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.