VERY Filling 2-Point "Milkshake"

From a message board:

"A snack that I have recently started having is a '2pt Shake.' Normally when I'm hungry I want substance and not liquid but the shake is actually very filling and it craves my sweet tooth. Not to mention it helps get my dairy in for the day. "

2 tbs any flavor sugar-free fat-free pudding powder mix
1 tbsp cool whip
1 tsp vanilla
8 ice cubes
1 cup skim milk


Combine all in a blender and blend. So far I have had both Chocolate and French Vanilla, and both were good.


2 Points, about 95 calories.

No More Midnight Snacks

So you've switched to healthier late night snacks for awhile, and now you're ready to put an end to them altogether. How do you start?

First, remove all snack temptations from your kitchen. (Once you have things under control, you can re-stock your cabinets as you normally do.) Or, at a minimum, make your snacks hard to get to by putting them in a high cupboard or, better yet, in the trunk of your car outside.

Eat breakfast daily and be sure you're getting enough healthy calories during the day. If you are doing both, there shouldn't be any physical need for that late night snack.

Take time to enjoy a healthy dinner. Be sure you're getting adequate amounts of protein and fiber. Sit down and eat it at a table, not in front of the TV. Savor and enjoy it; remind yourself it will be your last food of the day. After eating, clean your kitchen, turn off the lights, and (mentally) put up a "closed" sign. Or, if it helps, buy or make an actual "closed" sign and hang it on the refrigerator and/or pantry door.

Brush your teeth after dinner and before getting in bed.

If you do get hungry later in the evening, remind yourself that if you're eating healthy, chances are you satisfied your hunger at dinner. These late-night munchies are not about being hungry; instead, they're a result of habit, boredom, stress, or fatigue after a long, hard day. Distract yourself -- take the dog for a walk, sit down at the computer, or relax in a hot bath.

If you finally give in and decide to head for the kitchen, make yourself wait another 30 minutes, whether you're still up or in bed. Chances are the urge will pass in that time or you'll fall asleep.

Try satisfying your urge with a glass of water or cup of herbal tea. This can be dangerous, though, because it puts you in the kitchen, back in the vicinity of food.

Weight comes off much faster, and stays off better, if we limit ourselves to three meals a day and resist the temptation to snack between meals and after dinner. Bob Greene, Oprah's diet advisor, recommends not eating at all after 8 p.m, as a technique to limit total calories.

Remember, habits can be broken and replaced with new habits. And to create a healthy habit you just need to stick to, and repeat, your new plan until it becomes routine. Once you get your late night snacking under control, weight will come off faster and you'll be more than motivated to continue being in charge of what you put in your mouth and when you do it.

Healthy Late Night Eating

Late night snacking is a habit and it can (and should) be broken. But if you just can't break the habit, or don't feel the need to, there are some late snacks that are better than others.

First, the not so good ones. Stay away from chocolate. It has caffeine, which will disrupt your sleep. A snack with a high fat content could trigger indigestion once you go horizontal. While milk may help you sleep, if you're at all lactose intolerant you'll probably want to stay away from it late at night. And while some say a calorie is a calorie, others swear that sugary simple carbohydrate late night snacks will find their way to your hips faster than a healthy snack.

So what do you do for a midnight snack? The best snacks combine both carbs and protein and add vitamins and minerals, not just empty calories. Adding protein keeps you feeling full longer than just carbs alone. Here are a few ideas:

Apple or pear slices with a wedge of lite Laughing Cow cheese
A dab of peanut butter on whole wheat toast
Cottage cheese with fresh fruit
Yogurt with granola
A small amount of dried fruit and nuts
Cereal and milk
Snack rye bread with low fat cream cheese and sliced veggies

If you can't give up your midnight snack, at least have a healthy one. And just like when eating a meal, portion control is key. You're eating a snack, not a fourth meal.

My Two Favorite Things (Eating and Writing)

I originally started this blog to get myself writing again. I once was a fiction writer; I don't think I can call myself that now because I don't do it enough. That's not to say I don't think about it, though. I do -- all the time. (Hmm, I seem to have a similar relationship with losing weight.)

Anyway, (stay with me, I'm heading toward the weight loss part of this but I've never been one for making a long story short), I've never really aspired to be the next Virginia Woolf. I'm happy to write "women's books" that are absolutely of the "happily ever after" variety -- a heroine, a problem, sadness and strife, followed by success, lightness, happiness. Pure escapism.

But does that have to be fiction? And can escapism become reality? Can it be that we can find success and lightness and happiness without resorting to losing ourselves in the pages of a book?

You are your own heroine; you can write and star in your own book of life. In your book (life), you can eat like thin people eat, you can embrace and enjoy exercise, you can learn to love yourself. You're in complete control of your own destiny -- the only person controlling the plot is YOU. How wonderful is that?

No one ever said that being thin is the same as being happy, and losing weight won't solve all your problems. But being healthy and feeling good about yourself will indubitably put you on the path toward your own happy ending. So take control of your destiny (and your eating and your exercise) and your happily ever after won't be far behind!

Back to Square One

When I first start WW after taking some time off, I measure everything I eat. My measuring cups and spoons are in convenient places, my food scale is out on the countertop. As time goes on, though, I begin 'guesstimating.' And I'd bet 3 pounds of tummy fat that my portion sizes get bigger.

Whether or not you're losing fast, slow, or not at all, it's always good to take a step back for a few days and make sure you're seeing your portion sizes in a realistic way. And the best way to do that is to start measuring again.

You may be surprised to find that what you think is 4 ounces of chicken is really 6, or your idea of a cup of pasta is more like a cup and a half. And you maybe even find out that you're thinking too small and cheating yourself out of food that you could and should be eating. Either way, now and then it's a good idea to go back to square one and make sure your 'squares' are the size they should be.

Crazy Cranberry Chicken

This is another kind of crazy, but easy, recipe. The salad dressing and the soup mix are both really high in sodium, but since they're being used only as a marinade/baste, it shouldn't add a huge amount of extra sodium to the dish.









Cranberry Chicken

6 (5 oz.) Chicken breasts (skinless and boneless)
1 (8 oz.) Bottle fat-free Catalina salad dressing
1 Pkg. Dry onion soup mix
1 (16 oz.) can Whole cranberry sauce

Combine Catalina dressing, onion soup and whole cranberry sauce. Pour over chicken breasts. Place in refrigerator and marinate overnight or at least 2 hours. Remove from marinade, reserving marinade to brush chicken while baking. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 350º, or grill on the BBQ.

Makes 6 servings, 4 points; 200 calories

Tiny Tip

A thirsty body sometimes thinks it is hungry. When you get a hunger pang, try a glass of water first.

A Place of Your Own

Snacks are a double-edged sword with me. If I feel I've been eating too many, sometimes I need to ban all snacks for awhile. But that's unrealistic, at least for me, and it doesn't last long.

The other side of the sword is that snacks help keep me on track and not feel deprived. But I have to plan well and be really organized to keep them from getting out of hand.

I've discovered a way to make it a lot easier to eat what I should and not go roaming around the kitchen looking for 'something' that might end up being a peanut butter sandwich. I've appropriated a pantry shelf for myself, where I keep all of my healthy pantry snacks like granola bars, popcorn packets, rice cakes, soups, no-pudge mix, etc.

I've also claimed a drawer in the refrigerator where I keep my hummus, cleaned and sliced veggies, apples, lite yogurt, etc. Now when I'm feeling munchy, I know exactly where to go to get my snack and don't find myself cavorting through the cupboards and ending up eating something that probably shouldn't be there in the first place.

Creamy Lime Pudding

1 (8 oz.) Package Fat Free Cream Cheese, at room temperature

1/3 Cup Lime Juice

1/4 Cup Splenda Granular

1 (8 oz.) Container Fat Free Cool Whip

5-6 Drops Green Food Coloring (Optional)

1 Tablespoon Graham Cracker Crumbs

Place cream cheese, lime juice and Splenda in a large bowl. Beat with mixer in medium speed until fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Fold in Cool Whip. Divide into 6 dishes. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until filling is firm. Divide graham cracker crumbs among each dish.

Serves: 6.

Per Serving: 111 Calories; 2 Points.

... And the Good News

On the other hand, some 100-calorie packs are only 1 point because of the fiber in them. The most talked about one, perhaps, is the chocolate version of Hostess Cupcakes 100 Calorie Packs.

You get 3 small cupcakes (about 2 smallish bites a piece), at 100 calories, and 5 grams of fiber, which is -- yep -- one point. I've read mixed reviews on the taste, but I can tell you they taste exactly like the larger Hostess Cupcakes. If you've had them and liked them, you'll like these, and vice versa.

Everyone seems to offer a 100 calorie snack these days, and they can be a dieter's dream, especially if the fiber content takes them to a mere 1 point. But remember, if you eat more than one or two per day, you may quickly lose the benefit of these convenient snack packages.

(FYI, the Twinkie 100-calorie packs are 2 points each.)

The Bad News ...

Be sure to check the nutritional info on your 100-calorie packs. It's easy to be fooled into thinking that all of them are 2 points, but some of them have quite a bit of fat in them, which takes them closer to 3 points than 2 points. It's okay, of course, to have a 3-point snack, but you need to be aware of it so you can keep an accurate count of the points you've eaten for the day, particularly if you eat more than 1 100-calorie pack a day.

So if you know a certain ingredient in your 100-calorie pack is high(er) in fat, be sure to double check the nutritional information before you imbibe. (You'll find that many of the packs that are more than 2 points contain milk chocolate and/or nuts.)

The Big Picture ... Or Several Smaller Ones?

We all know that small goals are easier to achieve, and easier for us to wrap our minds around, than large ones. If I tell myself I need to lose five pounds, I start making a plan how to do it. If I tell myself Ineed to lose fifty pounds, panic sets in ... Whether we're starting from scratch or starting back after falling off the wagon, focusing on a big number can be overwhelming; in bite-size chunks, it will seem more manageable.

But there's another reason small goals work and that's motivation. A series of successes, no matter how small, boosts your confidence and your optimism. And as time goes on, the boost gets bigger and bigger. Small changes you noticed along the way suddenly become big changes, and now you KNOW you can do it. Success begets success, so it's important that you set goals that you can and will achieve.

So stick with multiple small goals rather than concentrating on the bigger picture. For some, a small goal may be losing 5 pounds by a certain date. Or losing 2 pounds your first week dieting. Or even making it through that one perfect day. Your confidence will grow with your successes and what previously seemed impossible, will become a reality.

Ain't life grand?

"I-Was-Wrong" Turkey Burgers

In one of my recent entries, I compared ground turkey and ground beef. Somewhere within, I came to the conclusion that because ground turkey breast (as opposed to simply "ground turkey," which includes both light and dark meat) is so dry and somewhat flavorless, it's best used in dishes like chili and casseroles where it can be spiced up. Not so good as a burger, on the other hand.

The other night I proved myself wrong.

Let me set the stage--
It's 76 degrees in Chicago, practically unheard of in March. No question about it, it was a grill night. I don't eat beef, however, and didn't have any tofu. But I did have about a half pound of ground turkey breast.

I skimmed a few turkey burger recipes online, checked the frig to see what was there, and this is the burger I ended up with:

1/2 pound of ground turkey breast
3/4 cup of shredded zuchini
3/4 cup of diced mushrooms
1/2 of a beaten egg
5 saltines, crunched into sort of small pieces but not all the way into tiny crumbs
1 small dollop (about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon) of whole grain mustard

I mushed it all together with my (clean) hands, formed it into loose patties, and cooked it on the grill. That's it. (As with all poultry you must make sure the internal temperature is above 160 degrees to be certain it's safe to eat.)

It was absolutely delicious! The veggies practically disappear after cooking, but add some moistness to the burger. I certainly wouldn't call it "juicy," but the flavor was great (and I don't think I'd really like a juicy turkey burger anyway). I'm sure it will become a summer staple for me.

Two other good things about it -- you get more veggies into your diet, and a half pound of ground turkey makes 3 good sized burgers because of the additions. Give it a try. If you like ground turkey, I'm sure you'll like these burgers!

Based on a serving size of 3 burgers, each burger has about 120 calories, 2 WW points.

A View From the Top

While I don't have access to a stair climber, I really like the idea of keeping track of your steps and climbing to the top of a mountain or a building (one of the tips in the "Stick to It" entry a few days ago). For research rats like me, you can double your fun by researching the mountain or building you're scaling to add to the authenticity of your trek.

Here are some steps/flights you may want to undertake. If you're lucky enough to have or have access to a stair climber, see you on Mars!




Chrysler Building, NYC
2,092 steps/139 flights

Sears Tower, Chicago
3460 steps/231 flights

Millenium Dome, London
320 steps/21 flights

Big Ben, London
632 steps/42 flights

Tokyo Tower, Japan
2182 steps/145 flights

KVLY TV Mast, North Dakota
4126 steps/275 flights

Mt. Hood, Oregon
11,240 steps/1498 flights

Mount Everest, Nepal
58,070 steps/3,871 flights

Mont Blanc, France
30,420 steps/2,028 flights

Slieve Donard, Northern Ireland. 5,390 steps/360 flights

Olympus Mons, Mars
88,580 ft/11,810 flights

Leprechaun Pie

A touch of the Irish for St. Patrick's Day.

Leprechaun Pie

1 reduced fat graham cracker crust

8 oz tub fat free whipped topping, thawed

1 box fat free pistachio pudding

20 oz can crushed pineapple in own juice

Mix the whipped topping, pudding powder and drained pineapple thoroughly. Pour into crust, chill and enjoy.

8 servings.

135 calories; 3 points per serving.

Do You Convert Recipes?

I posted this information way back when I started the blog, but I've made some additions, and think it's so helpful it bears repeating. If you do a lot of cooking and converting of recipes, make a copy of this and hang it on the frig. I promise you'll be glad you have it.








Butter/Margarine/Oil/Mayonnaise


1 cup regular =48 points
1/2 cup regular =24 points
1 cup Light =24 points
1 cup Lighter Bake =12 points
1 cup Baking Healthy =10 points
1 cup regular mayonnaise=48 points
1 cup nonfat mayonnaise=4 points


Cheese


1 pound (16oz) =41 points
1 cup Grated Cheese =16 points
1 cup grated light cheese= 8 points
1 cup grated nonfat cheese = 8 points
1 cup crumbled feta=10
1 cup crumbled nonfat feta=4
1 block cream cheese (8oz) regular = 24 points
1 block cream cheese (8oz) light =16 points
1 block cream cheese (8oz) fat free=4


Sugar/Molasses/Corn Syrup


1 cup Sugar (white or brown) =16 points
1 cup molasses/corn syrup =20 points
1/4 cup molasses/corn syrup =5 points
1/4 cup powdered sugar =2 point


Flour/Breadcrumbs/Cornmeal


1 cup Flour or Bread Crumbs =6 points
1 cup Cornmeal =8 points
1 cup Bisquick =12 points
1 cup Red. Fat Bisquick = 9 points
3 T. Flour or bread crumbs =1 point
2 T. Cornmeal = 1 point


Eggs


1 egg = 2 points
1/4 nonfat egg substitute = 1 point
3 egg whites = 1 point


Milk/Milk Product


1 cup Whole Milk = 4 points
1 cup Milk Evap. Skimmed = 4 points
1 cup Milk-Sweetened Condensed = 21 points
1/2 cup Eagle Brand Milk = 10 points
1 cup Non fat yogurt = 2 points
1 cup sour cream=14
1 cup reduced fat sour cream=5
1 cup fat free sour cream=1.5


Peanut Butter


1 cup Reduced Fat = 32 points
1 cup Regular = 38


Stir-Ins


1/2 cup chopped nuts =10 points
1/2 cup raisins = 4 points
1/2 cup dried cranberries = 4 points
1/2 cup Choc. Chips =10 points
1/2 cup M & M's =10 points
1/2 butterscotch chips = 16 points
1/2 white choc. chips =16 points
1 square baking choc. (1oz) = 4 points
1/4 cup cocoa powder =2 points

1/2 cup marshmallow creme =4 points


Starches, Pasta,


1 cup pasta = 3 points
Beans, 1 cup =3 points
Rice, cooked, 1 cup-no butter =5 points
Brown rice, cooked, 1 cup-no butter=4 points


Other


1 can 98% Fat-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup = 5 Points
1 can 98% Fat-Free Cream of Celery Soup = 3 Points
1 can tomato soup = 2.5 Points

Stick to It!

As you may have noticed, I'm concentrating on exercise now, although not actually doing much exercising. Sigh. If only the concentration burned calories ... Anyway I'm trying to figure it all out, get myself going, keep myself going.

I know, I know. Just DO it.

Anyway, I've run onto several tips how to stick to your exercise plan once you get one going. And we all know that sticking with a plan is just as important as starting a plan. Here are some of the best tips I've found. Some are logical, well-known, but a little reminder never hurt. Some are a little crazy/clever, and just may work for you.

1. Set reasonable goals. If you set unreasonable goals that you can never accomplish, you'll get so discouraged that eventually you'll probably quit. If you set unreasonable goals that you do accomplish, say starting out by walking 5 miles on the treadmill, you'll probably quit, too, because you'll be so sore and tired that you'll have to take a few days off. And once you take a few days off ...

2. Start out with shorter exercise times. Five successful 30 minute workouts a week will motivate and inspire you, and burn calories, too. One unsuccessful 90 workout will net you nothing. Well, nothing but discouragement. Start out slowly and work your way up in both time and exertion. Your early successes may be small ones, but success begets success.

3. Try to schedule your workouts ahead of time, preferably in the morning. If you do it early and get it over with, it's done. If you wait until evening, there's a good chance you'll be tired and allow yourself to skip 'just this time.' If you must exercise in the evening, set aside a time block, write it on your calendar, and treat it just like you'd treat any other important appointment.

4. Along the lines of working out in the morning (this is kind of a crazy one but I guess it works for some), if you work out at home, wear your workout clothes to bed. You can get up and go straight to your workout.

5. Work out with a buddy. Set appointments to meet and work out together. Time will go faster and you'll have a few healthy laughs along the way. Plus, you'll be accountable to each other and more likely to keep your appointments.

6. Make it fun. If you're walking or running, measure your miles and track a 'trip' somewhere special. Mark it on the map and when you get there, if possible, reward yourself with a real trip. If you use a stair climber, track your steps and climb to the top of a mountain or a building. (It's 36,680 steps,/2,578 flights to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro).

7. Keep an extra pair of sneakers in your car. You never know when an opportunity to workout will present itself.

8. And, most importantly, chose an activity you enjoy. If you don't enjoy it, you won't be able to make yourself continue doing it over time.

No Pudge Brownies -- Homemade Mix

Very similar to the boxed No Pudge Brownies, but slightly more cakey.








No Pudge Brownies-Homemade Mix
12 servings

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/4 cups sugar

2/3 Cup fat free vanilla yogurt (or use plain yogurt and 1 tsp vanilla extract)

Mix all ingredients together until well blended and glossy.Bake in an 8x8" pan sprayed with Pam.Bake at 350 degrees, 30-35 minutes.Cool pan completely on a wire rack

2 points, 110 calories per serving.

One individual brownie: 2 T cocoa mix and 1 T FF vanilla yogurt; stir together until glossy. Microwave 1 minute on high; about 85 calories, 1.5 points.

Tip: cutting is easier if chilled after brownies are completely cooled.

Veggie Sushi

During one of my WW stints where I was actually attending meetings, I made friends with some of the other women there and we would go out for lunch afterwards. One time we went back to one of the women's home and made these. It was a blast! This would be a great party snack, or even just a refrigerator snack, handy for when you need a quick bite.

The recipe is for 2 rolls, but if you're going to the trouble of making your own sushi, you might as well take the time to make a few different kinds.

Veggie Sushi

Approximately 1/2 cup cooked white rice (using brown rice will save you 1 point per roll because of the fiber, although the calories remain about the same)

2 Tbs. rice vinegar

salt

sugar

nori sheets

Cucumber, de-seeded and cut in thin match stick sized slices *

1) Make rice as usual. While rice is cooking, combine rice vinegar with a pinch of salt and 2 pinches of sugar in a bowl. When rice is done, remove from heat and fold in vinegar mixture. Chill.

2)When the rice is cool, you are ready to make your sushi. Place a sheet of nori onto a slightly damp tea towel (or [dry] aluminum foil, or a sushi mat if you have one). Spread about 1/4 cup of rice in a line at one end of the nori. Use a spoon to flatten it out to make a very thin layer. Try to keep the rice within the first 1/3 or 1/2 of the nori closest to you. This will make it easier to roll it later.

Add strips of cucumber on top of the rice, just one thin line down the middle of the rice. Beside the cucumber, add thin line of any other veggie(s) you may be using.

Using the tea towel to help you, roll the nori and rice and vegetables into a tube, starting with the edge that has the rice and vegetables on it. Moisten the edge with water and press to seal. Slice into 6 or 8 sections.

3) Serve with wasabi and soy sauce for dipping.

*You can also try other vegetable toppings like grated carrot, avocado bits, pickles, etc, but be sure to add the points if you use higher point vegetables.

2 points, about 100 calories per roll; recipe makes 2 rolls.

Today's Fortune Cookie

"Fall seven times. Stand up eight."

Continuing yesterday's line of thought, don't give up, no matter how hard you struggle with your weight loss. Just because you didn't succeed today, doesn't mean you won't succeed tomorrow.

You'll have days you eat something -- or several somethings -- you shouldn't, days you feel discouraged and depressed, days you think your goals are impossible to achieve. What to do? There's only one thing you can do -- stand up and try again.

Weigh-ins are fraught with danger. There will be times your weight goes up instead of down; sometimes this will be through no fault of your own, others you'll know exactly why it happened. And it won't only happened once. But if you want to lose weight, there's only one thing you can do -- stand up and try again.

I'll throw in another fortune cookie for free: Nothing worthwhile is easy.

Don't give up! One step, two steps, twenty steps backward changes neither you nor the facts about weight loss. So get right back up and do it again!

Is Your New Year's Resolution Gone With the Wind?

So you made your New Year's resolution to eat right and you stuck to it ... for awhile. But now you're drifting away and you need to get back on track. Here are some tips:

1. Don't beat yourself up about it. What's done is done and self-incrimination solves nothing. It may even stress you out and make you want to eat more. So stop fretting and get on with the positive stuff. And be proud that you're turning things around.

2. Start NOW. Don't be a Scarlett O'Hara and think about it tomorrow. Don't wait until after the weekend, the end of the month, after dinner tonight. Do it now, if for no other reason than to reassure yourself that you are in control.

3. Commit yourself to one good day. You don't have to commit for a week or a month, just have one perfect day. It's amazing how much easier it is to follow a perfect day with another, then another. Pretty soon you'll be wondering why you'd waste all that good behavior on a Twinkie.

4. Exercise. No you probably can't make up for what you might have eaten that you shouldn't, but you can get back into the "I'm going to start taking care of myself again" mindset. And every little bit helps.

5. Drink a lot of water. If you've been eating things you shouldn't, your sodium level is probably up, too. Getting rid of excess sodium puffiness will motivate you and make you feel better; drinking lots of water will probably help you eat less.

6. Don't weigh for a week or two. It takes awhile to turn things back around. Give yourself some time to drop water weight and real weight, too, before you weigh. Losing weight is one of the best motivations for losing weight!

7. Clean and stock your cupboards and refrigerator. You know what should and shouldn't be in there. If you have some food that are intense triggers, have someone else throw them away for you.

8. Start measuring your food and journaling again.

9. If possible, try to eat at home more, out less, while you're turning things around. It's definitely possible to eat healthy at a restaurant, but you have a little less control than at home. And temptations abound. Try to fix your own healthy meals for a least few days while you're getting back into the swing of things.

10. Reach out to your diet buddies. Since this is the time of year most New Year's resolutions sputter out, there's a good chance they're struggling, too. Help each other through the tough times, offer encouragement, ask for help. We're all in this together.

Carribean Vegetable Stew

Plan this stew for dinner and you have most of your veggies taken care of for the day. Have a salad with lunch, some fruit for a snack, and you're there.

This is a flavorful, super low point main dish (unless you eat the whole thing, and that still wouldn't be a disaster at 7 points). It can be eaten as is, in a pita, or with brown rice.

Caribbean Vegetable Stew

2 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups chopped cabbage
1 fresh chile, minced (or 1/4 tsp cayenne, or none if your prefer)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups water
3 cups diced sweet potato (1" cubes)
salt
2 cups chopped fresh or canned tomatos
2 cups frozen okra
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Any other non-starch veggies you care to add (green beans, cauliflower, carrots would all be good in this). Saute the onions for 4-5 minutes. Add cabbage and chile and continue to saute until the onions are translucent, about 8 minutes, stirring often.

Add the ginger, cinnamon, and water, bring to a boil. Add sweet potatos and any other vegetables you may be using, salt, and simmer for 5-6 minutes, until veggies are just barely tender. Add tomatos, okra and lime, simmer about 15 minutes longer. Stir in the cilantro.

Alternately, you can throw it all in a crockpot (add the tomatoes and okra about halfway through; the lime a few minutes before serving) and cook for about 4 hours on high, or 8 hours on low.

Note: If the flavor is too sour for you, add a pinch of sweetener to smooth it out.Points for whole recipe are 3 for the oil, plus 4 for the sweet potatoes; about 400 calories. It should serve about 4, depending on how hungry you are!

Keeping Track of Your Veggies

A good entry to make in your food journal is how many fruits and vegetables you ate for the day. Yes, it's included in the daily menu you just transcribed, but counting them out keeps you accountable and apprised of how well you're doing getting your fruits and veggies in. Make a point to add that specific information to each daily journal entry.

The minimum number of varied fruits and vegeatables you should be eating daily is 5, but the more the better because not only will you be getting more nutritional benefits from eating more, you'll also be eating less of something else that is most likely more fattening.

Here's reminder of a some ways to get more fruits and veggies in your diet:

Breakfast --add a variety of fresh fruits to your cold or cooked cereals, add a melange of veggies to your omelets or scrambled eggs, make a fresh fruit plate with seasonal veggies and yogurt or cottage cheese.

Lunch -- Add extra veggies to your frozen meals or soups, have a side salad every day, eat a large salad as your meal at least twice a week.

Dinner -- Cook more veggie sides than you normally do, start each meal with a salad or small fruit plate, mix a variety of vegetables with pasta or rice for a vegetarian main dish.

Snacks -- Keep fruits and vegetables washed and pared and ready to eat in your refrigerator, make a low cal dip from yogurt and salsa for your carrot and celery sticks, instead of a cookie and milk snack have a small bowl of cereal with skim milk and a lot of fruit.

(For several more ideas of how to add fruits and veggies to your menu, see my "How to Eat More Veggies" entry from 7/5/08.)

Do You Gobble or Moo?

If you eat ground turkey rather than ground beef to save calories, be sure that you're actually saving those calories. The calories in both of them depend on the fat percentage, and similar fat percentages result in very similar calorie counts.

Packages simply labeled "ground turkey" can be any combination of light and dark meat, and even skin. Calorie and fat counts vary in mixed meat ground turkey, but are undoubtedly higher than for an equal amount of lean ground beef. To get all the benefits of ground turkey, you need to buy packages that are labeled "ground turkey breast." This, however, will be dryer and less flavorful than mixed ground turkey and is best used in chilis and other casserole type dishes with a lot of flavor and spices.

So depending on what you're using it for and what the fat percentage is, ground beef might be a better choice for you than ground turkey. Here are some comparisons of 4 oz. raw ground turkey vs. 4 oz. raw ground beef:

Ground Turkey
97% lean 120 calories
93% lean 160 calories
85% lean 235 calories

Ground Beef
97% lean 130 calories
93% lean 170 calories
85% lean 243 calories

Dracula Won't Be Attending ...

Garlic and Chive Dressing

In a small saucepan, combine 8 cloves of garlic and 1 cup of water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 10 min. With slotted spoon, transfer garlic to paper towel, reserving 2 Tbs of the cooking liquid. (This cooking method makes the garlic sweet and milder.)

In a blender or food processor, combine cooked garlic, reserved liquid, 1/2 cup nonfat ricotta cheese and 1/4 cup nonfat yogurt. Puree until smooth. Stir in 2 Tbs chopped chives, add salt and pepper, and a dab of Dijon mustard, to taste. Add a pinch of sweetener, if desired.

Refrigerate, covered at least 2 hours. Stir before serving.

About 75 calories, 1.5 points in whole recipe. This is good as a salad dressing, a fresh veggie dip, and fabulous on baked potatoes!

Talking to Myself About Exercise

I'm a person who doesn't believe it's politically incorrect to use the word "diet." In fact, using that word helps me because it reinforces that I'm eating differently for a specific reason, a specific goal. But I'll admit, thinking about "dieting" sometimes makes me underestimate the other part of the weight loss equation, the exercise.

When I imagine what it would be like to be thinner, I'm not just imagining how great I'd look in "skinny" clothes. I'm also thinking about having a more active life, having more energy, feeling better inside as well as outside. And that's where getting fit comes in.

So I must keep reminding myself, it's not all about food, it's about moving more, too. I try to think about it this way: If I'm going to work so hard to lose a significant amount of weight, do I want to end up thin and mushy, or thin and lean and strong? And the icing on the cake (excuse the expression) is this -- the very thing that makes me end up thin and lean and strong also makes the pounds come off faster. It's a beautiful thing ... something that makes my goal easier to achieve, makes it even more special and satisfying when I get there.

So if you're like me and sometimes lean toward thinking it's all about the food, don't underestimate the importance of exercise and activity. Yes, you can lose the weight without it, but it will be slower, and more significantly, you won't reap the long term benefits that being fit will bring. Eating less will make you look good, but eating less and exercising more will make you look even better, feel better, and live longer.

So watch what you eat, get those muscles moving a few times a day, and you'll transform yourself into a thinner, stronger, more energetic person than you ever dreamed you could be. And while it may sometimes feel like it, it's not an impossible dream. It's within your grasp and you just have to reach for it. Now. (And it would help if you had a barbell in your hand while reaching!)

Annie's Bunny Grahams -- Honey

Oh, yum. These are really good. Little graham cracker bunnies with, in Annie's words, "no icky additives or pesky preservatives." They're crunchy with a buttery after taste, although there is no butter (or artificial butter flavor) in them.

I tried the Honey flavor, but Chocolate, Chocolate Chip, and Cinnamon flavors are available. I have no doubt that they're delicious, too.

10 (small) cookies per point; about 45 calories.

Easy, and a Little Crazy

I love easy recipes, and crazy recipes, and this one is both. I haven't tried it, but if anyone does, I'd love to hear how it turns out.









Pour and Go Cobbler

2 (16 ounce) bags any frozen fruit
1 (18.25 ounce) box yellow cake mix
1 (12 ounce) can diet Sprite or diet 7-Up

Place both bags of frozen fruit into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish (do not thaw). Sprinkle dry cake mix over the top of frozen fruit. Pour entire can of diet sprite or diet 7-Up over mixture. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 40 minutes.

12 servings; 1 serving equals 3 WW points, about 150 calories.

One Page at a Time

I've often said that my number one tool for diet success is a journal. There's never been a time that I've lost weight and not faithfully used one. There's something about writing down every bite you eat that makes you think more carefully about what you put in your mouth. It also helps you figure out what's working and what's not working in terms of your daily meals.

That being said, there are still times that I can't make myself journal like I need to. Like now. I've recommitted to eating right and have been doing well, but I haven't journaled and that makes me question my sincerety. Life is kind of crazy now and I guess that's why I can't concentrate on putting it all together.

So that's why I'm only going to journal for one meal. And then the next. And then the next. What do you know? I've journaled for a whole day! That's how I'm going to approach it, one meal at a time, and hopefully it will sink in that the good it's doing me far outweighs the loss of the minute or two it takes to write down what I've eaten.

But, honestly, it's not the time it takes that's the problelm, it's facing what I've eaten and denying myself the opportunity to 'accidentally forget' everything that has gone in my mouth. Just because it's forgotten doesn't mean it's calorie free ...

I wish I had some kind of magic tidbit to help you (and me) become a perfect food journalist. I don't. All I can say is that it's so very important and whatever it takes to make yourself do it, do it. And if you figure out what that is, please let me know!

Smile!

Let's not forget that wonderful invention called Sugarless Gum.

Since food and gum don't mix, it can help prevent a myriad of slippages. Pop a piece in your mouth before you to go the sample-laden warehouse store, while you're fixing dinner, while you're putting dinner away, while you're waiting for dinner at a restaurant (and eyeing the bread basket), ANYTIME you don't want mindless eating and munching to ruin your day.

There are several teeth whitening sugarless gums out there now. Chew some each time you're tempted to eat something you shouldn't and you could end up with the whitest teeth on the planet!

Two-Point Wonder

This is a filling snack or a convenient lunch for days you're saving points or calories for a special dinner. Lots of bang for your buck here!

Two slices of your favorite lite bread, toasted or not
1 Laughing Cow Light cheese wedge
3 slices Deli Select Honey Roasted Turkey Breast*
Plain or Dijonaise mustard

Lettuce, tomato, thin cucumber rounds, and onion


Spread the cheese on one slice of bread, mustard on the other. Assemble the rest of your two point wonder, put a dill pickle of the side if you wish, and enjoy!

2 points, about 140 calories. (Calorie differential because of fiber in the lite bread.)

*Or any thin sliced luncheon meat that is the equivalent to 6 slices for 50-60 calories.