or two lunches for one!

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup romaine lettuce (torn into bite-size pieces)
• 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
• 2 low-fat whole wheat flour tortillas (6 to 8 inches in diameter)
• 1-1/2 Tbsp. fat-free salad dressing
• Nonstick cooking spray

Spray a medium-sized pan with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. When it's hot but not smoking, add onions and garlic and sauté until slightly browned. Add raw chicken and sauté until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes, or until no pink remains in center of each piece. Remove pan from heat. Place tortillas on plates. Put half the lettuce on each tortilla, followed by half the chicken, half the dressing, and half the rice. To assemble wraps, roll tortilla around contents, securing each with a toothpick if necessary. Makes 2 servings.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Nutritional Information (per serving):

Calories	Protein	Fiber	Carbs	Fat Total	Saturated Fat
345	32 g	4 g	36 g	4.5 g	<0.5 g			8 points plus values

Even for those of us who welcome change and new challenges, it can still be hard to take that one last step into the unknown of the new life some changes will bring. It may be easier to settle into the comfort of the known, but remember that at one time in our lives all of it was unknown. It was not until we experienced it that it became familiar and comfortable. Tomorrow, that which we are afraid of today just may become our celebrated. – K. Wierman

new location

Hot off the press SCV weight watchers will soon have a NEW location... and a new look. The new location will be:
Valencia Store
River Oaks Shopping Center
Valencia, Ca.
Next to Sprouts
Stay tuned here for the weekly updates! 

Hot off the press AV weight watchers will soon have a NEW location... and a new look. The new location will be:
Palmdale Store
Amaragosa Shopping Center
Palmdale, Ca.
Next to Trader Joes

"If you don't like something change it.
If you can't change it, change your attitude.
Don't complain." -Maya Angelou

Crock-pot
Crock-Pot
Beef Stew
6 servings @ 7 each
Mixed Vegetables
6 servings @ 0 each
(1 T Worcestershire, ½ c All purpose flour,
1 t salt, 1 t pepper, ¼ c water)
1 lb top sirloin beef steak, cut into cubes
4 med potatoes, cubed
2 c sliced carrots
8 oz sliced fresh mushrooms
14 oz can FF beef broth
14 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 / 12oz bags broccoli, cauliflower, & carrots
Mix Worcestershire, flour, salt, pepper, and water together in crock-pot. Add beef and all other ingredients and mix well. Cook on low for 8 hours.
Steam vegetables until tender. Season to taste.

“Willpower is the key to success. Successful people strive no matter what they feel by applying their will to overcome apathy, doubt or fear.”
Dan Millman (born 1946);
author, gymnastics world champion

Chicken Jambalaya
6 servings @ 6 each
Green Salad
6 servings @ 1 each
1 ½ lbs boneless/skinless chicken breasts, diced
1 c diced onions, peppers, & celery
8 oz box jambalaya rice mix
1 bag chopped salad
1 cucumber, peeled & sliced
6 Campari tomato, diced
(6 T Light ranch drsg)
Prepare jambalaya mix as directed using diced chicken breasts & onion/pepper mix. Omit the oil listed in the box directions. Add extra water if needed. Divide into 6 servings.
Toss salad items together. Divide into 6 servings.

Bacon & Swiss
Quiche
6 servings @ 7 each
Spinach Salad
6 servings @ 1 each
1 c FF evaporated milk
(3 eggs, ¼ c FF egg sub., 2 T all purpose flour,
¼ t each: salt, pepper, ground nutmeg)
4 slices RF Swiss cheese, diced
3 oz bacon bits
1 frozen deep dish pie crust
1 bag spinach
½ c sliced mushrooms
2 oranges, peeled & segmented
(12 T Kraft Light balsamic vinaigrette dressing)
Whisk together all ingredients except cheese and bacon bits. Slowly stir in cheese and bacon bits and pour into piecrust. Bake 30-35 min @ 350, or until done. Divide into 6 servings.
Toss salad ingredients together. Divide into 6 servings.

LOW-CALORIE SWEETS & SUCKERS
All-star stats here! Just around 20 - 25 calories and 0g fat (PointsPlus® value 1*) each.

Dum Dums
Everlasting Gobstopper mini pouches
Pixy Stix (3 straws)
Smarties rolls

MID-CALORIE CLASSICS
With 50 - 60 calories and 0 - 0.5g fat (PointsPlus® value 2*) per pop, these long-lasting goodies are some of our favorites.

Blow Pop
Ring Pop Halloween
Tootsie Caramel Apple Pops
Tootsie Pops


FUN PICKS WITH 50 OR FEWER CALORIES
Each treat, roll, package, or pouch has 35 - 50 calories and 0 - 1g fat (PointsPlus® value 1*).

Fruit by the Foot Mini Feet
Fruit Roll-Ups Mini Rolls
Jet-Puffed BooMallows
Pop-Tarts Mini Crisps Fun Size pouches
Rice Krispies Treats Mini Squares
Snyder's of Hanover 1/2-oz. bags

UNIQUE TREATS, STELLAR STATS
Unexpected and guilt-free! Each one has 60 - 70 calories and 2 - 3.5g fat (PointsPlus® value 2*).

Angie's Artisan Treats Authentic Kettle Corn Halloween Snack Packs
Pirate's Booty Aged White Cheddar 1/2-oz. bags
Quaker Chewy Fright Night Chocolate Chip mini granola bars
Sun-Maid Vanilla Yogurt Raisins Mini-Snacks

NEAT SWEETS, NICE NUTRITIONALS
Chomp into one of these for 100 - 120 calories and 3 - 3.5g fat (PointsPlus® value 3*).

Herr’s Chocolate Mini Pretzels Halloween Treat Size bags
Keebler Scooby-Doo! Baked Graham Cracker Sticks packages
Peeps Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Pumpkin


Prepare to spend 180 - 200 calories and 9 - 10.5g fat (PointsPlus® value 5*) if you indulge in one of these tricky treats.

Cheez-It Baked Snack Crackers packages
Keebler Mini Fudge Stripes packages
Reese's Peanut Butter King Size Pumpkins (1 pumpkin, half of package)


HG Heads-Up! Some of the treats in this email are small versions/servings that are only available during Halloween season. The stats for snacks and sweets sold year-round in standard packaging may differ.

LOW-CALORIE CONFECTIONS
These goodies are impressive in the stats department: 30 - 50 calories and 0 - 1g fat (PointsPlus® value 1*) each.

AirHeads mini bars
Laffy Taffy mini bars
Now and Later (2 pieces)
SpongeBob SquarePants Gummy Krabby Patties
Starburst (2 pieces)
SweeTarts Chews
Twizzlers Cherry Pull 'n' Peel snack-sized pieces
Twizzlers Strawberry Twists snack-sized pieces

CALORIE-BARGAIN TREAT-SIZE/SNACK-SIZE BAGS
Pouches, packs, bags, and packages! Each of these small sacks has 50 - 55 calories and 0g fat (PointsPlus® value 1*).

Brach’s Candy Corn
Hot Tamales
Mike and Ike
Sour Patch Kids
Swedish Fish

MORE MINI BOXES 'N BAGS
While not quite as pint-sized in the calorie department as the last list, each petite pack has a reasonable 60 - 75 calories and 0 - 1g fat (PointsPlus® value 2*).

Dots
Mini Chewy SweeTarts
Skittles Fun Size

tricks & treats

LOW-CALORIE CHOCOLATE TREATS
These tiny treats can't be beat. Each one has 20 - 35 calories and 0.5 - 1.5g fat (PointsPlus® value 1*).

3 Musketeers Minis
Hershey's Kisses
Sixlets 8-piece tubes
Tootsie Roll Midgees
Whoppers Malted Milk Balls 3-piece tubes

CHOCOLATE MINIS
Minis are the small, typically square morsels. The kinds below have 35 - 55 calories and 1.5 - 3g fat (PointsPlus® value 1*) per piece.

Baby Ruth
Butterfinger
Hershey's Special Dark, Krackel, Milk Chocolate, and Mr. Goodbar
Kit Kat
Milky Way
Nestlé Crunch
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Snickers
Twix

SNACK-SIZE/FUN-SIZE CHOCOLATE
Snack-size and fun-size candies are usually about 2 inches long and weigh in at around half an ounce. The ones listed here have 60 - 85 calories and 1 - 4g fat (PointsPlus® value 2*) per piece, pack, bag, or box.

3 Musketeers
Baby Ruth 
Butterfinger
Hershey's Milk Chocolate
Junior Mints
Kit Kat (one 2-piece bar)
M&M's Milk Chocolate
Milky Way
Nestlé Crunch
Raisinets
Snickers
York Peppermint Patties

SNACK-SIZE/FUN-SIZE CHOCOLATE PART II
Same specifics as the last list of snack-size/fun-size treats (about 2 inches long and half an ounce in weight), but these are a little higher in stats. Each bar or pack has 90 - 95 calories and 4 - 6g fat (PointsPlus® value 3*).

100 Grand
M&M's Peanut
Mr. Goodbar
PayDay

Crustless Pumpkin Quiche Supreme

Crustless Pumpkin Quiche Supreme

PER SERVING (1/8th of recipe, 1 slice): 67 calories, 1g fat, 332mg sodium, 8g carbs, 2g fiber, 3.5g sugars, 6g protein -- PointsPlus® value 2*

Who says pumpkin is only for desserts? Serve this with dinner or as part of a light lunch -- YUM!

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1 cup chopped mushrooms
2 cups chopped spinach leaves
4 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss cheese, room temperature
One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin (like the kind by Libby's)
1 1/4 cups fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
2 tsp. chopped garlic
1/2 tsp. each salt and black pepper
1/8 tsp. chili powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9" pie pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Add onion and, stirring occasionally, cook until softened and slightly browned, about 6 minutes.

Transfer cooked onion to a large bowl and set aside. Remove skillet from heat. If needed, wash and dry. Spray with nonstick spray and return to medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and, stirring occasionally, cook until softened and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add spinach and cook until wilted and excess moisture has evaporated, about 2 more minutes.

Transfer mushroom-spinach mixture to the large bowl. Add cheese wedges, breaking them into pieces as you add them. Mix thoroughly, until cheese has melted and is evenly distributed. Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well. Evenly transfer mixture to the pie pan.

Bake in the oven until firm and lightly browned on top, about 1 hour.

Allow to slightly cool. Cut into 8 slices and enjoy!

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

This weeks meeting topic

Starting today this weeks meeting topic is : Scale Surprise. Be sure to come check out a meeting to hear more.

Stop for a moment today ~ Ask yourself ~ Do you take time for you? ~ Sometimes we make plans to do something we look forward to and enjoy and life doesn't work out that way ~ it is that open space and moments you now have to take time for you ~ Do something you put off ~ spend time in quiet reflection ~ sometimes we keep our calendars busy to avoid that which we don't want to face ~ Be still let yourself settle into just being with you ~ Namaste

It's all about the chocolate! It's always been about the chocolate. It will always BE about the chocolate. Any questions? LOL

Happy National Chocolate Day! Celebrate and Enjoy :)

on line tv show

Weight Watchers on line TV show with our very own Lynn Kaufman (Leader in Sherry’s territory)

The show can be accessed by internet at LATALKLIVE.com.  It can be seen or heard live through the computer.  The name of the show is Weight Watchers Live!  Hosted by Lynn Kaufman.  The show is every Wednesday at 1:30pm.  If you want to be on the show with her let me know.  If there is a special event you are hosting like a 5K etc.  we can let Lynn know and she will announce it on the show.  This is so exciting!!

Forgiveness IS easy. When you realize that forgiveness is about YOU and YOUR need to let go and move on, and not about the person you're angry with. Anger holds us in one place, we end up stuck in a self imposed black hole. Let it go. Decide that you and your well being are more important than the anger you're holding towards another. It's time to free yourself from the chains of the past.

festive breakfast idea

Pumpkin Walnut
Pancakes
6 servings @ 8 each
Turkey Link Sausages
3 links @ 3 total
(2 c all purpose flour, 3 T brown sugar,
1 T baking powder, ½ t salt, 1 ¾ c FF milk,
3 eggs – beaten, 2 T vegetable oil)
¾ c canned pumpkin
6 t chopped walnuts, (Sugar free syrup)
18 turkey sausage links
Combine dry ingredients. Combine eggs & remaining ingreds. except syrup & walnuts; combine mixtures. Pour ¼ c batter for each pancake onto a non-stick pan. Makes 12 pancakes. Top each serving w/ 1 t walnuts & ¼ c SF syrup.
Brown sausage as directed. Serving: 3 links

What's for dinner?

Italian Casserole
8 servings @ 8 each
Caesar Salad
6 servings @ 2 each
8 oz uncooked rotini pasta
14 oz can tomato sauce
14 oz can diced tomatoes, Italian style
8 oz RF cream cheese, at room temp
1 c part skim ricotta
½ lb lean ground round beef, browned
1 c shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
2 Caesar salad kits, 7-8 oz/each
Cook pasta as directed; place in sprayed 9x13 baking dish. Combine tomato sauce & diced tomatoes. Combine cream cheese & ricotta. Layer beef, cheese mixture, and then tomato mixture over pasta. Bake uncovered 30 min @ 350. Sprinkle mozzarella on top last 5 minutes of cooking. Makes 8 servings.
Toss salads together and divide into 6 servings. Serving: 2 cups

"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude." -Thomas Jefferson

Brown rice recipe

Brown Rice Salad with Tomatoes and Sugar Snap Peas Weight Watchers Recipe   Course: side dishes PointsPlus® Value:    4 Servings:  6 Preparation Time:  15 min Cooking Time:  10 min Level of Difficulty:  Easy   This summery salad is a fabulous addition to any picnic or BBQ. The lemon juice and zest, dill and juicy tomatoes are a mouth-watering combination. Ingredients   1 1/2 cup(s) instant brown rice, uncooked      1 cup(s) sugar snap peas, ends snipped, cut into 3 or 4 pieces each    1 tsp lemon zest, freshly grated    2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice    2 Tbsp water    1/4 cup(s) dill, fresh, chopped, or less to taste    2 Tbsp olive oil, extra virgin    3/4 tsp table salt    1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground      1 cup(s) grape tomatoes, cut in half      1 cup(s) cucumber(s), diced      1/4 cup(s) red onion(s), chopped      1 medium lemon(s), cut into wedges    Instructions Cook rice according to package directions. Remove pan from heat and drain any excess liquid. Stir sugar snap peas into hot rice and let cool slightly, tossing occasionally. Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, water, dill, oil, salt and pepper until blended. Add rice mixture, tomatoes, cucumber and onion; toss to mix and coat. Let rice salad cool to room temperature before serving with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Or cover and refrigerate up to 1 day but make sure to bring up to room temperature before serving. Yields about 1 cup per serving. Notes Stirring sugar snaps into the hot rice, heats them just enough to heighten their color while keeping them nice and crunchy.

1 lb

THE BENEFITS YOU OBTAIN FROM DEVELOPING YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM

AMONG THE BENEFITS YOU OBTAIN FROM DEVELOPING
YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM ARE:
• INCREASED ENERGY
• INCREASED ENDURANCE
• REDUCED BLOOD PRESSURE
• REDUCED ARTERIAL PLAQUE
• PREVENTION OF SOME CARDIAC DISEASES
• REDUCED BODY FAT
• LOWER RESTING HEART RATE
• DECREASED PAIN SENSITIVITY DUE TO HIGHER LEVELS
OF ENDORPHINS AND ENKEPHALINS IN THE BRAIN
• INCREASED BONE MASS

JUST ABOUT EVERY BODILY SYSTEM IS AFFECTED
BY INCREASING YOUR AEROBIC CAPACITY

Secrets to Achieving the High

Secrets to Achieving the High
Article By: Vanessa Voltolina


Looking for some extra incentive to get up early and work out? Learn how to reap the feel-good benefits of exercise and you won't even need to set the alarm.

You've taken the first step toward a toned body and better health by trashing the container of Häagen-Dazs and tearing yourself away from the television. You're pumping and sweating on the treadmill for 30 to 45 minutes, three to five days per week before work, after work and on weekends. But you still feel like something is missing. You’ve heard others talk about it, and you want a piece of it: The exercise high.

It’s actually an endorphin high, and it occurs when endorphin hormones (and others) are secreted by the pituitary gland in response to physical stress. During exercise, these endorphin hormones have the power to block pain, decrease appetite, elevate mood, rid the body of stress hormones and make your workout far more enjoyable, says Debbie Mandel, a stress management specialist in Lawrence, NY.

Because of our physical and chemical differences, some people may experience a very good feeling from a 30-minute workout, while others may find that they need a longer or more intense workout in order to feel that high. For years, the exercise high was mostly medical speculation, but recently, German researchers reported in an issue of the journal Cerebral Cortex that the exercise high is more than just folklore — and surprisingly attainable. Here are three ways to get closer to achieving the workout high.
Give it time
"To get the [endorphin] high, I find that people have to work out for a while," says Karen Voight, a Los Angeles-based trainer who has worked with stars including Tina Turner and Bette Midler. "Some magazines say that five-minute spurts or quick workouts do the trick, but I suggest a nonstop power session — just keep it going."

Many women put pressure on themselves to find a workout formula guaranteed to achieve this euphoria after every workout. "One size certainly does not fit all," says Mandel, author of the book Addicted to Stress. She swears by a belly dancing session for her high. Voight agrees: "Work out until you're out of breath, however long or intense that may be." For some gym-goers, a 40-minute run at a 10-minute-mile pace is enough to achieve an endorphin high; for others, it may take a hip-hop dance class or a spinning session.

Everyone’s high is different
Steepin has figured out the formula to achieve her personal high: a routine, 45-minute kickboxing session, which elevates her mood and gives her an endorphin high almost every time. Whatever routine you find fits you, Voight, who is also the creator of her own line of fitness DVDs, recommends maintaining a heart rate of at least 140 beats per minute for maximum endorphin potential.

Even on the days when a workout seems futile, Christina Steepin, an IT business analyst from Seattle, suggests giving yourself the benefit of a full workout. "If I feel ill, haven't gotten enough sleep or am having family issues, I try to push through and at least get a workout in because I always feel at least a little bit better after I go,” she says.

Stop obsessing
If you find yourself scanning the gym to see how many eyes are on you, or sizing up your bod in the mirror, you'll lose the mind and body synergy necessary to reach your goal. Mandel assures exercisers that although it may feel as though you're being watched and judged, “Trust me — other gym-goers are totally narcissistic. They're not even paying attention to you!”

Although there is no foolproof way to achieve this stress-relieving, mood-enhancing exercise high, being conscious of your personal method, as well as external factors, can get you closer to feeling the full benefits of a workout. "The best thing to do is create an exercise synergy. My personal favorite is the triple synergy: music, sunlight and rhythm. Get outside, put on your headset and hike or run on the beach.” For Mandel, this is a surefire way to an exercise high every time.

This week's meeting topic

Be sure to come in this week to hear about: Celebrating LFG (Lose For Good) Victories. Please feel free to share yours here!

Italian Casserole

Italian Casserole
8servings@8 each
8 oz uncooked rotini pasta
14 oz can tomato sauce
14 oz can diced tomatoes, Italian style
8 oz RF cream cheese, at room temp
1 c part skim ricotta
1⁄2 lbleangroundroundbeef,browned
1 c shredded part skim mozzarella cheese
Cook pasta as directed; place in sprayed 9x13bakingdish. Combinetomatosauce& diced tomatoes. Combine cream cheese & ricotta. Layerbeef,cheesemixture,andthen tomatomixtureoverpasta. Bakeuncovered30 min @ 350. Sprinkle mozzarella on top last 5 minutes of cooking. Makes 8 servings.

Good for you breakfast foods

What do bagels, bran cereal and bananas have in common? They're good-for-you breakfast foods that might help keep you on the weight-loss straight and narrow.

Research has shown that people who skip breakfast may not be as successful with weight management as those people who eat breakfast regularly. Why? Eating breakfast may help you reduce snacking and avoid overeating.

Food is fuel
Eating breakfast is like filling up a gas tank. When you wake up in the morning, your body is low on fuel, like a car running on empty, explains Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, director of nutrition for WebMD. A morning meal can kick-start your engine by giving your body energy.
Zelman warns that skipping breakfast may make you more likely to overeat later in the day to make up for the missed meal.

In fact, a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that breakfast eaters fall prey to impulse snacking less often than non-breakfast eaters.

Unleaded or diesel?
Not all fuels are created equal. Most people will get more mileage from a small bran muffin and a cup of fat-free milk than they do from a large glass of juice. That's because the sugar in the juice is a much more rapidly used energy source than that derived from the muffin and milk.

"The ideal breakfast is based on carbohydrate and protein," says G. Harvey Anderson, PhD, professor in the department of nutritional sciences at the University of Toronto. He theorizes that the most satisfying breakfasts deliver a quick shot of energy (by raising blood sugar levels rapidly) and then a longer term energy boost from high-fiber, complex-carbohydrate, protein-containing foods that slow digestion.

What does that mean for your sugar cereal? Toss a handful into a bowl of low-fat yogurt and then mix it up with some fiber-rich fruit. Other tag-team breakfasts include:

Low-fat cheese and tomato slices on a whole-wheat English muffin

High-fiber cereal with fat-free or lowfat milk and dried or fresh fruit

Peanut butter and jelly on multi-grain bread

Hard-boiled or scrambled eggs (or egg whites) with a couple of wheat crackers

Low-fat yogurt and a grain-rich cereal bar

A banana and a small handful of peanuts or almonds
Banish no-time-for-breakfast excuses
Excuse: I don't have time to make myself breakfast. The only things available to me at work are doughnuts and cookies from the vending machine.
When time is of the essence, think portable. Try a hard-boiled egg (keep a few in the fridge at all times) and a couple of crackers or string cheese and a piece of fruit. And for those real crunch times, keep packets of instant oatmeal, high-fiber breakfast bars and mini boxes of raisins stashed in your desk drawer.

Excuse: I just can't eat before 1:00 p.m.
You don't have to eat when the roosters crow, but it is a wise idea to eat within several hours of waking up. If you can't stomach much, try a few grapes or a wheat cracker and half a glass of juice. After a few days, your body might naturally look forward to this a.m. fuel-up and you can try more substantial meals.

Excuse: I'd like to eat breakfast but I'm afraid it will set my hunger into overdrive.
Many people experience less erratic eating patterns (like mid-afternoon and after-dinner munchies) when they eat several small snacks and meals throughout the day. Anderson says that in addition to being leaner, frequent nutritious mini-meal eaters — as opposed to those who eat one to two big meals per day — are often associated with cleaner bills of health.

breakfast in the crock pot

Course: breakfast
PointsPlus® Value:    4
Servings:  6
Preparation Time:  15 min
Cooking Time:  300 min
Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Cook in crockpot set on low for five hours

Ingredients
4 cup(s) water  
1 cup(s) uncooked oatmeal, steel cut oatmeal  
1/4 tsp table salt  
      2 small apple(s), cut up apple in small pieces leave skin on  
1/3 cup(s) Ocean Spray Craisins Craisins® original flavor  
      1 small mango(es), cut small  
1 tsp ground cinnamon  
1/4 tsp ground cloves  
1/4 tsp ground cardamom  
2 Tbsp SPLENDA® Brown sugar blend  
1 Tbsp molasses  
Instructions

Put all ingredients in a crockpot set on low.

30 min cardio

One 30-minute cardio session pumps extra blood to your brain, delivering the oxygen and nutrients it needs to perform at max efficiency. Cardio also floods the brain with chemicals that enhance functions such as memory, problem solving, and decision making. And new research has found that this kind of exercise may even cause permanent structural changes to the brain itself

FREE YoGa!

YogaWorks (Newhall Ranch/McBean)
23951 Newhall Ranch Road
Valencia, CA 91355
(661) 799-2645

EVERY Monday from 1:15-2:15 pm, FREE Level 1 Gentle Yoga Community Class. All fitness levels welcome. Bring a mat if you have one, otherwise they will provide one for you. Dress in comfy clothes.
FUN!

White Bean and Ground Turkey Slow Cooker Chipotle Chili

White Bean and Ground Turkey Slow Cooker Chipotle Chili

Course: main meals
PointsPlus® Value:    7
Servings:  8
Preparation Time:  18 min
Cooking Time:  250 min
Level of Difficulty:  Easy

This slightly spiced white chili is the perfect freezer staple to have on hand for too-busy-to-cook-nights.

Ingredients
1 spray(s) cooking spray  
2 pound(s) uncooked ground turkey breast  
      1 large onion(s), chopped  
2 clove(s) garlic clove(s), chopped (medium)  
      32 oz fat-free chicken broth  
1 tsp Durkee ground cumin, or other brand  
1 tsp dried oregano  
1 tsp chili powder, chipotle variety  
      30 oz canned white beans, drained and rinsed  
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice  
1/4 cup(s) cilantro, fresh, coarsely chopped (plus extra for garnish)  
Instructions
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Cook turkey, onion and garlic over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until turkey is browned, about 10 minutes; drain off any fat.

Add turkey mixture and remaining ingredients to a 3 1/2 quart or larger slow cooker. Cover and cook on low heat setting for at least 4 hours. Yields about 1 cup per serving. (Note: For additional color, top with extra freshly chopped cilantro just before serving.)

This recipe is part of our Make Ahead Soups, Chilies and Stews series.

Pumpkin-Oat Bread Weight Watchers Recipe

Pumpkin-Oat Bread
Weight Watchers Recipe





Course: cakes
PointsPlus® Value:    4
Servings:  24
Preparation Time:  15 min
Cooking Time:  45 min
Level of Difficulty:  Easy

A fabulous fall snack. You get a generous piece of cake, topped with a crunchy walnut and an underlying hint of caramel flavor.

Ingredients
1 spray(s) cooking spray, flour-variety recommended  
1/2 cup(s) regular butter, softened  
1 1/2 cup(s) packed light brown sugar  
      3 large egg(s), beaten  
      2 cup(s) canned pumpkin  
1/4 tsp table salt  
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, or more to taste  
1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour  
1 1/2 cup(s) uncooked quick oats  
2 1/2 tsp baking soda  
24 half walnut halves  
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 10- X 15-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Using an electric mixer, in a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and pumpkin; beat well. Add salt, pumpkin pie spice, flour, oats and baking soda; mix thoroughly. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and place walnut halves on top so there will be 1 walnut in the center of each piece of cake. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Cool in pan and cut into 24 pieces. Yields 1 piece per serving.
Notes
Spice up the batter with a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pepper, ginger or allspice.

Cider-Braised Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes and Sage

Cider-Braised Chicken Thighs
with Sweet Potatoes and Sage

This comforting dish boasts the fall flavors of apples, sage, and sweet potatoes. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
8 points plus PER SERVING | PREP: 15 MIN | COOK: 53 MIN | SERVES 6
11⁄2 lbs skinless chicken thighs, about 6 thighs 11⁄2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1⁄4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp canola oil
8 medium shallots, thickly sliced 1 medium garlic clove, minced
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1⁄2 cup apple cider
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp minced fresh sage (or to taste), divided 4 sprigs fresh thyme
11⁄2 lbs peeled sweet potatoes, cut into 3⁄4-inch cubes
Season both sides of chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Brown chicken in batches, flipping once, about 2 minutes per side; set aside.
Reduce heat to medium and add shallots and remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt to pan; cook shallots, stirring frequently, until softened and beginning to brown, approximately 5 to 8 minutes. Add garlic to pan; cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute.
In a small bowl, combine broth, cider, vinegar, 1 teaspoon sage, and thyme sprigs; add to pan and scrape down sides of pan to loosen any brown bits. Increase heat to high; bring to a boil and cook until mixture reduces slightly and flavors blend, about 5 minutes.
Add chicken and potatoes to pan; stir to combine and reduce heat to low. Cover pan and simmer, flipping over chicken and stirring potatoes halfway through cooking, about 30 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs from pan; stir in remaining 1 teaspoon sage. Yields 1 chicken thigh and
about 3⁄4 cup sweet potato–shallot mixture per serving.


Sweet Potato Power!
A medium sweet potato is loaded with vitamin A and provides a nice dose of vitamin C for an adult. It’s also an excellent source of beta-carotene.

next week's meeting topic

Be sure to come in next week to find out more about, Managing your environment to avoid temptation and make following the Program easier. Next weeks meeting topic is: A space of your own.

scv walk this saturday

Weight Watcher Friends 5K FUN Walk - 8 am - THIS Saturday, October 8, 2011
ALL levels are welcome...even if you can't make the entire distance, walk what you can. It's a nice, flat, straight-out and back course. Go your own speed. JUST DO IT!!!  

You are invited! We are meeting in the parking lot of RiteAid/Mobil at the corner of McBean and Decoro in Valencia for a 5K (3.1 miles) walk along the river trail. This is a FLAT trail --- don't miss out on the free FUN! Family, friends and your four-legged companions are always welcome! Bring bottled water.
We will depart the parking lot at 8 am SHARP.

Tuscan Chicken recipe

Tuscan Chicken
6 servings @ 5 each
Italian Roasted Potatoes
½ cup @ 1 each
Green Salad
6 servings @ 2 each
2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin
(½ t salt, ¼ t pepper, ½ t Italian seasoning,
1 T olive oil, 2 T balsamic vinegar, 1 T water)
1 pint grape tomatoes
20 oz bag red potato wedges
(No-stick spray, salt & pepper, Italian seasoning)
1 bag chopped salad
************************************************************************************
Sprinkle chicken w/ seasonings. Heat oil in a
large sprayed skillet on med high. Add chicken;
brown each side 3 min. Add tomatoes; cook 4
min. or until skin pops. Add vinegar & water;
cook 4 min. more.
Place potatoes on a sprayed pan; also spray
potatoes. Sprinkle w/ seasonings, bake 25 min
@ 450. Toss salad together, divide into 6 salads.

Slow Cooker Southwest Hominy and Turkey Sausage Stew Weight Watchers Recipe

Slow Cooker Southwest Hominy and Turkey Sausage Stew
Weight Watchers Recipe


Course: soups
PointsPlus® Value:    5
Servings:  8
Preparation Time:  15 min
Cooking Time:  420 min
Level of Difficulty:  Easy

A go-to recipe for fall’s chilly nights. Hominy adds wonderful flavor and texture.

Ingredients
      28 oz canned diced tomatoes, with their juice  
      31 oz canned hominy, drained and rinsed  
      1 1/2 cup(s) red onion(s), chopped  
      1 1/2 cup(s) celery, thinly sliced  
2/3 cup(s) canned chicken broth  
      1/2 cup(s) chopped green chilies, canned (hot, medium or mild)  
2 tsp dried oregano  
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin  
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground  
1/4 tsp ground cloves  
1 pound(s) raw turkey sausage, casings removed  
Instructions
Mix the undrained diced tomatoes, hominy, onion, celery, broth, green chilies, oregano, cumin, pepper and cloves in a 4-, 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Crumble the sausage into quarter-sized bits over the stew; gently stir it in without breaking it up too much.

Cover and cook on low setting for 7 hours. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Southwestern Slow Cooker Chicken and Potato Soup Weight Watchers Recipe

Southwestern Slow Cooker Chicken and Potato Soup
Weight Watchers Recipe


Course: soups
PointsPlus® Value:    7
Servings:  4
Preparation Time:  15 min
Cooking Time:  420 min
Level of Difficulty:  Easy

This spicy soup is packed with chunks of chicken, potatoes and corn, and flavored with cumin. Hearty and delicious.

Ingredients
      3/4 pound(s) uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes  
      2 medium sweet potato(es), peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes  
      1 large onion(s), chopped  
      29 oz canned diced tomatoes, salsa-style with chiles, undrained  
      14 1/2 oz fat-free chicken broth  
1 tsp dried oregano  
1/2 tsp Durkee ground cumin, or other brand  
      1 1/2 cup(s) frozen corn kernels, not thawed  
Instructions
Mix all ingredients, except corn, in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker; cover and cook on low heat for 6 hours.

Stir in corn and cover slow cooker; cook on high heat until chicken is no longer pink in center and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more. Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving.

workout

reminder for SCV walk

Just a reminder I will re post through out the week. :-)

Weight Watcher Friends 5K FUN Walk - 8 am - Saturday, October 8, 2011

You are invited! We are meeting in the parking lot of RiteAid/Mobil at the corner of McBean and Decoro in Valencia for a 5K (3.1 miles) walk along the river trail. This is a FLAT trail --- don't miss out on the free FUN! Family, friends and your four-legged companions are always welcome! Bring bottled water and sunscreen.
We will depart the parking lot at 8 am SHARP.

next week's meeting topic

Be sure to come into a meeting starting tomorrow for next week's meeting topic: eTools for Success.

persistence

why wait

believe

Believe you can and you're halfway there. -Theodore Roosevelt

Check us out on Dr. Oz

http://doctoroz.sharecare.com/

choose your hard

Next weeks meeting topic

Next weeks meeting topic = "Why am I doing this?"
What is you WHY?
Feel free to leave your comments here.

Apple Cinnamon Yogurt Pancakes

Apple Cinnamon Yogurt Pancakes
These pancakes are so good they have turned into a family favorite!!
Serving Size: 4
Ingredients:
1 egg 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups apples, peeled and sliced
2-1/2 Tbs. honeyNonstick butter-flavored cooking spray
Direction: Combine egg, yogurt, oil, and 1 Tbs. honey in blender until smooth. Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add to yogurt mixture and blend. Spray griddle with nonstick butter-flavored cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Ladle mixture onto griddle to make 8 small pancakes. Cook pancakes for just under 2 minutes each side. Top each pancake serving with sliced apples and drizzle with remainder of honey.
Nutrition Information per serving: Calories: 267Protein: 7 gCarbs: 51 gTotal Fat: 5 gFiber: 2.5 g

points plus value of 7 for 4 small pancakes

why do you eat?

Dr. Oz

good = good

a little attitude goes a long way

Lose-A-Palooza Today

Good morning, everyone! Today is Lose-A-Palooza and for every approved mention or action around Lose For Good® today, we will donate $1* up to $75,000 as part of the Lose For Good donation to our charitable partners, Share Our Strength and Action Against Hunger. We will be sharing ways to participate in Lose-A-Palooza here all day but you can find the official details on Loseapalooza.com: http://bit.ly/pZD8jC. Ready to get started?

Headed to a Weight Watchers meeting today? Use Facebook Places on your smartphone to check-in at participating meetings, and it can count toward our Lose-A-Palooza donation goal. Look for a Charity Deals notice on the Facebook Places profile to tell if your meeting location is participating. See how else you can get involved at Loseapalooza.com: http://bit.ly/qrjr3w

Nutrition News: Got Belly Fat?

Exercise by itself does little to reduce your weight. The most effective way to lose weight involves a combination of cutting calories and moving more. But when it comes to exercise, are there advantages to one type over another?

To get rid of weight around your middle, especially the fat that lies around your organs, is it more effective to strength-train or get aerobically fit by working towards a 5K? That’s the focus of a new eight-month study from Duke University Medical Center* that examined the effects of the different types of exercise—plus a combination of the two, on fat stores that lie beneath the skin as well as those that surround the liver and other organs in the abdominal cavity (visceral fat). This is the type of fat that contributes to diseases such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure etc.

In the study, which also measured liver enzymes and insulin resistance, 196 subjects between the ages of 18 and 70 were randomly placed into one of three exercise groups. A resistance-training group did three sets of eight exercises with 8 to 12 repetitions for three days a week. An aerobic training group jogged approximately 12 miles per week. A third group did a combination of both.

Who lost more belly fat? After eight months, the aerobics group had excellent outcomes in terms of reduced fat in the abdominal area both beneath the skin and surrounding the organs including around the liver, as well as lowered liver enzyme readings and insulin resistance. The resistance-training group had reduced abdominal fat under the skin only and did not have improvements in liver enzymes or insulin resistance measures. The combination group had similar results to the aerobics group but they weren’t statistically significant. Although larger studies are needed to confirm the results, the evidence suggests that aerobic activity—whether jogging, dancing or spinning at a moderate intensity and the equivalent of 12 miles per week—can help minimize that gut that won’t go away. 

next weeks meeting topic

Are you ready to "maximize the minutes?" Starting tomorrow come in to a meeting and find out how!

Lose-a-palooza

A simple tweet, update or check-in by members will help us fight hunger

On September 19, being social can make a difference. That’s the date of Weight Watchers® Lose-A-Palooza, a special one-day social media event designed to raise awareness of and encourage participation in the Lose For Good® campaign.

How it works: For 24 hours only, every approved mention or acknowledgment of “Lose For Good” by members on Twitter, on Facebook, on blogs, as well as check-ins to meeting locations on Facebook Places and our official Lose For Good Community Challenge on WeightWatchers.com, Weight Watchers will donate $1, up to $75,000, as part of our Lose For Good donation to our charitable partners.

visit www.loseapalooza.com for a list of all approved social actions that count toward the donation.

WW 5K

Weight Watcher Friends 5K FUN Walk - 8 am - Saturday, October 8, 2011

You are invited! We are meeting in the parking lot of RiteAid/Mobil at the corner of McBean and Decoro in Valencia for a 5K (3.1 miles) walk along the river trail. This is a FLAT trail --- don't miss out on the free FUN! Family, friends and your four-legged companions are always welcome! Bring bottled water and sunscreen.
We will depart the parking lot at 8 am SHARP.

goals

Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible. Tony Robbins What are your goals?? Want to share?

2011 Weight Watchers inspiring Stories Contest

They’ve reached a healthier weight and thrown out all of their “before” clothing. Now our members need a whole new wardrobe! Wouldn’t it be great to send them on a complimentary shopping spree? That’s just one of the prizes in the Weight Watchers Inspiring Stories Contest, which kicks off September 4 and runs through October 8. The Grand-prize winner will receive a trip for two to New York City, a $5,000 shopping spree, and a styling session with Project Runway fashion consultant Tim Gunn!  In addition, 100 first-prize winners will receive a $100 gift card to a major retailer. 

To enter the contest online at www.weightwatchers.com/contest. We will also provide mail-in entry forms in meeting rooms during the contest period.

Members need not have achieved their goal to enter the contest. They do, however, need to have lost their weight at the recommended average rate (no more than two pounds per week) or they will be disqualified.

To enter, members must complete an entry form and provide these items:
Essay (400 words or less) explaining why they should be the Weight Watchers Inspiring Stories Contest Winner
Jpeg attachment of before and after photos; or if mailed in, non-returnable before and after photos taped to a separate 8.5 X 11 sheet of paper labeled with their name, address, and phone number
Copies of weight records noting their start weight/date; goal weight/date (if reached); and most current weight/date

Good luck to you