April 6 2008
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 Healthy Thoughts/Healthy ActionsWeight Watchers Newsletter #10
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 So I've been thinking a lot about how lucky we are living here, having everything we have. As I look out my window I see apple blossoms and rolling hills. I go to the market and buy the freshest, most beautiful produce. Gourmet grocery stores, fresh meats and fish. Everything we need to live a healthy life is right here. So why make poor choices when we can have so much better?
For example, is a cheeseburger fast food for you? How about a salad bar instead? It is even faster and sooo much better! And those days you don't want to cook so you order pizza....you know those days. Going to the market and buying roasted chicken breasts and a healthy vegetable dish from the deli is such a smarter choice. And those chips and crackers you're munching on...How about subbing out fruit, yogurt or popcorn for them?
I challenge you this week to make one change in either a food or restaurant choice. Who knows: you may find something new you really like!
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Meeting Topics / Early April
The week of April 6 we continue in the world of "triggers". We have explored trigger food and trigger emotions, and this week we will talk about trigger environments.
And we are in the world of exercise the week following. This is a great angle: the piles of excuses we have as to why we don't exercise. Those of you who are challenged to get moving please come to this meeting!
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Mom's Recipes
My
mother was Austrian, and her cooking was full of tradition. I have 3
recipes here, each of which my family knows quite well. I have adapted
them for our purposes. I consider this all great potluck or picnic fare, and since this weekend I had the first of many picnics for the year, these came to mind.
Liptauer
It
has been a very long time since I have made this. This is a dip or a
spread for sandwiches. In fact, this is a great sandwich in and of
itself, with a little lettuce and tomato. It sounds pretty strange, but
try it...You will like it, I promise!
8 oz fat free cream cheese
1/2 T paprika
1/2 T caraway seeds
2 T mustard (I use honey mustard, any kind works)
2 T capers
1/4 red onion, chopped finely
salt and pepper to taste.
Mix it all up and voila! 1 serving is 1 pt. 3.5 servings per recipe. This is a core recipe.
Tomato and Cucumber Salad
This
has long been a classic in our family, and although the liptauer died
when our mother did, this recipe lives on at any family gathering.
3 - 4 large, ripe tomatoes, sliced thinly
1 large cucumber, sliced thinly
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
2 T chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup basalmic vinegar
2 T sugar (or xylitol)
Mix everything up and enjoy!
1 serving is 1 pt if made with sugar and 0 pts if with xylitol, but 2 servings is 1 pt made with xylitol. To make this a Core recipe use an artifical sweetener.
German Potato Salad
Most
potato salad is very heavy with mayonaise, but the German version does
not use any, and I like it a lot better. See what you think...
6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, skinned, chopped and boiled until tender. Keep warm.
3 slices bacon (or use Canadian Bacon, which is lower in points and is Core), cooked and crumbled
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped finely
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 T sugar or xylitol
This is meant to be served warm. Mix all ingredients together and enjoy! 4 servings. 3 pts each with sugar and bacon, 2 pts with xylitol and Canadian bacon.
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Product of the Week
 Soy Dream Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream
I have been looking for an ice cream that was low in pts and has chunks of yummy things in it, and this is the one. Obviously they have many flavors, but the brownie (for me) is the best. And at 2 pts per serving (8pts for the entire container) it is a great point value as well. I have found it at Pacific Market. I suspect some Whole Foods, Sonoma Market, and Olivers will have it too. Do NOT get confused as there are lots of soy ice creams out there, and some are very high. Soy Dream is the company.
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The Letter Department
So write to me. What's on your mind? What would you like to see covered in the meetings or in the newsletter? I promise to answer as many of your letters as I can!
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Another Great Picture...All made with Food!!!
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Other Information
Last
weekend I had a great workshop on smart food choices, which was a
wonderful hit, so I will be doing again in the near future.
Coming up on April 27th my next workshop is
GET OFF YOUR BUTT!!
Do you sometimes wonder how other people are so into
exercise and you are not? Well this workshop is designed to open your
eyes up, not only to the world of exercise, but your resistance to it!
We will be visiting a great gym, hearing and watching a personal
trainer, a pilates instructor, yoga instructor, and dance teachers. And
we will explore our hestitancy to take action and why we might feel the
way we do. You will come away feeling motivated and excited to begin an
exercise journey.
Please email me at jciel@sbcglobal.net if you have any interest in this workshop, or if you have interest in my weight counseling or lifecoaching work.
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 And the closing quote for this newsletter....
"We can all fly as high as the dreams we dare to live. Unless we are a chicken..."
Lots of love and good wishes to all of you!
- Janet Ciel
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