Hope that you are having a great week so far. I am feeling really empowered this week. I finally figured out Blogger.com and managed to get my little newsletter published as a blog online! I am posting the same things there that I email you guys each week, and even found another site to host my attachments so that you can still pull down my little findings from week to week! The URL for the site is: http://elissasweightlossjourney.blogspot.com if you wanted to check it out, or if you wanted to pass the link on to a friend or family member that needs some encouragement! I am still going to continue on with the email version. I have no intention of stopping my emails though! It’s a good outlet for me, and I enjoy corresponding with my people!
As a follow up to last week, I did have a wonderful birthday. I came home all prepared to make the Creamy Fettuccine dish that I posted in last week’s issuance, but to my surprise, I came home to flowers, a beautiful cake, and some Thai food. The best birthdays are ones that don’t involve cooking your own birthday dinner!!! I got a spa package consisting of a facial, massage, manicure, pedicure and scalp treatment PLUS lunch at one of Denton’s local day spas (that I intend to take advantage of soon after month end close!). It was a good day. I’ll keep 42. Wasn’t as unlucky as I first thought it to be.
With Yom Kippur falling on a Monday this year, I was in temple for most of the day and haven’t made it to my meeting this week—YET. Like I said many times, I don’t miss a meeting. Ever. I am simply rearranging my schedule this week and am going to probably attend the Friday Noon meeting at my usual location. For me…my meetings are a priority. I know that sometimes we all say that we don’t have time for this or that…but in the end? We all have the same twenty four hours in the day. What makes the difference? How we choose to prioritize our time during the day. I have certain things that I do each day…not all each day…but I do have a routine. On a regular basis, I do the following:
-Work Out
-Attend my Weight Watchers meetings
-Get my job at work done (I promise…I do work!!! LOL…)
-Get my mommy work done at home, and keep the peace (as best as I can, knowing I have a 9 year old button-pusher and a 2 ½ year old that instigates conflict!)
-Try not to lose my mind.
If you all noticed, my priorities include making time for me. I say this from time to time, (but I assure you it’s okay) PUT YOURSELF ON THE LIST. If you don’t take care of yourself, you will not be around to take care of those you love. If you want to be a role model for your kids and family…and others… take care of yourself first. They will notice, and will probably appreciate it….even though they may not say it! LOL….If you take care of YOU, you will be more able to take care of those you love.
As for the meeting topic of the week….
Since it’s Wednesday and I won’t get to a meeting until Friday, all I can do is comment on the theme of the meeting (saw it on the Weight Watchers site). The theme is “To Eat or Not to Eat”. The topic du jour deals with eating when you may not be hungry. I attached the article for your reading pleasure. Basically the article wants to get you in tune with you body’s hunger signals and to really assess whether you are really hungry for food. Sometimes hunger can be confuse with thirst! I picked up this acronym from another member in my meeting:
HALT! Am I…Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired? If you are hungry, eat! If hunger is not the problem, then food isn’t the answer. Try it!
The attachments this week are:
1.) To Eat or Not to Eat – this is an article that deals with the meeting topic this week
2.) 24 Great Light-Cooking Tips is a primer on how to lighten up and get more flavor from your dishes
3.) Microwave Cooking provides some tips and tricks on using our favorite appliance!
A closing quote:
“We realize our dilemma goes deeper than shortage of time;
it is basically a problem of priorities.
We confess, We have left undone those things that ought to have done;
and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.”
-Charles E. Hummel
RECIPES:
French Toast with Blueberry Sauce - Sometimes it’s perfectly okay to eat breakfast for dinner! We do that at least once a week in my house. The kids love it! Make some turkey bacon to go with it….yummy!
Breakfast
POINTS® Value: 5
Servings: 2
Preparation Time: 7 min
Cooking Time: 13 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Use frozen blueberries for a convenient, year-round treat. Or switch to fresh berries or sliced peaches during the summertime.
Ingredients:
1 cup(s) unsweetened frozen blueberries
2 Tbsp preserves, blueberry variety
1/3 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
1 large egg(s)
2 large egg white(s)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp table salt
1 spray(s) cooking spray
4 slice(s) reduced-calorie bread - I like either Oroweat Double Fiber bread or the Nature’s Own Double Fiber bread. Both taste great, and have very low POINTS® Values!
Instructions:
In a small pot, combine frozen blueberries and preserves. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until berries thaw and become warm, about 3 to 5 minutes; remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
In a wide, shallow bowl, beat together milk, egg, egg whites, vanilla and salt.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Dip bread, one piece at a time, into egg mixture; turn to coat both sides. Cook bread in a single layer, flipping once, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. This recipe yields 2 pieces French toast and about 1/2 cup sauce per serving.
Notes:
You can swap almond extract for the vanilla extract and sprinkle the finished dish with sliced almonds (could affect POINTS values).
© 2009 Weight Watchers International, Inc. © 2009 WeightWatchers.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
WEIGHT WATCHERS and POINTS are the registered trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc. and are used under license by WeightWatchers.com, Inc.
Sweet Kugel
A kugel is another word for a casserole type dish. Noodle pudding is another name for this comfort food favorite!
Yield: 12 servings at a POINTS® Value of 5 per Serving
Ingredients:
1 cup 1% low-fat cottage cheese
4 (8-ounce) cartons egg substitute
1 (8-ounce) carton low-fat sour cream
3/4 cup raisins (not a big raisin fan, so I left them out completely and probably saved a few points!!!)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons reduced-calorie stick margarine, melted (I used smart balance for this…and it tasted great)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (16-ounce) can unsweetened sliced peaches, drained and coarsely chopped
8 cups cooked egg noodles (about 12 ounces uncooked)
Vegetable cooking spray
1/3 cup coarsely crushed cornflakes – I had Puffins in the house, so I used those!
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine first 9 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Add noodles; toss gently to coat. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle cornflakes over noodle mixture; cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.
CALORIES 270 (13% from fat); FAT 4g (sat 1.8g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.5g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 8mg; CALCIUM 64mg; CARBOHYDRATE 42.9g; SODIUM 312mg; PROTEIN 13.3g; FIBER 2.1g
Cooking Light, MAY 1996
