Sunday, December 29, 2013

Friday, December 27, 2013

 Roll up your sleeves and dig into some of the best recipes of the season. Inspired by top-notch ingredients and practical techniques, we've put together menus and serving ideas for the food you want to cook right now.

Cocktail parties are an excellent way to invite plenty of guests into your home to celebrate and socialize, without worrying about having enough chairs. With the right recipes and a good game plan (read: don't leave prep to the last minute!) you can toast the holidays and ring in the new year in style. We've broken down our favorite eats into three categories, to make your planning easier. Now it's your turn to roll up your sleeves and dig in.

Hot Bites
You don't have to eat these hot, cut they do need to take a spin in the oven.



Shrimp and Avocado Appetizers
Image of  Shrimp & Avocado Appetizers
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Weight Watchers Recipe
4.5 Stars

1PointsPlus Value

Prep time: 20 min

Serves: 12
These are amazing! So easy, so elegant. The wasabi mayo gives a bit of heat and the avocado lends delicious, buttery texture.
Recipe

Ingredients
1/4 cup(s) reduced-calorie mayonnaise  
1 tsp prepared wasabi paste  
1/2 tsp soy sauce  
      1/2 large cucumber(s), seedless, cut into twenty-four 1/4-inch-thick slices  
1/2 item(s) (medium) avocado, quartered and then cut into 24 slices  
      8 oz cooked shrimp, about 24 small, peeled and deveined  
      2 large fresh radish(es), finely chopped  
1/4 cup(s) mint leaves, left whole (for garnish)  
Instructions
To make wasabi mayonnaise, in a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, wasabi paste and soy sauce until smooth.

To assemble appetizers, place cucumber slices on a serving platter and spread each with 1/2 teaspoon of wasabi mayonnaise. Place a slice of avocado on top and then top each with a shrimp; sprinkle with radish and top with a mint leaf. Yields 2 appetizers per serving.
Notes
We prefer the flavor of the wasabi mayo when made with wasabi paste, but if you can't find it, wasabi powder works, too.

Thursday, December 26, 2013


Weather-Proof Your Walking Routine

Weather-Proof Your Walking Routine
Too cold to take to the streets? Bring your walk indoors and stay fit all season long.
Article By: Maggie Spilner
Treadmill Walking
It's the easiest excuse in the "can't exercise" handbook: It's too cold to go for an outdoor workout. If you're a walker who normally enjoys some gym-free laps around town, winter can really wreck your motivation. But it doesn't have to! Try one of these indoor alternatives this season, and you won't even have to break stride in your fitness efforts.

1. Head to the mall
Many shopping malls open their doors early to walkers. You'll keep company with people from all, umm, walks of life — from new moms with strollers to the senior set. "Mall walking is for anyone committed to walking despite the weather," says Sara Donovan, creator of the Mall of America walking program. But for guaranteed camaraderie, why not bring a friend?

Aside from the obvious weather protection, an indoor shopping mall offers the following perks:

It's a safe environment. Malls are impervious to daylight savings time changes, plus you can wear headphones without worrying about thugs, dogs, cars or tripping over sidewalks or curbs.
You have access to ammenities. Think bathrooms, water fountains and parking. You can even use the building's architecture to enhance your workout, says Donovan. "Run up the stairs or escalator to bump up your heart rate, and race walk on the smoothest surface you'll ever find."
There's built-in motivation. There are other walkers, and some malls even have incentive programs, notes Donovan.
You can window shop. Mall window displays provide interest and distraction. (Some might even consider this a form of multi-tasking!)
2. Find an Indoor Track
Think like a student: During inclement weather, gym class moved indoors, right? Check to see if your local YMCA, high school or college gym has an indoor track you can use. There are a number of reasons this option might work for you:

You'll give your body a break. If the track is rubberized or has a more forgiving surface than the mall or your typical sidewalk route, it may be easier on your feet and back.
Exercising with others will motivate you. Sometimes the tracks are balconies that encircle exercise areas, squash or basketball courts, so you have a bird's-eye view of people working out. Plus, you'll be close to other fitness opportunities.
You can take advantage of fitness-club style perks. You may be able to store belongings in a locker and shower afterwards.
3. Go Public
If you don't live near a local mall or indoor track, get creative! Find out if you can get access to a large public building, like a high school, where you can walk the halls and stairwells after hours. You might have to go to a school board meeting with a group of interested friends and neighbors to see if the school will allow this activity. While it may be the most complicated venue to secure, this option comes with its own unique benefit: If you have access to a building with several stories, try going up one flight of stairs, walking around that floor, then the next flight of stairs, etc. Alternating stair climbing with walking will be a great interval workout.

Monday, December 23, 2013

Simple Start Webcasts

 Go to weightwatchers.com to register

 Simple Start Webcasts
New Simple Start Webcasts give you more support to help you get the most out of the Simple Start 2-week starter plan.

Mobile phone with Simple Start app 
Episode #1
Getting Started on Simple Start
This 2-week plan is so easy to follow, all you need to do is pick from our long list of foods and start eating!
January 7th, 1:00pm EST    Register Today
January 9th, 1:00pm EST    Register Today
January 14th, 1:00pm EST    Register Today
January 21st, 1:00pm EST    Register Today
Episode #2
What You'll Eat on Simple Start
Our Weight Watchers Power Foods are good for you – and they taste great, too. Get the skinny on our easy-to-prepare meals, snacks – and the most popular indulgences you can enjoy every day.
January 8th, 1:00pm EST    Register Today
Episode #3
Eating out on Simple Start
Life goes on, even when you're losing weight. Here's how to keep eating smart even when you're not the cook.
January 15th, 1:00pm EST    Register Today
Episode #4
What's Next: The Freedom of the PointsPlus Program
The Simple Start plan gives you a taste of the PointsPlus Program – literally – by giving you 7 PointsPlus values to spend on daily indulgences. In this webcast we'll deliver the inside scoop on Tracking tips and tools.
January 16th, 1:00pm EST    Register Today
Episode #5
Weight Watchers Mobile Apps and Gadgets
Get the insider's tour of all the apps, gadgets and online tools we offer that will help set you up for weight-loss success.
January 22nd: 1:00pm EST    Register Today
Episode #6
Cooking for the Family
The Simple Start meals are made for one, but with these tasty tweaks and easy additions, the whole household can enjoy the same easy meal.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

New Routine: Before You Leave the House, Make Sure You Have a
Healthy Snack with You
Meeting Topic:  Hold Steady

Friday, December 20, 2013

Smart Tips to Try
Get a head start. A brunch date isn’t an excuse to skip breakfast. Eat some fresh fruit when you wake up in the morning, so that you aren’t famished (and primed to overeat) by the time you get to the restaurant.

Think beyond brunch. Before you leave the house, think about what you're likely to have for dinner that night. This way, you can have an idea of how many PointsPlus values you'd like to stick to at this midday meal.

Survey the scene. The buffet's not going anywhere, so there's no need to rush to fill your plate. Take a stroll down the length of the entire buffet to see all of the items that are available. If you start filling your plate with home fries only to see that grits (your favorite!) are available down the line, you're likely to eat a serving of both.

Drink smart. Drinking cocktails is a quick way for your PointsPlus values to pile up. Steer clear of "unlimited brunch cocktail" situations, where you might not be able to keep up with the refills. Have a glass of water or seltzer between each beverage.

Brush up on portion sizes. Know what a half cup looks like before you leave the house. What you think is a 1/2 cup of yogurt might actually be closer to a cup.

Don't discount condiments. Maple syrup, powdered sugar, ketchup, hollandaise sauce, and gravy can all add up. Make sure to factor these into your meal.

Veg out. If the buffet happens to have a salad bar, load your plate with 0 PointsPlus value veggies and low-fat dressing. You can fill up and save your Allowance for the items you really love.

Beware of grease! Because most buffet items are made in advance, there's little opportunity to ask for modifications like "light oil" or "no butter." Avoid these fatty pools when serving yourself home fries, grits, bacon, or sausage out of a chafing dish. Don't be scared to ask your server how something was prepared.

Plan a workout. If you plan on drinking a cocktail or two at brunch, go for an early morning walk or jog around the neighborhood. Otherwise, schedule an afternoon trip to the gym to gain some Activity PointsPlus values.

If all else fails... Don't forget you can always dip into your Weekly PointsPlus Allowance – that's what it's there for.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

3 NEW Reasons to Take an ActiveLink Assessment
Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Hey, ActiveLink users — did you know that you can take an Assessment to start a new Challenge at any time? Maybe you did, but the thought of not seeing your earned activity PointsPlus® values while it was going on put you off?
Well, we’ve made a few changes so you’ll be able to see more information on the ActiveLink website while in Assessment mode!

Here’s the new stuff you’ll see during your Assessment:
1. Earned activity PointsPlus values: You’ll see how many activity PointsPlus values you’ve earned so far today and the day before. These earned activity PointsPlus values will also show in your Weight Watchers Activity Tracker.

2. Activity Base Line: Your Base Line is the level of activity needed to go about your regular daily schedule. You’ll be able to see when you’ve reached it, and then any activity PointsPlus values you earn afterward!

3. A sneak preview of your daily activity: This is our favorite! We’ll show you daily sneak previews of your tracked activity, so you can start getting an insight into your activity pattern.

Why do an Assessment?
With ActiveLink, you first need to do an Assessment to determine the activity goal of your first Challenge. But if you want to, you can do a new Assessment any time you want to start a new Challenge. A new Assessment allows you to measure your typical activity during a week, and ensures that you get an activity goal and Challenge that is truly tailored to you. The most important thing for a good Assessment is to maintain your typical routine; don’t be tempted to be more active yet! The more this week reflects your usual activity, the more relevant your ActiveLink Challenge will be, making it easier for you to succeed.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Get Out of the Kitchen Faster!
Try this smart kitchen timesaver: Prep one ingredient to make two different meals.
Article By: Leslie Fink, MS, RD
Tag Team Cooking
What? More cooking, especially at this time of year? Are we nuts?

Nope! These recipe ideas will help keep you on Plan and contain short ingredient lists. Best of all, most contain pantry staples and some easy-to-find, healthy convenience foods. The goal: To help you prepare home-cooked meals in less time.

We asked Food Network star Sandra Lee what we could make with some popular Thankgiving Day ingredients. She gave us six fabulous ideas based on recipes from Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade The Complete Cookbook.

While you’re prepping: Potatoes
Whip up: An entrée potato salad
Sandra Lee says: Use extra potatoes to toss together a quick, creamy salad like my Creamy Red Potato Salad with Green Olives and Capers. Dice up potatoes, and combine with chopped up hard-boiled eggs, celery, parsley and red onion. For extra flavor, you can add in sliced green olives and capers. Add a dash of lemon and herb seasoning, plus a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar for dressing.

While you’re prepping: Winter squash
Whip up: Veggie chili
Sandra Lee says: Mediterranean Chili is a hot, delicious meal that always hits the spot. For a simplified version, combine chopped squash, zucchini, onions and tomatoes. Stir in vegetable broth, and a little bit of red wine vinegar, taco seasoning and hot pepper sauce to taste.

While you’re prepping: Sweet potatoes
Whip up: Baked sweet potato fries
Sandra Lee says: Sweet Potato Fries are a not-so-guilty pleasure of mine. They're easy and make a tasty snack or side dish. Use my recipe: cut sweet potatoes into half-inch-thick fries, and toss with pumpkin pie spice, low-sodium chili seasoning and oil. Bake them for about half an hour and turn once to ensure even cooking. Munch on them alone or serve with dipping sauces like fat-free sour cream or reduced-sodium ketchup.

While you’re prepping: Sausage (for stuffing)
Whip up: Sausage pizza
Sandra Lee says: For a quick and nutritious lunch, use premade pizza crust to make your own pizza. Here's a healthier take on my Canadian Bacon, Sweet Onion and Apple Pizza: chop up turkey sausage, a sweet onion, and an apple. Top the pizza crust with light blue cheese salad dressing, shredded fat-free mozzarella cheeses, sausage, onion and apple. Bake until crust is golden brown.

While you’re prepping: Pumpkin pie
Whip up: Pumpkin oatmeal
Sandra Lee says: I love waking up to a hot, hearty breakfast like my Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal. Start by boiling pumpkin pie filling and evaporated milk. Add quick-cooking oats and stir in some chopped pecans. Pumpkins are a great source of beta-carotene, and oatmeal might help lower cholesterol and is high in fiber.



While you’re prepping: Homemade cranberry sauce
Whip up: Fresh chutney
Sandra Lee says: Use fresh cranberries to make a flavorful chutney that turns a dull dish brilliant. Cranberry-Pine Nut Chutney is a great complement to a pork roast. Make homemade cranberry sauce and combine with pine nuts, lemon juice, herbes de Provence, and crushed garlic. Serve over pork roast or turkey cutlets.