May 18 2008
|
Healthy Thoughts/Healthy Actions
Weight Watchers Newsletter #13
|
|
|
|
|
 As I write this the fog is slowly burning off and the orchard outside my window reveals itself more and more. Tiny apples, the size of cherries, cover the branches, and the finches crowd the feeder. A young buck strolls cautiously by and a jackrabbit darts frantically across the driveway. Nature at its most glorious!
And speaking of cherries, they are here! If I knew how to write odes I would write one to summer fruit! Peaches, nectarines, and apricots!! I am seeing something in the markets called apriums. They look and taste like apricots, so I'm not sure how they are different, but try them and tell me what you think.
And as you are purchasing your fruits and vegetables (and other products too), note where they are grown (or manufactured). Local is the word! Hopefully what you are buying is from California, at the very least, or specifically from local counties. Think green, as the cliche goes. Less gas to get it to us, means helping the environment. It is a small part to play, but every small action leads to greater good. Thanks for helping!
|
|
Meeting Topics / Late May
 The week of May 18th we will be talking about the upcoming holiday and the challenges of holiday eating, family visits, and the like. Let's help each other strategize for a successful and fun Memorial Day weekend!
And the week of May 25th the topic is a great one...Learning to relax, and how it can help our weight loss goals. Think it plays no part in losing weight? Think again! |
 I have gotten asked many times for a good crab cake recipe. I have never tried this one but it is from the My Turnaround Cookbook, so please try it and let me know what you think!
Baked Crab Cakes
3 celery stalks, minced
2 large shallots, minced
1 lb cooked fresh or thawed lump crabmeat,
picked over
3/4 c light mayonnaise (the recipe calls for non-fat but I dislike it, so use your judgement)
1 3/4 c whole wheat bread crumbs (I have also used Kashi Good Friends cereal to make bread crumbs and it is sweet and delicious: it would be ideal for this)
3 Tbl fresh minced dill, or 1 Tbl dried
2 Tbl Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1-2 dashes hot sauce
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a large baking sheet with spray oil.
Spray a large skillet with oil and set over low heat. Add celery and shallots: cook, stirring frequently until very soft: about 8 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes. Stir in crab, mayonnaise, 1/4 of the bread crumbs, dill, mustard, salt and pepper, and hot sauce. Shape into patties.
Spread the remaining bread crumbs on a flat surface and coat the patties evenly. Transfer to the baking sheet and spray each lightly with oil. Bake until lightly browned and cooked through: about 12 minutes.
With non-fat mayonnaise 2 patties are 4 points.
With light mayonnaise add 1 point.
This is not a Core recipe. |
The Letter Department
Marcia from Sebastopol posed this question to me in person the other day and I thought it was a good one to bring to all of you.
Marcia says,
I'm doing Core, and when I go to the grocery store I find things I think should be Core when I look on the label, but I don't know how to be sure. And if everything is Core in the ingredients except one thing, can I just count that one thing as non-Core?
So this is a tricky thing, to be honest. Weight Watcher's Complete Food Companion is the best resource for this information, so I would send you there first. If you are looking at soups, for example, you look up that brand and see if that soup has the "check" next to it, which is an indication of Core. But sometimes things are not in the book, so then what do you do?
Well, if you are using ETools you can ask on-line if that item is Core. But if you are not here is how I would handle it. Read the ingredients carefully and be sure EVERY SINGLE INGREDIENT is Core. You cannot count one or two items as not Core. You must count the entire thing as non-Core if anything in the ingredients is not Core. Now if you made that thing at home (soup for example), and used a little flour to thicken it, you could count just the flour. But if flour is an ingredient on a can, the entire can is not a Core food. You do not know how much was used so have no way of doing the math.
Use your judgment. It is better to not eat it if there is any question, then fake it and count it as Core when it might not be. In the long run it will show up at the scale.
|
 Trader Joe's has such great products but there are no pictures on line, so for the next few newsletters I will be listing some here for you all to explore...
BREADED CHICKENLESS NUGGETS 6 are 3 pts great for kids as they are like Chicken McNuggets. In the freezer section.
FROZEN CUBED GARLIC/BASIL/CILANTRO These are little mini-ice cubes of garlic or herbs. They are very strong and better than the real thing because they are frozen instantly and quite concentrated. Easy and yummy! Find them in the freezer section.
GARLIC MUSHROOMS These are delicious jarred mushrooms (found near the oils and vinegars) marinated with a good dose of garlic. 0 points!
CALCIUM CHEWS If you're like me you aren't very good at taking your calcium. Here is an easy way. These are found in the vitamin section in a box. They come in chocolate and fruit flavored and are very yummy candies, which work out to 1 point for 3, which is your minimum daily calcium.
|
Before and After Pictures!!!
  Linda Sotto from Santa Rosa has lost a whopping 46.2 lbs and is still on her way!! She is an inspiration to the 10am Thursday meeting and to all of us! Thank you for sharing these pictures, Linda!
|
Get In Shape the Fun Way!
 I am hoping to see some of you at my new dance-based fitness class at Tone Fitness in downtown Santa Rosa. Do you like shakin' your booty to Motown, swing jazz, blues and good old rock n' roll, like the Eagles and Van Morrison? Then this class is for you! No gym memberships or long term commitments. Just show up Sunday at 10 am and plan for an hour of great fun!
www.tonefitness.com
|
|
|
|
I had to include this. I really hope it does not offend any of you, but I thought it so funny, and sadly so true....
After a short stay in America Michaelangelo's David returns to Europe...
Lots of love and good wishes to all of you!
- Janet Ciel
|
|
|
|
