Apple Pie from Janice

Apple Pie- Thank you Janice! It was delicious.

Was 9 POINTS
Now 4 POINTS
Servings 8
Preparation Time 25 min
Cooking Time 50 min
Level of Difficulty Moderate desserts
Part pie, part cobbler, this dish is a must for fall parties and get-togethers.

Ingredients
1 cup(s) all-purpose flour
2 tsp sugar
3 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine, chilled and cut up
2 Tbsp water, or more if necessary
4 medium apple(s), McIntosh, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup(s) sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup(s) uncooked old fashioned oats
5 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine, melted


Preheat oven to 400ºF.

To make the crust, combine 1 cup of flour and 2 teaspoons of sugar in a large bowl or food processor. Add 3 tablespoons of chilled margarine and process (or mix together with your fingers if you do not have a food processor) until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, and process or mix until a manageable dough forms. Press dough into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Pinch the edges to form a decorative rim; set aside.

To make the filling, combine apples, 1/4 cup of sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon in a large bowl; toss to coat apples. Arrange mixture in prepared piecrust.

To make the topping, combine oats, 5 tablespoons of flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar and melted margarine in a small bowl; sprinkle over apples.
Bake until apples are tender and crumb topping is golden brown, about 45 to 50 minutes. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before slicing into 8 pieces.

Chef's Tips
We Renovated Apple Pie by:
Using reduced-calorie margarine to create a reduced-fat piecrust.
Replacing a second (top) crust with a much lighter crumb topping.Eliminating butter in the filling.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY. IT IS IS THE ONLY PLACE WHERE YOU CAN LIVE.

Frapuccino Smoothie

1 envelope WW Chocolate Smoothie
1 glass of milk
2 cups of brewed coffee
2 tbsp of sugar free coffee syrup
2 cups of crushed ice

Blend and enjoy. You can top it with 2 tbsp of free cool whipp.

1 serving=32oz=3 points=2 dairies=18 proteins.

Lemony Vegetable Barley

Lemony Vegetable Barley (thank you Fanny, Frederick, Friday)

main meals
POINTS® Value: 2Servings: 6
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Ingredients

1 cup(s) Quaker Oats Scotch Barley, Regular & Quick Cooking

1/2 cup(s) frozen cut green beans

1 cup(s) shredded carrots

1/2 cup(s) celery, coarsely chopped

1 cup(s) broccoli, chopped fresh

1/2 cup(s) spinach, fresh chopped

1/2 cup(s) onion(s), chopped

1/2 cup(s) green snap beans, cup up fresh green beans

1 small tomato(es), seeded and chopped

1/3 cup(s) yellow pepper(s), chopped

1/3 cup(s) mushroom(s), chopped mushrooms
1 serving(s) DRESSING

1 medium lemon(s), lemon juice
2 Tbsp basil, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp water

1 1/2 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp lemon pepper
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 tsp table salt
InstructionsCook quick barley according to package directions. Drain and cool. Place beans in a saucepan andcover with water, bring to a boil. Reduce hea and simmer, uncovered for 8/10 minutes or until crisp tender Drain and cool.In a large bowl combine thecarrot, celery, broccoli, spinach, onion tomato, yellow pepper, mushrooms, barley and beans. In a small bowl whis the dressing ingredients. Pour over the salad and toss to coat. Cover and regrigerate for at least 4 hous before serving.

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Makes 4 servings (1 ¼ cups soup; 3 tortilla chips)
POINTS® value per serving: 4
◊1 (14 ½ oz) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilis
◊1 (14 oz) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
◊2 cups thawed frozen mixed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, corn, and red pepper)
1 cup water
2 tsp ground cumin
◊1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast
3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp lime juice
12 baked tortilla chips, crumbled
Combine the tomatoes, broth, vegetables, water, and cumin in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, 10 minutes.
Stir in the chicken and cook until heated through, 2 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice. Divide between each of 4 soup bowls. Top each serving with 3 of the tortilla chips and serve at once.
MINI MEATBALL MINESTRA
2.5 points per cup (2 meatballs per cup) makes 19 cups
1 tbsp olive oil
2 slices bacon
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 heads escarole, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper
nutmeg to taste
1 15oz. can cannellini beans, drained
2 quarts chicken stock (I used 2 large cans of broth)
3 cups water
1 pound 90%lean ground beef
1 egg
1/4 c bread crumbs
splash of milk
1/4 c parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp allspice
fresh parsley
1 c mini penne or ditalini

In soup pot heat olive oil over medium - high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp, 2-3 minutes.
Add onion and 2 cloves of garlic and saute 4-5 minutes then add escarole and wilt. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in beans, add stock and water and bring to a boil.

While stock comes to a boil, combine meat egg, bread crumbs, milk, cheese, 1 clove of crushed garlic, fennel, allspice, parsley, salt and pepper. Combile and roll into 38 mini meatballs(less than an inch). Add to soup and cook for 2 minutes. Add dry pasta and cook 6 more minutes or until pasta is al dente.

Creamy Cheesy Cauliflower Soup
4 servings at 3.5 points per serving

1 med. onion, chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 c fat free milk, soy milk or almond milk
4 oz. 50% reduced fat cheese
2-3 tbsp fresh dill or 2 tsp of dried dill
In large saucepan over medium heat combine onion and oil. Cook stirring until onion is tender. Add cauliflower and cook stirring for 2 minutes longer.
Add broth and milk, bring to a boil. reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover pan and cook for 30 minutes until cauliflower is very tender.
In blender, purree soup in batches. Return mixture to the pan and place over med-low heat. Whisk in cheese and continue stirring just until melted. Whisk in dill and serve!

Taco Soup
1 cup= 3 points makes 18 1 cup servings
1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
1 large onion, chopped
1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1 pkg. of taco seasoning
1 15oz. can northern white beans
1 15oz. can kidney beans
1 15 oz can black beans
1 15 oz. can Hominy
1 10oz. can Rotel stewed tomatoes with chili
1 8 oz can tomato sauce 1 48oz can sodium free V-8 juice

Brown meat and onions. Drain. Mix Hidden Valley Ranch dreessing mix and taco seasoning into the meat. Then without draining, add all other ingredients. Simmer for 1 hour.

Lick those bad habits

Lick those bad habits:

Kimberly Garrison:

6 weight-control tips for surviving the holidays

'TIS THE SEASON - the holiday weight-gain season. That's right, next week is the official kickoff, and I'm not talking about football.
I'm talking about Halloween, which typically marks the start of our holiday eating marathon. I bet you already have candy corn or miniature Snickers on your desk. And if you don't, somebody in the office does.

Temptations abound!

For almost five straight months during the winter season, annual holiday traditions help us pack on the pounds. First there's Halloween, followed by Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year's and, finally, Valentine's Day.

This year, I'm offering a holiday season pre-emptive strike. That's right, get those New Year's resolutions out of the closet right now, along with your skinny jeans, so you can avoid those unwanted gifts of extra pounds!

Here are six tips to help you stay focused and hit the ground running come Jan. 1, 2010.
Lick your old bad eating habits right now.

Don't fool yourself into thinking miniature candy won't hurt.

Bite-size candies may be small in stature, but oh, do they pack a wallop of calories. The average "fun size" Snickers, Heath bar or Butterfinger has about 80 calories. I could put away three fun sizes in about three minutes. That's close to 300 calories, or, to put it another way, about an hour of vigorous walking or 45 minutes of vigorous running.

And, we haven't even sliced the pumpkin pie yet.

Yikes!!!!!

Write it down

Most people hate keeping a food journal because it makes them accountable. No one wants to record their consumption of half a bag of the candy they had intended for the trick-or-treaters, even if nobody else is going to know.
Facing the truth can be the toughest opponent of all.
But if you keep a food journal, I guarantee you will eat healthier, and less. So get a 2-by-3-inch spiral notepad and write down everything you eat. You'll be surprised. You may shed a few pounds, too.

Work it out

In or out of the gym, it doesn't matter. Just do it. Make getting exercise a priority most days of the week, even if you only have 30 minutes.
Be sure to mix it up with strength, cardiovascular, balance and flexibility exercises. The gym, the park, your living room, your bedroom - it's not the location that matters. Fitness is cumulative, and it all adds up.

Small steps - big success

Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither were you. Whether your goal is to put on 5 to 10 pounds of muscle or shed 5 or 50 pounds of fat, take your time. Don't expect to lose 50 pounds in five weeks. With expectations like that,
you'll surely lose the battle and end up frustrated and tired.
What you want to do is take small, manageable steps. Commit to walking daily for 30 minutes or more. Weight-train two to three times a week. Meditate. Do yoga a couple a times a week. And if weight loss is your goal, lose one to two pounds a week.

Embrace the scale

If you don't own a body-weight scale, get one. It doesn't have to be high-tech and expensive. A simple, $25 scale will do just fine.
Every morning when you get up, jump on that scale before you step foot in the shower to see if you are trending upward, staying the same or shedding a few pounds.
While the scale is just one measure of your health, it's a good one. Weighing in daily, you'll see how quickly those fun-size snacks add up.
Also, keep in mind that one day of cheating sets you back about three days. In other words, it will take you about three days of clean eating to get back to where you were.
A three-day weekend of overindulging will set you back about nine days. How do you like them apples?

Celebrate relationships

Instead of putting so much energy into the food, let's make this holiday season more about celebrating our relationships. Let's create environments with family, friends, foods and activities that support a healthy lifestyle.
Offer more vegetables and fruits at the celebratory table. Provide more water and fewer high-calorie sugary drinks; lay low on the alcohol.
Beginning today, try these seven tips on for size. I promise you'll thank me when you put on your New Year's tux or little black party dress.

Black Bean Soup

Spicy Black Bean Soup

POINTS® value – 3
Servings - 8

1 medium onion finely chopped
4 medium garlic cloves minced
3 – 15oz cans of black beans, undrained
1t. ground cumin
14 ½ oz can of chicken broth
10oz can of Rotel tomatoes with chilies (if you don’t like spicy, use regular tomatoes)
11oz can yellow corn (Mash corn with fork first. This helps thicken the soup.)

Coat bottom of stock pot with cooking spray.
Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently until onions are soft but not brown (about 5 mins.)

Place 1 can of beans in blender, add sautéed onion mixture and cumin. Cover and blend on high until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour mixture into stock pot.

Place second can of beans and broth into blender and puree until smooth, add to stockpot.

Stir third can of beans (do not puree), tomatoes, and corn into stockpot. Bring to a boil, lower heat to medium and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

Yields about 1 ½ cups of soup per serving.