Eating Out

Eating Out is Okay
Article By: Michelle Olson


Don't banish restaurant meals from your social calendar. Here are some smart ways to incorporate eating out into your healthy eating plan.
It's halfway through February, and your resolve is still strong. Your game plan: avoid restaurant meals. You're even bringing a brown bag lunch to work!
But what happens when eating out becomes inevitable? Don't beg off when your boss invites you to lunch or your best friend wants to go to her favorite restaurant for her birthday. Just learn how to eat out wisely.
The "SMART" way to eat out
You've probably heard your Leader or other meetings members mention that no foods are off-limits with Weight Watchers — not even restaurant meals! You just have to learn how to include your favorite types of foods into your daily or weekly POINTS® Allowance. Making wise food choices can be particularly challenging at a restaurant. That's why eating "SMART" will help you manage. Here's how to do it:
SimpleScan the menu for simple food options. Grilled chicken and vegetables, a 4-ounce steak with a side salad, and baked potato or broth-based soup are all options that are fairly straightforward. You know what you're ordering and there's less of a chance you'll be surprised with fattening additions.
MenuWhenever possible, browse the menu beforehand. Many restaurants have their menus posted on their Web site or are willing to email or fax a copy to you. If you decide which foods you'll order before you arrive, you'll be less tempted to make poor decisions when you're there.
AppetizersConsider ordering two appetizers, or an appetizer and side salad as your entree. Keep in mind that menu portion sizes are often double the size of a regular serving size or more. Ordering small plates is a great way of practicing portion control.
RequestDon't be shy to ask your server for special requests or additions that will make your meal more sensible. Ordering steamed vegetables instead of fries and salad dressing on the side are common requests that most restaurants will be happy to fulfill.
TryExperiment with new foods that offer better nutritional benefits and fewer calories than your "usual" meal. And try new restaurants. There are a few, like Applebee's, that make a point of offering healthy selections on their menus.
Now that you know how to eat "SMART", get out there and put your restaurant knowledge to the test. And don't forget to check out The Restaurant Finder on for information on POINTS values for many popular restaurants.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"NOTHING TASTES AS GOOD AS THIN FEELS"

Be a Champion

Are you finding hard to keep up with your goals. This is something I copied from an email and I don't know the real source but I believe it is worth reading it.


1. Champions have the ability to focus on the goal and never give up. No matter what, champions are focused on a goal with committment and determination.

2. Champions are willing to learn skills and push themselves beyond what they think their limits are. It's important to learn the basics well, be realistic, BUT never think you can't do it.

3. Champions are willing to take risks. This means change...and change is the only way to excel.

4. Champions spend lots of time practicing the things that will take them farthest - and being willing to do it over and over and over. Yes, WW Olympic champions learn do it for a lifetime!

5. Champions are optimistic and positive. Look at feedback instead of setbacks. Know you can succeed despite obstacles and challenges. As Scott Hamilton says, "Eliminate the 'woulda, coulda, shoulda."

One Dish Chicken & Rice Bake

Campbell’s
One Dish Chicken & Rice Bake (Thank you Joyce and Bob)


1 Can Condensed Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Chicken Soup. (The 98% Fat Free Works just as well.) It seems to taste better with the Cream of Chicken (More chickeny!)

1 Cup Water (use 1¼ cups if you want it more creamy.)

¾ Cup uncooked brown rice.

¼ tsp paprika

¼ tsp pepper

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves. (about 1 pound) If the breast halves are large I just cut two in half.

1. In a 2-qt shallow baking dish mix soup, water, rice paprika and pepper. Place chicken on rice mixture. (I turn once just to coat the chicken.)
2. Sprinkle with a little more paprika or “Emeril’s Original seasoning”.
3. Cover.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until chicken and rice are done. (Serves 4)

This will be 7 points for one piece of chicken and about a generous ½ cup of rice. Serve with a cup of green beans for a more filling dinner.

This also freezes well





EASY DOES IT SWISS STEAK


2 TBS pure vegetable oil
2 ½ LBS round steak 1 inch thick
¼ cup flour
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 16 oz. can Tomato sauce (original recipe calls for 8 oz but I like lots of sauce!)
½ cup water

Pour oil in 7 ½ X 12 X 1 ½ inch baking dish. Place in oven at 400 degrees. While dish and oil heat, trim steak and pound 2 TLBS flour into each side. (I do this a little different. I cut the meat into portion sizes, put it and the flour into a plastic Ziploc bag, shake to coat, then pound both sides with a meat mallet!) (Great for getting out any hostilities!)

Place meat in heated baking dish; turn to coat both sides. Sprinkle with soup mix. Mix tomato sauce with water and pour over meat. If you want to get creative, sprinkle a little “Emeril’s Original” on just before you cover. (A little goes a long way!)

Cover tightly. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake 2 ½ to 3 hrs until fork tender.

Makes 6 servings. (for 8 points each piece of meat.) Great with a serving of green beans or broccoli.

Tomato and Pepper Lasagna

Tomato and Pepper Lasagna (Thank you Dean and Debbie, Fred.Sunday)
5 Points/Serving; 8 Servings

24 oz marinara sauce (Ragu light heart healthy fat free tomato and basil)
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, fire-roasted, drained
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup Parmesan and Romano, grated
1/4 cup fat-free egg substitute
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried oregano
6 items dry lasagna noodles, regular or whole wheat
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, water-packed, cut into thin strips

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a small pot, combine marinara sauce and tomatoes; set over low heat and simmer for 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses; stir to combine. Stir in egg substitute, salt, pepper and oregano.

Spoon 1 cup of sauce in bottom of an 11 X 7 inch glass baking dish. Arrange 2 lasagna noodles over sauce, down center of dish. Spread half of cheese mixture (about 1 cup) over noodles; top with pepper strips. Place 2 more noodles on top; spread with remaining cheese mixture. Top with 1 cup of marinara sauce; place remaining 2 lasagna noodles on top. Spoon remaining sauce over top and gently press down on lasagna.

Cover dish loosely with aluminum foil; bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil; bake until sauce is lightly browned and noodles are tender when tested with a knife, about 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes to firm up slightly. Slice into 8 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving.

Scallion and Bacon Twice Baked Potatoes

Scallion and Bacon Twice-Baked Potatoes (Thank you Ola, Health Stream)
main meals
POINTS® Value: 6
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 68 min
Level of Difficulty: ModerateWorks with Simply Filling

Bacon and scallions give this comfort food recipe terrific flavor. Cheddar cheese and sour cream make the filling nice and creamy.

Ingredients

4 large potato(es), Idaho

1 cup(s) fat-free sour cream

3/4 cup(s) shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp table salt, or more to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or more to taste

3 slice(s) Canadian-style bacon, chopped and cooked until crisp

3 medium scallion(s), white and light green parts, chopped


Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Pierce potatoes with a fork and bake in oven until soft, about 1 hour (or you can microwave potatoes). Remove from oven and increase oven temperature to 450ºF.
Allow potatoes to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, slice potatoes lengthwise down center almost, but not all the way, through. Scoop out potato flesh and place it in a medium bowl; reserve hollowed out potato skins.
Add sour cream and cheese to potato flesh and season liberally with salt and pepper; add bacon. Using a potato masher or a fork, mash potato mixture until creamy and bacon is distributed throughout. Add scallions and mix with a fork until just combined.
Scoop 1/4 of potato mixture back into each potato skin. Place potatoes on a nonstick baking sheet and cook until heated through and cheese is melted, about 8 minutes. Yields 1 potato per serving.
Notes

Mediterranean Quinoa Bowl

Points- 6 people 4 points 8 people 3 points
recipe doubled 12 people 3 points, 10 people 4 points 8 people 5 points
MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA BOWL (Thank you Robin, Ijamsville)
1 Cup Quinoa, dry4 Broccolinis (I used broccoli)4 to 6 oz. Block of Feta Cheese, cut in cubes (I used light)1 Cup Roasted Red Peppers, cut in slivers (I use jarred in the off season)1/4 Cup Capers, rinsed and drained1 Cup Chickpeas, cooked3 Tbsp. Flat Leaf Parsley, finely chopped2 tsp. Dried OreganoGenerous pinch of Sea SaltFresh Ground Pepper1 Meyer Lemon1 Tbsp. Good Quality Olive Oil
I also added some Mediterranean spices to add flavor.
1. For the quinoa, typically, bring two cups water and one cup dry quinoa to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Place the broccolini right on top after ten minutes (who wants to dirty another pot?) and cover to finish the quinoa and the broccolini will steam on top. Remove the broccolini to a cutting board, and transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and fluff with a fork.2. Toss the red pepper slivers, chickpeas, capers, dried oregano and salt and pepper to the quinoa and stir. Give the broccolini a rough chop and toss it in the bowl. Squeeze the juice of the entire meyer lemon (avoiding seeds) and the olive oil, stir again.3. Lastly, cut the feta into small cubes (easiest if done straight from the fridge or even let it sit in the freezer for a few minutes). Add the cubes and the parsley to the quinoa and give it a gentle fold. At this point, it is probably a tad warmer than room temperature, which is great. If you’d rather it cold, let it sit in the fridge for about 30 minutes to cool down.

Meat Loaf

Meat Loaf (Thank you Joyce and Bob)


1 ½ Pounds 95% lean ground beef (raw)
1 Large egg, Beaten
½ Cup seasoned bread crumbs
¼ Cup water
1 teaspoon Worchestershire Sauce
1/8 Cup chopped parsley
1 12 oz jar Heinz Fat Free Beef Gravy

In a medium bowl, combine ground beef, egg, breadcrumbs, ½ jar of beef gravy, water, parsley and worchestershire sauce. Spray a medium baking pan with non-stick spray. Form mixture into an 8 x 4 inch loaf on the baking pan. Bake at 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Pour remaining ½ jar of gravy over the meat loaf and bake for an additional 30 minutes until thoroughly cooked. This will make 6 servings at 5 points per serving.

You can also add a small to medium chopped onion and also 5 or 6 finely chopped mushrooms if desired. (without adding any points!)

Fennel, Apple and Orange

Fennel, Apple and Orange
SaladPOINTS: 2
INSTRUCTIONS
1 medium fennel bulb(s), thinly sliced
3 medium apple(s), Macintosh and Gala preferred, diced
4 item(s) orange(s), sectioned and pits removed
1 medium red onion(s), thinly sliced
1 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 head(s) lettuce, Boston, torn

Goodbye won't-power, hello willpower

If there's ever been a goal that you really wanted to achieve, like earning a college degree or landing a hard-to-get job, you probably know that determination and effort are key factors in accomplishing your objectives.
But what if you'd never bothered to enroll in school because you didn't think you were smart enough, or figured that the job market was too competitive, so you wouldn't even waste the time to send your résumé?
Without assertiveness and willpower, the goals that you are striving for become much less attainable. The same holds true in weight loss. Thinking that losing weight is too difficult for you to attempt is certainly not going to help you lose the weight you want to lose. And since you really do want to lose weight, why not take the same determination and assertiveness that you used to achieve your past accomplishments, and apply them to this new goal of weight loss?

Great article from WW.com

Goodbye won't-power, hello willpower
You may already be familiar with Empowering Beliefs, an effective resource from Weight Watchers Tools for Living, which can help you recognize and use your willpower and other inner strengths. Wanting to lose weight alone will not guarantee that it will happen. But pairing this desire with the belief that you are capable of losing weight can make all the difference in your weight-loss efforts.
So stop telling yourself that you won't be able to lose weight because you're too heavy, the overweight gene runs in your family, it's too hard because of your children or spouse – these excuses are just that, excuses, and they're getting in the way of your inner strength. Instead, tell yourself that you have every resource that you need to achieve your weight-loss goals, then use those resources to your advantage. Tell yourself that you will lose weight, and watch what a little positive thinking can accomplish.
Use your natural resourcesBelieving in yourself can be much easier when you know what you have to offer yourself in order to achieve your goals. For example:
Calling on the inner resources that have helped you in the past may give you the confidence to really give weight loss a go. When faced with a challenge, people often look to their own patience, sense of humor, commitment, focus, or desire. What are your best inner qualities? Can they help you through your weight-loss journey?
Are there resources on WeightWatchers.com that can help keep you motivated and enthusiastic? Maybe trying a new recipe from the Recipe Search or watching your progress in the Weight Tracker?

Don’t Quit Now Challenge A change in perspective can turn these weeks between Thanksgiving and the New Year into an opportunity instead of a challenge. Don’t worry if you missed the kickoff of this challenge last week. This one is designed for you to jump in at any point along the holiday stretch.

Eating Triggers Identifying and understanding eating triggers can help you achieve weight-loss success.

Sauteed Tilapia with Almonds and Cherries

Sauteed Tilapia with Almonds and Cherries

POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 12 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

This recipe is from our Everyday Gourmet series. It's lovely for Valentine's Day.

Ingredients
1 Tbsp almonds, sliced

1 pound(s) raw tilapia, four 4 oz fillets
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
3 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin, divided

1 small onion(s), chopped
2 Tbsp wine, dry white or dry vermouth (see note)

1/2 cup(s) cherries, sweet, pitted, halved

1/3 cup(s) vegetable broth, reduced-sodium, fat-free
1/2 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
Toast the almonds in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-low heat until aromatic and golden, shaking the pan often, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Season fish with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in the skillet, then add the fish. Cook until firm and lightly browned, about 2 minutes, then flip and cook about 2 more minutes. Remove fish to four serving plates.
Heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in the skillet, then add the onion. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the vermouth or wine; loosen any browned bits of food on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook for 20 seconds, then add the cherries, broth and thyme. Heat until simmering; cook for 30 seconds to reduce slightly. Divide the sauce and toasted almonds among the fish. Serve at once. Yields 1 fillet plus 1/4 of sauce per serving.
Notes
Dry vermouth (with a white label) is a gourmet's secret ingredient in countless recipes. It's a fortified wine and can stay open on the shelf for two or three months — unlike white wine which begins to turn within hours of its being opened. Substitution Ideas: Can't find tilapia? Try four-ounce sole or flounder fillets.

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

1 box White Angel Food Cake Mix (I used Betty Crocker)1 can (20oz) crushed pineapple in juice
· Mix the two together. (no other ingredients… not even water)· Bake in a following the directions on the box· Makes 16 servings at 2pts each.

Keep your motivation going strong

Maintaining motivation can be tough. Try these 10 steps to help keep you on course through hard times. When starting a new project, most of us vow to attack it full throttle, with the goal of seeing our project through to the end. Indeed, desire and motivation are a dynamite duo. The former gets us going, the latter keeps us on track.Yet after the initial excitement, motivation can wane. This is especially true when difficult times throw you off track or roadblocks appear.
From WW.com
Motivational speaker Jeff Keller agrees that maintaining staying power can be tough. "No matter what the task, there's usually some obstacle or temptation to keep us from our goal," says Keller. "That's why it's so important to stay positive."
Top 10 attitude enhancers Keep your mind focused on your goals. Here's how:
1. Celebrate the here and now As long as you're committed to your plan today, you're succeeding because you're taking charge of your life. Focusing on goals that are far in the future can sap motivation.
2. Change your language Keller suggests scratching negative phrases from your vocabulary. Instead of saying "No," "I can't" or "I'll try," substitute the positive. Say: "Yes!" "I can" and "I will."
3. Create visual inspiration Find a photo of yourself before you started your weight-loss plan. Tack it on the refrigerator, a bedroom or bathroom mirror or inside the food cupboard. As you reach new goals, take new pictures, visually marking your progress.
4. Weigh in Weigh in at your weekly meeting, and track your results. Look at your overall progress and visualize that chart whenever you're tempted by less-than-healthy choices.
5. Partner up Exercising with friends is always more enjoyable. Schedule days to meet with your partner, and if one of you tries to bow out, act as the other's conscience. Or participate in a Community fitness Challenge if you're looking for virtual buddies.
6. Steer clear of sabotage Avoid people who put you down for trying to lose weight, or who encourage you to eat too much. Often these folks feel threatened by your weight loss.
7. Set mini goals Start with aiming to lose 10 percent of your body weight. "By setting realistic goals, you're more likely to reach them, feel successful and move on from there," says Keller.
8. Reward yourself When you've reached a goal (and remember to keep them small), you deserve a treat. Buy new clothes, a book or CD, or take yourself to a movie or sporting event.
9. Keep reminders in plain sight Treadmills, bicycles, weights, even sneakers and exercise outfits should be left where you can see them. Don't store your exercise gear under the bed or in the basement. That will only hide the fact that you need to exercise.
10. Read Success Stories Motivation often comes from reading about the way others have found success. Just think: "One day the story is going to be mine!"

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lasagne (Thank you Polly, Eldersburg)

1 small onion, chopped
2 cups button mushrooms (optional)
2 medium garlic clove, minced
1 15 oz package chopped spinach, thawed
15 oz can tomato sauce
32 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 tsp salt (optional)
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
15 oz FF ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cup FF shredded mozzerella cheese, divided
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
9 whole wheat lasagna noodled, uncooked

Spray a large skillet with not stick cooking spray and saute onions, mushrooms and garlic until onion is clear and the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates. Add the package of chopped spinach and continue to saute a couple of minutes longer.

Mix together the ricotta cheese and 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese together in a small bowl. Set remaining mozzarella aside.

Meanwhile stir together the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, herbs and salt in a large bowl. Pour a small amount of the sauce in the bottom of a large crock pot to cover, lay three pieces of lasagna noodles over top (you will have to break off a little bit of the edges to make it fit in an oval crock pot) and layer with spinach mixure, then cheese mixture, another layer of sauce, noodles, spinach, cheese, noodles, ending with the last of the sauce.

Mix together the remaining mozzarella cheese and the parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the last layer of sauce (you can do this either at the beginning or about 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

Cover the crock pot with the lid and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

Serves 9
Points value: 3pts each