Are you going to make a new tradition this year?

'Tis the season
Of course, it's not necessary (or practical, or effective) to completely change the way you celebrate the season. Holidays are about tradition, and if you don't feel like you can take part in the things you love most about them, you won't enjoy them. And there's no way to keep that up for a lifetime.

Instead, gear up by thinking about the non-food things you love about the holidays. How can you enjoy the season without losing sight of your goals?

"First of all, you might want to give yourself a bit of room in terms of whether you'll maintain or lose during the holidays," If you've been working hard on weight loss for months and you know the holidays will be tough, maybe the trick is to lower your expectations. For example, aim to maintain during the holidays, rather than lose. Then start picking up steam again in January.

Above all, don't give up. This is the time of year when it's easiest to throw in the towel. Think about what a difference to your determination it will make when January comes and you don't have to start all over again at square one!

Making a list, checking it twice
Check the Community for more tips on making it through the holidays. We asked users there what they'll do to keep their plan going through the upcoming holiday season. Here's their advice, along with some more tips from Jain:

•Make it about the people and events, not about the food.


•Increase exercise wherever possible (walking through the mall to find gifts, parking farther away from the store, taking a walk in the evening to "de-stress").


•Remember the HALT strategy: Before you eat, ask yourself whether you are eating because you are Hungry, Angry/anxious, Lonely or Tired, and adjust your behavior accordingly.


•Make sure that what you're eating tastes really good and is worth it to you. Don't eat dessert or extra servings just because they're there, and don't eat things you can eat anytime.


•In buffet situations, scan over all the food options before filling your plate. Be very clear and deliberate about what you're eating, and why.


•Do it one meal at a time, one day at a time … even one hour at a time. And celebrate every minute you stay on track.


Holiday Sugar Cookies





PointsPlus™ Value: 5
Servings: 24
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 9 min


Decorate these classic holiday treats with the icing recipe given below, or experiment with colored sugar crystals and other colorful sprinkles.

Details Read all reviews (6) Ingredients

1 cup(s) sugar
1/2 cup(s) reduced-calorie margarine, at room temperature
1 large egg(s), lightly beaten
1/4 cup(s) light corn syrup
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground cardamom, if desired
2 large egg white(s)
2 cup(s) powdered sugar, lightly packed

Instructions
In mixer on medium, beat sugar and margarine together until crumbly. Add 1 egg, corn syrup, lemon juice and vanilla; beat until smooth and pale in color.


In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cardamom. Slowly beat flour mixture into margarine mixture until blended. Divide dough into four equal parts and flatten each quarter to form a round. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.


Preheat oven to 350°F.


Lightly spray baking sheet(s) with cooking spray. On a lightly floured board roll out one round to 1/4-1/8 inch thickness. With a lightly floured Christmas tree cookie cutter (about 2 inches tall), cut out cookies and transfer them, about 2 inches apart, to baking sheet(s); repeat with remaining dough.


Bake until golden brown on bottom, 5 to 9 minutes. Remove from the oven; cool completely.


For Royal Icing, in a large bowl whip egg whites and powdered sugar at low speed until sugar is moistened. Beat at high speed until glossy and stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted, about 6 minutes. Divide icing depending on how many colors you want to use. Add food coloring to achieve desired tint. To decorate cookies place icing in a small plastic bag; snip a tiny hole off one corner of the bag. Pipe icing onto the cooled cookies to create tree-trimming designs and ornaments. Yields 24 trees.

How to....go from stressed to BLESSED....

While the holiday theme is joy, love, and gift-giving, the stress that can accompany the hustle, bustle and pressure of putting it all together can overcome these feelings. Stress can build up over time or show up when internal needs and feelings are ignored. Multitasking to plan holiday gatherings, shopping or communications for the end of the year can make basic needs take back burner to getting everything done well or well enough. The potential for stress build-up during this time of year can make the difference between feeling stressed and blessed.

A good check-in for stress is HALT: "Am I Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired?" If the answer is "Yes" to any of these, it's important to take a pause to give yourself the gift of self-care.


Hungry~~
1) Get in touch with your own needs. 2) Ask for help when you need it. 3) Re-energize by eating root vegetables and keep organic foods in your holiday meals and snacks. 4) Wear orange or yellow to support your life energy. 5) Find a way to nurture yourself with a warm bath, a funny movie, massage, stretching, or dancing to nourish your life energy. 6) Sing your favorite songs of the season. 7) Place flowers in your environment.

Angry~~
1) Simplify lists of what you need to do. 2) Set loving and healthy boundaries on your lists and obligations. 3) Make time for your priorities on your calendar during the holidays. 4) Wear blue or green for calming energy. 5) Listen to calming music. 6) Take a walk next to the water or listen to music with water sounds in it. 7) Get clear on your options.

Lonely~~~
1) Ask yourself what brings you the most joy during the holidays. Take inventory o f activities, food, people, and blessings that have helped you over the years. 2) Make time to talk with someone you feel comfortable expressing your feelings and needs over the holidays if even for a few moments each time. 3) Take a walk with a two-legged or four-legged friend. As you walk, list things you see around you that are nourishing or beautiful. 4) Visit a shut-in or offer some volunteer time. 5) Make time daily to meditate to get in touch with your heart and breath.

Tired~~
1) Take a moment to close your eyes. Listen for what your body is telling you. Allow the energy in your body to move in whatever direction it needs to move. You can do this with or without music. Your body knows what it needs to release and to move energy. 2) Schedule downtime during the holidays to regenerate your energy. 3) Create loving and healthy boundaries for yourself by being prepared before attending parties and gatherings with how much time and energy you spend before, during and after an event. 4) Express what you are feeling lovingly and then take care of yourself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1) Make a list of what inspires you during this season. Is it a church service? Is it a sacred meal? Is it seeing the lights? Is it a yearning for peace and spiritual values during this time?
2) What do feel you need to let go of at this time of year? Are there one or two things you could cross off your list to make it easier for you?
3) Are there any feelings of hurt, grief, or loss that need tending or need to move on to help you experience more joy, harmony and love?
4) Give yourself permission to cry, laugh and remember those you have loved over the years who have expanded your experience of love and loving. Express gratitude within and with another.





I have these made & ready to go for Christmas....I don't know if I can wait!!

Frozen Chocolate Mint Dessert


PointsPlusTM value 3
Servings 6


Keep a stash of these chocolate-mint treats in your freezer for a sweet indulgence.




Ingredients



1 oz chocolate wafer(s), about 5 cookies
1/4 tsp mint extract
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa
7 oz fat-free whipped topping, about 1 whole aerosol can
1/4 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
3 piece(s) Weight Watchers by Whitman's Mint patties, frozen, chopped
2 Tbsp chocolate syrup
6 Tbsp whipped topping, light or fat-free, vanilla or chocolate
Instructions

Line six muffin holes with foil muffin liners.

In a blender, combine wafers, extract, cocoa, fat-free whipped topping and milk; blend until completely combined. Divide mixture among prepared muffin liners; freeze for at least 2 hours.

Just before serving, top each with 1/6 of mint patties, 1 teaspoon chocolate syrup and 1 tablespoon whipped topping. Yields 1 dessert per serving.

This easy chocolate dessert can be made in several flavors. For a pure chocolate treat, replace the mint extract with chocolate or vanilla extract and swap the mint patties for an ounce of mini chocolate chips (could affect PointsPlus values).

Are you planning...for you

I am sure by now you have made your list...you might have even checked it twice...I know I have...maybe even 3 or 4 times. Are you & what is important on the list? Have you planned what you will be eating that day?
Avoid Gaining Weight This Holiday Season
...while still enjoying the festivities

This holiday season don’t be trendy – avoid the Seasonal Seven (the average weight most Americans gain between Thanksgiving and New Year’s). That’s one trend you don’t want to participate in!

I know what you are thinking – the holidays are a time for fun and indulgence. You don’t want to think about fitness during that time. You want to enjoy yourself. Don’t worry! The festivities don’t have to be eliminated or avoided. You can have a fabulous time while also maintaining your weight and your fitness regimen.

The secret to achieving a holiday season that is both full of fun and also includes fitness is found in moderation. There are two typical approaches to the seasonal festivities: 1) throw all healthy habits out the window and indulge in every guilty pleasure 2) starve and binge approach (for example, you eat nothing all day long to allow yourself to overindulge in party food). Of course, neither approach is successful at maintaining a healthy, fit lifestyle throughout the holiday season.

As mentioned above, the key is found in moderation. With a moderate approach both to what you eat (or don’t eat) and how much exercise you do (or don’t do), you can avoid packing on extra weight AND also partake in all the fun of the season. So this season, get a head start on the New Year instead of starting January with extra pounds to lose.

Here are some tips to help you:

Create a plan ahead of time. Before the holidays sneak up on you, create a plan for incorporating fitness and good nutrition into your daily routine. Evaluate your holiday schedule and then determine how much time you will realistically have available to devote to working out and/or eating healthy meals.

Don’t put your fitness goals on hold until the New Year. If you can’t exercise as often during this time period as you normally do, adjust appropriately. Don’t use the excuse that since you don’t have time for your full workout you just won’t workout at all. Instead accept your limited availability and simply reduce the frequency and/or duration of your exercise. It’s much better to cut your fitness time in half than to completely eliminate it.

On the day of a party, be sure to eat regularly all day long. If the party is in the evening, eat breakfast, lunch and a snack before hand (just as you would on any other day). Once you are at the party, go ahead and indulge in some of the fun, delicious foods. Since you have eaten meals earlier in the day, you probably will find that you aren’t tempted to go overboard and eat everything in sight. However, if you starve all day long attempting to save up all your calories for the party, you will be so famished by the time it begins that it will be difficult not to overeat.

Schedule your workouts. Mark them on the calendar and set-aside time to complete them. Consider them as important as any other appointment or event you have marked on your calendar.

When at a party, start by eating some of the healthy offerings. For example, vegetable sticks (without dip), fruit pieces, plain chicken pieces, etc. Then move on to some of the less healthy (but yummy) offerings. You will be less likely to overindulge on these foods if you have already filled-up on some of the healthier items. Yet, you will not feel deprived or unsatisfied.

On days that you really lack motivation or simply do not have time for your complete exercise routine, commit to do just 10 minutes of exercise. You’ll probably end up doing more than that once you get started. Even if you only end up completing 10 minutes, that is still a lot better than zero minutes.
When presented with a large variety of food options, it’s tempting to want to eat everything. Rather than eating one large slice of chocolate cake or a huge plate of meatballs, select a sampling of bite size pieces of several of the desert or appetizer offerings. This way you get the enjoyment of trying many different foods without overeating.

Exercise at home. You’ll be more inclined to follow-through on your exercise commitment if you don’t have to drive somewhere to do your workout. Plus, you won’t waste any time on driving, parking, the locker room or waiting to use equipment. Working out at home requires very little equipment (even can be equipment-free) and is quite inexpensive.

Avoid wasting calories on alcoholic beverages. The average alcoholic drink contains 150-200 calories per glass. Indulge in just 2-3 drinks and you’ve drunk the equivalent calories of an entire meal. If you partake in these beverages, choose wisely. For example, instead of having a full glass of wine, try mixing half a glass of wine with sparkling water or with a diet cola. This will help cut your calories in half.

When running errands or shopping, be sure to pack some healthy snacks to have on-hand. Then after you work-up a big appetite, you won’t be tempted to grab something at the mall food court or the fast food restaurant on the way home.

Hopefully these tips will help you find a balance between staying fit and also enjoying the fun of the season. Remember, moderation is the key.

Have a great holiday season!



Festive Feta Spread
Course: snacks
PointsPlus™ Value: 4
Servings: 16
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy


This dip is a favorite. It stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to five days so it's great for drop-in holiday guests.

Details Read all reviews (3) Ingredients

10 1/2 oz baked low-fat tortilla chips
7 oz roasted red peppers, packed in water, drained
1 pound(s) 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, two 8-oz blocks, softened, cut up
4 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), peeled
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
3 Tbsp dill, fresh, chopped
1/4 cup(s) dill, fresh, whole sprigs

Instructions
Slice off a 1 1/2-inch piece of roasted pepper to use for garnish; wrap and refrigerate. In a food processor, combine remaining roasted peppers, cream cheese, feta cheese, garlic and black pepper; process until smooth. Add chopped dill; pulse until evenly distributed.


Scrape mixture into a serving bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to 5 days) to firm up slightly and for flavors to blend.


To serve, smooth surface of dip with a spatula. Arrange dill sprigs on top in a circular fashion to form a “wreath;” cut reserved piece of roasted pepper into tiny “berries" and place on wreath. Or create any other decorative pattern you desire. Yields about 3 tablespoons of spread and 8 chips per serving.
Notes
This recipe can be cut in half to serve 8, but it keeps so well (up to 5 days refrigerated) that it makes sense to make the whole batch to have on hand for unexpected holiday guests. Serve with pita wedges, whole grain crisp breads or crackers and/or raw vegetables.

Feeling stressed out?

Are things not going like you planned?....get over it. Its the Holidays! That's whats supposed to happen...isn't it?. Learn to be more flexible.

Work through stress by....set down for this....exercising more! Yes, it will make you feel great, you know it. It may take a few minutes, but you do feel more energy.

Exercise is another important stress reducer -- particularly during the winter, when many people aren’t as active as they are during other times of the year. Experts say exercise is one of the best ways to combat stress and anxiety. And you can make a difference to your health regime by adding just 10 minutes of exercise to your daily routine.



Walking is one of the healthiest ways to reduce stress. "Organize your activities so they include walking. " It’s easy to add exercise by just changing the patterns of your life.



For example, divide laundry into several small loads, then make several trips up the stairs. It takes more time, but you’re helping your physical and emotional well being when you do it this way.
Another way to add in more exercise is to park as far as away from the shopping centers as possible. Don’t drive around looking for the closest place to the front door. Park away from the crowds. The extra exercise from walking is a health benefit--to say nothing of the fact that you might avoid a fender bender in a congested parking area--a stressful situation in itself.
You’ll be more motivated to add exercise in your life if you "partner" with a friend. "When you’ve made a commitment to take a class with a friend, chances are you’ll show up more often, and get more out of it---plus, you’ll have a built-in social outlet."






Cranberry Cookie Kisses
1Servings: 20Preparation Time: 10 minCooking Time: 120 minLevel of Difficulty: Easy

These bite-size sweet morsels are sure to please all of your Christmas guests.



Ingredients

3 large egg white(s), at room temperature
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup(s) sugar
1/4 cup(s) canned cranberry sauce, whole berry
1/3 cup(s) dried cranberries, about 80 cranberries
Instructions
Preheat oven to 200°F. Coat 2 large sheet pans with cooking spray or cover with parchment paper.
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form; gradually beat in sugar until mixture is very stiff and shiny. Gradually fold in cranberry sauce (you can add a few drops of red food coloring at this point, if desired) while beating for 1 minute.
Drop batter by teaspoonfuls onto prepared sheet pans; press 1 dried cranberry into the top of each cookie.
Bake for 2 hours. Cool completely before removing from pans. Store in airtight containers. Yields about 4 cookies per serving.

Adding POWER FOODS can help this Holiday

What are power foods?? ....simply filling foods from the previous plan. The stuff, that simply....is great for you
Many health experts believe superfoods — an elite group that includes fruits, veggies, meats, nuts and even a dessert — can help save the world one bite at a time.
This "little" list might help clear up any questions!!



What’s in — new on the Power Foods list

Bread
Light breads (whole-grain varieties are preferred) are now Power Foods. They were added to the list after the aforementioned analysis, and our tests of the new Plan showed that eating these breads didn’t have a negative effect on weight loss.

More pasta varieties
Pasta is normally made from wheat, but increasingly available are varieties made from other grains such as rye, spelt and kamut. These are now Weight Watchers Power Foods.

Fat-free yogurt (artificially sweetened)
Yogurt’s a delicious way of getting in some of your dairy servings, and we’ve made the fat-free, artificially sweetened varieties a Weight Watchers Power Food.





What’s out — Filling Foods that aren’t Power Foods

Avocado

Canadian bacon

Beef — porterhouse steak, T-bone steak, tongue

Cereal — puffed, shredded wheat

Chicken — canned

Chicken livers

Fish — including cooked eel, herring, mackerel, farmed salmon and pompano. Also lox (smoked salmon) and sardines canned in tomato sauce

Lamb — cooked, trimmed leg and loin, also cooked ground lamb

Milk — fat-free evaporated

Plantain — baked or boiled

Pork — including cooked and trimmed leg and loin, plus cooked lean sirloin

Pudding — fat-free, sugar-free, various types

Soup — many canned or instant soups including black bean, lentil, Manhattan clam chowder, split pea, tomato and vegetable beef.

Soy cheese

Sun-dried tomatoes

Textured vegetable protein

Turkey — 93% ground, cooked, plus regular, cooked

Veal — cooked leg, trimmed

Veggie burger — black bean






FILLING FOODS

Fruits
Included: All fresh, frozen or canned fruits
without added sugar (unsweetened) —
whether or not it has PointsPlus values
per serving
Not included: Dried fruit, fruit juices
Apple
Applesauce, unsweetened
Apricots
Banana
Berries, mixed
Blackberries
Blueberries
Boysenberries, fresh or frozen,
unsweetened
Cantaloupe
Casaba melon
Cherries, fresh
Clementine
Cranberries, fresh
Currants, fresh
Dates, fresh
Elderberries
Figs
Fruit cocktail, canned, unsweetened
Gooseberries
Grapefruit
Grapes
Guava
Honeydew melon
Jackfruit, uncooked
Kiwifruit
Lemon
Litches (lychees)
Lime
Loganberries
Loquats
Mandarin orange (tangerine)
Mango
Melon balls
Mulberries
Nectarine
Orange
Papaya
Passion fruit
Peach
Pear
Pineapple
Plums
Pomegranate
Raspberries
Sharon fruit
Pumpkin
Starfruit (carambola)
Strawberries, fresh
Tangelo
Tangerine (Mandarin orange)
Watermelon
Vegetables
Included: Most fresh, frozen, or canned
without added sugar or oil — whether or
not it has PointsPlus values per serving;
potatoes — white, red, sweet
Not included: Juices, vegetables
prepared with ingredients that are not
Weight Watchers Power Foods (for example,
corn in butter sauce, dried tomatoes
packed in oil); avocados; French fries; olives;
plantains; sweet pickles
Artichoke hearts, cooked
Artichokes, cooked
Arugula
Asparagus, cooked or uncooked
Beans
Beans, refried, fat-free, canned
Beets
Bok choy, uncooked
Borscht
Broccoli, cooked or uncooked
Brussels sprouts, cooked
Cabbage, all varieties, cooked
or uncooked
Carrots
Cauliflower, cooked
Celeriac, cooked
Celery
Chard, Swiss, cooked
Collards, cooked or uncooked
Corn
Corn on the cob
Cucumber
Dandelion greens, cooked or uncooked
Edamame, in pods
Eggplant, cooked or uncooked
Endive
Escarole
Fennel
Giardeniera (vegetable medley, without
olives, packed in vinegar)
Grape leaves
Greens
beet
collard
dandelion
kale
mustard
turnip
Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes)
Jicama
Kohlrabi
Leeks, cooked
Lentils, cooked
Lettuce, any type
Malanga
Okra, cooked or uncooked
Onion
Parsnips
Peas
Pepper, any type
Pimientos, canned
Potatoes
Potatoes O’Brien, frozen
Potatoes, new, cooked
Potatoes, sweet
Potatoes, white or red
Pumpkin
Radicchio, uncooked
Radishes
Rhubarb, cooked or uncooked
Rutabaga, cooked or uncooked
Salad
Salsa
Sauce, tomato, canned
Scallions
Spinach, cooked or uncooked
Sprouts
Squash
Squash leaves
Stir-fried vegetables, without sauce
Taro, cooked
Taro leaves, cooked
Tomato paste
Tomato puree, canned
Tomatoes
Turnips, cooked or uncooked
Yam
Zucchini, cooked
Whole Grains
Barley
Bulgur
Cereal, hot
Cornmeal
Couscous, whole-wheat
Hominy, cooked or canned, whole
Kasha (buckwheat groats)
Macaroni
Millet
Pasta
Popcorn
Quinoa
Rice
brown, cooked
wild, cooked
Spaghetti
Urad dal (split matpe beans without skin)
Wheat berries, cooked
Non-Fat Dairy and
Dairy Substitutes Items
marked l count toward
your dairy servings.
Cappuccino made with fat-free milk l
Cheese
cottage, fat-free l
hard or semisoft, fat-free l
soy, fat-free
ricotta, fat-free l
Cream, sour, fat-free
Creamer
Latte
made with fat-free milk l
Milk
fat-free l
soy, calcium-fortified, unflavored l
Soy
cheese, hard or semisoft, fat-free
milk, calcium-fortified, plain l
yogurt, plain
Yogurt
fat free, plain l
light, artificially sweetened l
Lean Proteins
Not included: Canned fish or shellfish
packed in oil; meats or fish with breading or
added fat; Processed meats, such as
hot dogs
Beans, refried, fat-free, canned
Beef
Beef, ground
Bison, lean, all visible fat trimmed, cooked
Buffalo, water, trimmed, cooked or raw
Caviar (fish roe), any type
Chicken
breast
drumstick
giblets, cooked
gizzard, cooked
Cornish hen, cooked, without skin
Egg
whole, chicken
substitute
white, chicken
Elk, cooked or raw
Fish
Ham
Lamb
Lobster, steamed
Luncheon meat
Ostrich, cooked
Peas, black-eyed (cowpeas), cooked
Pork
Sashimi
Seitan
Shark, cooked
Shellfish
Tofu
Tripe, beef, cooked
Tuna, grilled, frozen
Turkey
Veal
Vegetarian burger, frozen, fat free
Venison, cooked
Plus More
Bouillon (any type except court)
Bread, reduced-calorie, any type
Broth, any type
Chicory (curly endive)
Gelatin, sugar-free
Kim chee
Muffin, English, light
Mushrooms
Pickle, unsweetened
Pico de gallo
Poi
Roll, hamburger or hotdog
Sauerkraut
Soup
Sweetbreads, cooked
Tempeh (fermented soybean cake)
Water chestnuts








Baked Alaska Course: dessertsPointsPlus™ Value: 5Servings: 10Preparation Time: 13 minCooking Time: 5 minLevel of Difficulty: Moderate

Here's an impressive dessert
Ingredients
6 oz pie crust
4 cup(s) fat-free vanilla frozen yogurt, or chocolate, or a combination of flavors, softened
2 large egg white(s)
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup(s) sugar, preferably superfine
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Fill piecrust with yogurt and smooth the top; freeze until yogurt is completely firm, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 425ºF.
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites in a large mixing bowl until frothy; add cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add in sugar while beating mixture and continue to beat until peaks are stiff and glossy; beat in vanilla. Immediately spread meringue mixture over frozen pie, making sure to spread meringue to the edges of the dish. Using the back of a spoon, make swirling motions to form a decorative top; place pie on a baking sheet.
Bake until meringue is golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Slice into 10 pieces and serve immediately.

Points Plus the new IT!!!

This is the newest "it" program. I must say.....a common sense plan. It really boils down to healthy eating. Stuff we knew already. But when you see it in black & white it all makes more sense. Learn it....explore it...live it....breath it....embrace it...love it...LOSE WEIGHT! I am anxious to see how I do this week, because like I said, this really was what I was doing on the old plan. Just a few less points,that's what is worrying me. We will see Saturday.



Ham and Cheese Scones
PointsPlus™ Value: 5
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 18 min
Cooking Time: 20 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate


Whip up a batch of these delicious scones and enjoy a nutritious breakfast-on-the-go.







Ingredients

2 spray(s) cooking spray, or enough to coat sheet
1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup(s) whole-grain wheat flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 tsp sugar
3 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine, chilled, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 cup(s) cooked ham, sliced, cubed, or shredded, finely chopped
3/4 cup(s) buttermilk
2 large egg white(s)
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour, or up to 4 tbsp if necessary (for kneading dough)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a metal baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside.


Combine first two flours, baking powder and sugar in a large bowl; cut in margarine with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse meal; stir in cheese and ham.


In a separate bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg whites with a fork. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.


Place dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead 5 to 6 times. Place dough on baking sheet and pat into an 8-inch circle; cut dough into 8 wedges. Bake until slightly browned, about 20 minutes. (Note: For a bit more flavor, add garlic seasoning to taste to the dough.)

"Love the health-ified new plan."

"This is the first time there has been an emphasis on whole foods from Weight Watchers, the first time they recognized that a 100 calorie apple and a 100 calorie cookie aren't metabolized the same way. The concept of getting away from processed foods is a good one!" Weight Watchers' move away from processed foods and putting more emphasis on fruits and vegetables is more in line with the trends of today. Nutritionists have long dismissed low-fat, high-sugar foods as a bad way to lose weight. People are paying more attention to the chemicals and additives in packaged foods than ever before.


I really do like it. I wasn't sure! I will be honest. Like I had blogged, I lost 147 lbs. doing it a certain way....was I ready for a change? Should I risk it?....Well I have..so far so good. This plan is similar to what I was doing already, but now I am really trying to not eat anything that doesn't have a "mother" ~~ Real ...not processed






Macadamia Butter Cookies

This recipe was adapted from "Cooking Light". I have added some white chocolate chips, which makes these cookies outstanding. These would be fun to make for Christmas. You will not believe that these cookies do not have butter in them. The macadamia nuts are ground to make the "butter". I am using the new Weight Watcher's "points plus" system.

Makes 30 ( each cookie is 3 points plus)

⅔ c. macadamia nuts
½ c. sugar
½ c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1-¼ c. flour
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg
½ c. dried sweetened cranberries
½ c. white chocolate chips
1 T. sugar

Preheat oven to 375 and spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray.

Place nuts in a food processor and process until smooth. Combine macadamia butter, ½ c. sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Mix well. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well. Combine flour with baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Add to macadamia mixture. Stir in cranberries and chips. Refrigerate and chill for 15-30 minutes. Form dough into 30 balls. Place 1 T. sugar into a bowl. Lightly press each ball into sugar. Place balls, sugar side up on baking sheets. Gently press the top of each cookie in a criss-cross pattern with a fork.
Bake for 9 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

POINTS PLUS!!!!!

All I can say.....love it. It will be different but I am going to love it! I am confident that POINTS PLUS is the best program Weight Watchers has ever offered!!I am a huge fan of Weight Watchers – and Weight Watchers has been a godsend to so many dieters for years now. I like the new points plan, but it will definitely take some “getting used to”.

Natural Foods Encouraged Over Processed in Latest Change
While the former POINTS system used primarily a formula based on the amount of calories, fat and fiber present in a food, the new system will also incorporate calculations for protein and carbohydrates as well for a more complete nutritional picture. It will also take into account how hard the body has to work to process the food into energy – the more work, the greater the calorie burn.

• Fresh fruits and non-starchy vegetables are “free”, that is their POINTS PLUS value is zero. Fruit juice, dried fruit and starchy vegetables will count toward the total POINTS allowed in a day.
• While calories are still a factor, choosing a meal of a poached egg, 3 ounces of ham and one slice of whole wheat toast will only count for 6 POINTS, while a breakfast such as a croissant with butter will have 7 – despite the fact that they are both 270 calories. This reflects the lower fat and higher fiber content of the first meal as being a more healthful choice

****All in all, I think the new Weight Watchers points plan has some good changes that provide a better approach to eating healthy than the old system. I have one caution, however, for fellow fruit fanatics. Although fruits are now free, fruits are high in sugar and can be detrimental to your diet when consumed in large quantities, so always use good judgment and common sense and avoid overindulging!

ENJOY!!!!!!



17 Bean Vegetable Ham Soup

16 oz Dried Soup Beans

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 ham bone or hamhock

32 oz chicken broth

32 oz water

2 cups chopped and cooked lean ham

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak your beans overnight according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse.

2. Combine everything, except the ham in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer 1 hour or until beans are soft. Add in ham and simmer 5 minutes until ham is heat through.

Makes 10 heaping cups, 5 points+ each

how to manage change....

We are all really excited this week knowing we have a new way of "living" coming our way this week. The new POINTS PLUS will be unveiled to us Saturday gals tomorrow. I have already told my husband, knowing a chance of snow tonight.......some way -some how if the weather is bad I AM GETTING TO CLASS in the morning......no exceptions!!!!!
Change is good....this is a science...this is all. They are knowing whats best for us! The researchers have been working hard on this!

Are you changing? Life often presents opportunities for us to change. Are you celebrating those changes or resisting them?

Does this sound familiar? As a woman, you feel you have to handle everything... or you have an "all or nothing" attitude where you tend to go overboard when taking on anything. If so, you're not alone!

Today's is about handling change and how to take personal responsibility for evolving within your life. I encourage you to think in terms of a "New Year evolution" instead of "resolution."
~~~~~~~~ I will touch on this more as the month goes on.~~~~~~~~~~

Just enjoy this change, do not think of this as oh gosh....more to buy.....everything is more points.....waa waa waa........Lets do this together!!!!!!!! Then we will have a jump start on the New Year! Hot Damn! This is just renewed motivation!



Cornmeal Cake (Bolo de Fubá)

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

Servings: 21 • Serving Size: 1 piece • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 162.7 • Fat: 2.7 g • Protein: 4.3 g • Carb: 31 g • Fiber: 0.8 g
3 cups skim milk
4 large eggs
1-1/2 cup yellow corn meal (coarse)
1-1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2-1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp baking powder
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
baking spray

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Spray a 13" x 9" x 2" baking pan with baking spray.


Add milk, eggs, corn meal, sugar, flour, and butter to blender. Mix all ingredients until blended well (about 1 minute). Then add baking powder and grated Parmesan cheese and blend on lowest setting or pulse for a few seconds.


Pour mixture into baking pan and bake at 350° F for 50 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes before serving (I like it warm). Cut into 21 pieces

What is your wish list?

What do you wish for this year? Ask for things like exercise gear, cooking tools, or IOUs for meetings!! What a frigging great idea! IOU I love it!
Make sure your gift buyers know that you don't want chocolates, high fat food items for Christmas. Instead, a membership to the Y , free weights, work out clothing, work out DVDs, the latest ...greatest workout gadget, a healthy cookbook, or a membership to a sporting goods or fitness store. I would just love having ANY of these items!!! Be honest with people. Ask for what YOU WANT & NEED!!!! I am sure you can come up with more ideas than I have listed here.


Individual Ham, Cheese and Veggie Frittatas
PointsPlus™ Value: 3
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 25 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy



2 spray(s) cooking spray
1 pound(s) frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
4 large egg(s), beaten
1 Tbsp fat-free skim milk
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
2 oz cooked lean ham, finely chopped
1/8 cup(s) sweet red pepper(s), finely chopped (2 Tbsp)
1/8 cup(s) green pepper(s), finely chopped (2 Tbsp)
2 Tbsp onion(s), finely chopped
1/2 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, Weight Watchers Reduced Fat Shredded Cheese

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 8 muffin tin holes with cooking spray. Spread potatoes around bottom and press potato up sides of each muffin hole; place in oven and cook for 10 minutes.


Meanwhile, beat eggs and milk together in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add ham, peppers, onion and cheese to bowl; mix to combine.


Remove potatoes from oven (after cooking for 10 minutes) and press potatoes down firmly with a spoon so that they are spread out like mini piecrusts (potatoes should cover bottom and sides of each hole). Pour about 1/4 cup of egg mixture into the center of each muffin hole.


Return pan to oven and cook until potatoes are crisp and golden, and the egg mixture is set, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit about 5 minutes before serving. Yields 1 frittata per serving.

The one jolly fat person we expect to see during the holidays should not be our reflection in the mirror

Mark them on your calendar and plan ahead what you will eat.....at the party & before . Be accountable!

Lots of Holiday parties this month?
Add in the time demands, stresses and the urge to stay inside because of the chilly holiday weather, and you have a recipe for even more inactivity. With all this working against us, it's difficult to keep overeating in check.

Through some planning, goal-setting and little dose of old-fashioned discipline, these steps will help keep the weight off and temptation at bay.

The one jolly fat person we expect to see during the holidays should not be our reflection in the mirror carrying all those extra pounds packed on between Thanksgiving and New Year's.

Statistics show the average person gains anywhere from one pound to 10 during the holidays, and sometimes it sure can feel like a lot more. Between festivities, family gatherings, drinks and sweets, the calories can really add up.


By the end of the holidays, it's hard not to feel as if Santa might have a smaller waistline. It's the reason why so many Americans make their New Year's resolution to lose weight. But why make it a New Year's goal when that marshmallow-covered yam bulge can be controlled throughout the season?

***Five Tips to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain***


1.Drink lots of water throughout the day. It suppresses the appetite and is something everyone should do anyway.
2.Snack on fruits and vegetables. Yogurt is a healthy and low calorie option for dipping versus the more common high-caloric ranch dip option.
3.Limit alcohol consumption. Easier said than done, right? Remember alcohol has as many calories per gram as fat. Opt to alternate a glass of water between drinks, which will not only squelch a possible hangover, but make the stomach feel more full.
4.Go outside and be productive. Take a pre-dinner walk, go to the park, try skating or sledding. Any extra activity helps. Try incorporating 10-minutes worth of cardio into a daily routine.
5.Remember to have fun. Balance and variety apply to holiday celebrations as well as to most things in life. Don't set unrealistic goals and just enjoy time with family and friends. Life is meant to be enjoyed, and counting calories is not fun.

Maintaining a Healthy Holiday Lifestyle
The bottom line try to maintain a healthy lifestyle in and out of the holiday season. The best way to survive the feasting season is to remember that are about family and friends -- not food.

And, if all else fails, keep this very simple rule of thumb in mind to combat overeating at a party: Don't arrive at any celebration on an empty stomach. It's perfectly acceptable to have a small meal or snack beforehand.




Reuben Bites Favorites


PointsPlus™ Value: 2
Servings: 24
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 15 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy


These mini, open-faced Reuben sandwiches are piled high with corned beef, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut. They're great party appetizers.

Details Read all reviews (4) Ingredients

2 spray(s) cooking spray, or enough to coat bread
6 slice(s) rye bread, cut into 4 pieces each, or 24 mini party breads
1/4 cup(s) diet thousand island salad dressing, 10 calories per tsp
8 oz low-fat hard cheese, Swiss, cut into 24 pieces
1/4 pound(s) cooked corned beef brisket, cut into 24 pieces
1 cup(s) sauerkraut, drained

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place rye bread on baking sheet; coat with cooking spray.


Spread 1/2 teaspoon of salad dressing on each piece of bread; top with 1 piece each of cheese and beef, and 2 teaspoons of sauerkraut.


Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes; serve immediately. Yields 1 per serving.