Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Tropical Ambrosia Salad

I've replaced the usual sour cream with nonfat yogurt and taken out most of the high-fat coconut. Yet, this cool, delicious salad retains the wonderful, refreshing flavors of the Caribbean.

Makes 4 servings

1        8-ounce can pineapple chunks or tidbits (packed in juice), drained
1        8-ounce can mandarin orange slices (packed in juice), drained
1        cup vanilla nonfat yogurt
2        teaspoons shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1        teaspoon vanilla extract
¼       teaspoon coconut extract

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Have Your Cake And Eat It Too!


What's the secret? Substituting high-fat ingredients with their low fat counterparts. Try this:

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Banana Cake

Everyone's favorite, this delectable cake is perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.  For a pretty presentation, dust the top of the cake lightly with confectioners' sugar just before serving.


Makes 18 servings
1¾   cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  cups whole wheat flour
2      teaspoons baking powder
   teaspoons baking soda
¾     cup sugar
½     cup skim milk
3      tablespoons vegetable oil
3      egg whites
1      tablespoon vanilla extract
¼     teaspoon banana extract (This is optional and adds flavor if the bananas are not very ripe and sweet.)
  cups mashed, very ripe bananas (4½ medium bananas)

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Beer Bread

This bread is so quick and easy, you'll make it time and again. It tastes wonderful and the texture is divine!  What more could you ask for?


Makes 12 servings
1¼  cups all-purpose flour
1     cup whole wheat flour
2     tablespoons sugar
2¼  teaspoons baking powder
½    teaspoon salt
1     12-ounce can light beer, at room temperature

Monday, August 13, 2012

Take your own Picture...

Start the week off with some positive thoughts, "What screws us up most in life is the picture in our head of how it is supposed to be." Happy Monday!

Thursday, August 9, 2012

2 Mouthwatering Summer Fish Dishes



Summertime is the perfect time to enjoy a light and delicious fish dish- here are two of my favorite recipes. Enjoy! 

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Baked Potato Topper

Turn a baked potato into an elegant dish without adding fat. This simple mixture also doubles as a salad dressing, and the herbs can be varied to accommodate everyone's taste.


Makes 4 servings
(¼ cup each serving)
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
            ½ teaspoon dill weed
¼ teaspoon salt
teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons imitation bacon bits
2 teaspoons dried chives

Monday, August 6, 2012

Life is 10% what happens and 90% how you respond.

Today, think on these words-"Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you respond to it". Have you been feeling like you've been delt a bad deck of cards lately? Well turn that around this week, you determine your own fate. Happy Monday! 



Thursday, August 2, 2012

Laugh Your Way to Better Health!

I always wanted to be a comedian. I’m a very funny person! Finding the humorous side of life and making people laugh—I absolutely love it. Well, a funny thing happened on my way to a life in comedy: I found Weight Watchers.

My humor has been a key ingredient in my success inspiring people to be their best. Drawing a crowd, sharing my story with people, getting them to open up. I just have that ability to talk about the things I talk about in a very funny way. It helps people feel more understood and not so hard on themselves. When you can laugh at yourself you feel better about taking the next step. That’s part of my purpose.

The transformation that happens when you change your life—the kind of change that takes you from being overweight and unhealthy to fit, trim, and feeling fully alive—is serious business. You’ve got to learn new skills, establish new habits, and many times confront some emotional pain. It takes commitment, time, and effort. For as tough as it can be, sometimes it’s just darn funny and you’ve got to laugh. Laugh at yourself, at the process, or whatever tickles your funny bone and makes it easier to move on.

Change doesn’t have to be painful, and finding the humor in it can be refreshing. This is what I tap into when I’m leading meetings. I believe that when you laugh, you loosen up so you’re more open to loving yourself and accepting that you can achieve your goals. You might have a challenge in front of you, but there’s a way to get healthy and enjoy the process.

Laughter can’t take away your hardships, of course, but it can lighten the load, especially when you’re with other people who are going through the same transformation. A shared laugh can be so liberating! It says, “Yes! You understand what I’m going through—and we can have some fun with it together!” One of my favorite things about running Weight Watchers meetings is seeing people connect (and laugh!) over their common experiences.

One of my mottos is “if you work hard, you’re going to make it at something.” I may have wanted a life in comedy, but for me, that “something” was Weight Watchers. I think that to a large degree, Weight Watchers has shown me to be a storyteller, to fulfill my need to be a comedian. My love for comedy didn’t go away just because I became a Weight Watchers franchisor—it blossomed! Who knew making people laugh would go hand-and-hand with helping them be their best?

Humor me—share how a little laughter has gone a long way in your life!