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.