MEETING CANCELED-Thursday, Dec. 13, 6:00 pm

Due to ice and snow and poor driving conditions, our evening meeting is canceled. Remember, there is still the opportunity to attend a meeting this week Friday morning, Friday at noon, Saturday 8:00 am and Saturday 9:30 am. See you then.

Jackie

Pumpkin Recipes for the Season

Happy Thanksgiving!
I promised you a few pumpkin recipes. The first is the Smoothie, from Laura Long,our Smoothie Queen.

PUMPKIN SMOOTHIE

Place the following ingredients in a blender and mix well.

1 C. nonfat milk
1 packet WW vanilla smoothie
1/2 C. canned pumpkin
nutmeg and cinnamon , as desired
1 packet of Splenda, if desired
crushed ice

Now 2 pumpkin pie substitutes : a no-cook "pudding"
& a baked custard. I've made & enjoyed both of these.

Pumpkin Mousse

Makes 8 – 4 oz servings – 1 point each

1 cup pumpkin

2 cups skim milk

2 small boxes vanilla instant pudding (fat free/sugar free)

½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp nutmeg

1 cup Cool Whip Free

Mix first 5 ingredients together. Fold in Cool Whip Free.

Put in 4 oz ramekins. Chill.

Pumpkin Custard

Makes 6 servings – 1 point each

2 eggs(can use egg beaters) 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin

½ tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ginger ¼ tsp cloves

3/4 cup Splenda 1 ½ cups skim milk

Combine ingredients. Divide into 6 custard cups. Place in a baking pan with about 1 inch of water. Bake at 325 degrees for about 45 to 50 minutes.

I'm back to writing. Must be Fall

It has been a long time since I've been to this site. The weather has been cooling off and cooking is back on our minds. I gave out the recipe for Tortellini-Vegetable Soup at my meetings. Everyone seemed to like it. So here it is. It is more than a soup....it is a meal! Enjoy!

Hearty Tortellini-Vegetable Soup

(makes about 12 cups @ 5 points for a 3 cup serving)

3 cups quartered small mushrooms

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped zucchini

1 teaspoon minced garlic

4 cups thoroughly washed and drained spinach leaves

3 cups canned chopped tomatoes

2 chicken bullion packets

2 cups water

2 Tbsp parsley

2 Tbsp fresh basil

56 frozen tortellini (stuffed with ricotta cheese)

In a 4 quart pot, combine all vegetables and garlic; cook for 5 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, except for tortellini, and cook for another 5 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Add tortellini, bring to a boil, cook for another 5 minutes or until tortellini are soft.

Shopping for Good Food

This week we are talking about great "food finds," things that help us stay on program and be satisfied. The following web site discusses how to read a label, and RDAs as well as WW recommendations.

http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=31111

Remember to bring in your favorites to your meeting this week.

Bring us your "FOOD FINDS" next week

At WW meetings next week (Feb. 26 thru March 3) we want to share your great finds. Bring in packages, ideas, recipes, etc. Your experiences are some of our best info!
See you next week.

Slow Cooker - Pork & Sweet Potatoes

Snow days - good or bad? Cabin fever or great opportunity to batch cook, get things done, shovel snow. Hope it was good.

Here is the pork & sweet potato recipe I was looking for.
Can't wait to try it.

GERMAN POT ROAST

Makes 12 servings

2 lb. boneless, lean port roast

1 tsp. garlic salt (I used garlic powder)

½ tsp. black pepper

4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

2 medium-sized onions, sliced

½ tsp. dried oregano

14½ oz. can low-sodium tomatoes

1. Place pork in slow cooker. (I browned roast first)

2. Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper

3. Add remaining ingredients.

4. Cover. Cook on high 4-5 hours or on low 7-8 hours.

Meeting Canceled - Wednesday, Feb. 14

Snow and ice!! Schools are closed!! SO ARE WE!!

The Weight Watchers Meeting scheduled for Wednesday morning, 10:00 am, at Northland center is cancelled. I hope to see you at another meeting when conditions improve.
Jackie

More Soups You Like

Carol Ferraro and Helen Guthrie recommend this recipe from the old WW cookbook
"It's as Easy as 1-2-3" I estimate the points between 15 and 18 for whole recipe (depending on the cheese you use). Serving size is large. We like that.

Cheesy Broccoli Soup-makes 4 servings.

4 cups water

12 oz frozen hash brown potatoes(no oil added)

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped carrots

4 cups chopped broccoli (she uses frozen)

2 packages chicken broth mix

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp pepper

3 Tbs flour

2 cups skim milk

6 ozs pasteurized cheese spread, cubed

In a large stock pot, put water, potatoes, vegetables, chicken broth mix, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer until vegetables are tender, 15-20 minutes. Blend flour with milk. Slowly add to vegetables stirring constantly until it thickens. Add cheese cubes and stir until melted and smooth. Divide evenly.

Each serving: 1/2 milk; 2 proteins; 1 bread; 3 1/2 vegetables; 5 optional calories

Comfort Food Recipes

Last week we talked about winter comfort foods.
Someone in my Wednesday morning meeting mentioned a pork and sweet potato dish made in a crock pot. If YOU see this, I hope you'll send me the recipe. (jackiesobel@yahoo.com)

Here are two warm dishes to get you started.

Sunday Meatloaf and Vegetables (makes 6 servings)

3 slices firm white bread, cut into 1-inch squares
1/3-cup fat-free milk
3 carrots
2 small onions
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1-pound ground skinless turkey breast
1 large egg
¼ teaspoon salt
6 small red potatoes, scrubbed and halved
½ pound fresh white mushrooms, sliced

1. Place the bread in a large bowl. Pour the milk over the bread and let stand 10 minutes.

2. Coarsely chop 1 of the carrots and cut the remaining 2 carrots into 2-inch chunks. Coarsely chop half of 1 onion and slice the remaining onions. Set aside the carrot chunks and sliced onions.

3. Place the chopped carrot, chopped onion, and celery in a food processor; pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to the bowl with the bread mixture. Add the turkey, egg, and salt; mix with hands until combined. Shake the mixture into an oval loaf and place in slow cooker.

4. Arrange potatoes, mushrooms, and reserved carrot chunks and onion slices around the meatloaf. Cover and cook until the meat and vegetables are fork tender, 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.

5. Transfer the meatloaf to a platter and cut into 6 slices. Spoon the vegetable around the meatloaf.

Per serving (1 slice meatloaf and 1/6 of the vegetables) 5 Points

from Weight Watchers In One Pot: 200 Favorite One-Dish Meals the Family Will Love.

Good for You Chili

4 cups water
2 cans (16 oz each) crushed tomatoes
2 cans (16 oz each) pinto or red kidney beans
1 can (16 oz) solid-pack pumpkin
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2/3 cup bulgur wheat
1 can (4 oz) chopped green chilies (optional)
3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
(my preference: 1 tsp each cinnamon and curry)
1 tsp salt

Put all ingredients in a 4 to 5 quart pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 45 minutes or until bulgur is tender.

One cup = 1 point
Recipe makes 12 cups

Batch Cooking for Comfort Food

The weather is cold and warm comfort food feels good.
Last week I did a lot of "batch cooking" to have good things around to eat.
I made a large pot of vegetable soup, a tray of all CORE lasagna, baked oatmeal bars, and sugar free jello. It has been great.
This week I think I'll make the 1-point (all Core) vegetarian chili, and a large baked apple crisp with the oatmeal crust.
Having these foods around helps me stay on program, and cooking them is motivating.

Baked Oatmeal Recipe

Baked Oatmeal - cut into 6 bars = 2 points each ALL CORE

2 cups uncooked oatmeal
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup fat free milk
1/2 cup Egg Beaters (or 2 eggs)
1/2 cup Splenda
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine ingredients.
Bake in sprayed 8" square pan for 35 - 45 minutes.

I love this for breakfast!

Recipe
Cream of Broccoli soup

(2 cups = 1 point)

1 lb. bag frozen broccoli florets
1 lb. bag mixed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots)
2 32 oz. cans Fat Free Chicken Broth
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 box istant mashed potatoes (flavored garlic, bacon & cheddar)

Chop onions and garlic. Saute in stock pot with cooking spray. Add the 2 bags of veggies and 2 cans of broth. Simmer until veggies are tender. Puree soup in blender. Return to pot and bring back to simmer. Sprinkle the instant potatoes into the soup. Simmer 4 to 5 minutes.
Makes 8 servings.
one serving = 2 cups = 1 point

Thank you Barb Bratton for this recipe!