Taste of Thyme: Good & Good for You Food

This is an old fashioned snack that fits into lots of current diet plans. It makes a good protein snack and is easy to keep on hand. I like to eat a few peppers with an egg. This is especially good when I pop into the house after being out and feeling hungry. Pickled Eggs Ingredients 1 (12 ounce) jar hot yellow peppers with brine 1 1/2 cups water 1 cup white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons pickling spice (see mix below) 1 tablespoon white sugar 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 12 hard-boiled eggs, peeled Directions Stir peppers and brine, water, vinegar, pickling spice, sugar, salt, and turmeric together in a 1/2 gallon container with lid. Add eggs to pepper mixture and seal container. Refrigerate for at least 2 days. Pickling Spice Mix (adjust the amount made to meet your needs) 1/4 cup mustard seeds 1/4 cup dill seed 1/4 cup coriander seeds 2 Tbsp. crushed chili peppers 2 Tbsp. crushed bay leaves 1 Tbsp. celery seeds 1 Tbsp. white...

Here is an exercise in mindful eating I found on NPR. It is a good exercise for you to try and it could help you slow down your eating which will translate to satisfaction sooner which means less calories consumed! If you're curious to know what mindful eating looks like in practice, here's one exercise, excerpted from a review written by Stephanie Vangsness of Brigham and Women's Hospital. She writes: "Do this exercise with a friend. You will need one small slice of an apple for each person. One person reads the instructions listed below while the other person completes the exercise. 1.Take one bite of an apple slice and then close your eyes. Do not begin chewing yet. 2.Try not to pay attention to the ideas running through your mind, just focus on the apple. Notice anything that comes to mind about taste, texture, temperature and sensation going on in your mouth. 3.Begin chewing now. Chew slowly, just noticing what it feels like. It's normal that your mind will w...

Filling and nutritious, lentils are really a great food. They are full of protein and fiber. I think of them as starter legumes or beans. They are fast and easy to cook and don't need to be soaked. If you really like them you can use them for the base of a salad or even eat them like a grain with other proteins or vegetables. Try this soup. It makes a lot and can be eaten for a quick lunch, heated in the microwave, or for the center piece in a healthy filling dinner. If you feel intimidated by all the ingredients, notice this soup is simple and fast. Most of the stuff on the ingredient list are spices you probably have in your home already. This combination of spices is typical in Moroccan foods. 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 onion, coarse chop 5 small potatoes, 1 in dice 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 lg carrots, cut to 1 in chunks 2 ribs celery, diced 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon cumin 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon ground clove 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne or red ...

My friend Kevin made this version of baked oatmeal for me. I was not sure about baking oats but this is really good. He gave me the recipe and I made some modifications for you. I tried it out on my friend Arlene and it is a keeper! It is like a baked oat cake. When you get up in the morning you will look forward to putting a slice in the microwave. Top it off with fresh fruit and some plain yogurt for a real treat. You might even find seasonal substitutes for the blueberries. BAKED OATMEAL WITH BLUEBERRIES 6 Servings 1 1/2 cups skim milk 1/2 cup egg beaters 1 tablespoon canola oil 2 1/2 cups old fashion rolled oats 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional) 1 - 2 cups frozen blueberries Optional toppings: fruit, milk yogurt Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 1 ½ quart casserole (8 X 8) with no-stick cooking spray. In medium bowl, combine milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix well. Set aside. In large bowl, c...

This may seem like a bit of work but it is super easy for a fantastic result. The portions are 10 points plus, but I promise you a big bowl that will fill you up and make you feel all good inside. If you like Asian food you will love this. Anyone you serve it to will think you are a genius! Pho Bo Makes: 4 servings 5 whole cloves 4 thin slices peeled ginger root (about an inch) 3 star anise pods 1 stick cinnamon 8 cups beef broth (total – I used broth from Italian beef, 1 qt of broth and 2 cups of water) 26 ounce container of Italian style beef 1 onion, sliced 1 teaspoon black peppercorns 2 tablespoons soy sauce or nam pla (fish sauce) 4 ounces dried medium rice stick noodles 1 tablespoon cup canola oil 6 shallots, sliced 2 small red chilies, stemmed, seeded, thinly sliced (include stems and seeds if you like spice) 1 small bunch each: cilantro leaves, mint leaves, Thai (or other) basil leaves 1 cup bean sprout 1 lime, quartered Hot sauce such as Sriracha Combine cloves, ginger, star ...

This is a recipe from Terri and John at my St. Bens meeting. I have never been a big eggplant fan except when my mother made eggplant parmigiana. Of course, her version began by frying the eggplant which absorbs oil like a sponge. I usually avoid it just for that reason. In this version the eggplant is baked not fried. The results were so good, we ended up eating double portions at our house. This is one of those things I make over and over again! EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA 1 eggplant (1 1/2 - 2 lbs), peel and cut into 1/2" thick slices and lightly salted 1/4 cup egg beaters (or egg white) w/ 1 T water, lightly beaten 1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs (or 1 cup fresh crumbs) 2 cups reduced fat pasta sauce (or your own version of sauce) 1/2 cup part skim mozzarella cheese, grated 3 Tablespoons grated Romano or Parmesan Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray two cookie sheets with cooking spray. Dip eggplant into egg mixture and then toss in bread crumbs. Don't worry if they are not completely co...

This sauce is so easy to make - so low in PointsPlus - and it tastes good on fish, chicken, vegetables and more! Whip up a batch and put some zing into your food. Cut up some veggies and enjoy a refreshing healthy snack. Use this instead of mayo on your wrap. Go crazy with this delicous sauce! TZATZIKI 1 cup peeled, seeded and grated cucumber (this is the hardest part) 1/8 tsp salt 1 cup plain FF yogurt 1/2 tsp dill weed 2 tsp lemon juice 1 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced 1/4 tsp salt Salt the cucumber with 1/8 tsp of salt and allow to sit for 20 minutes. Squeeze out excess water. Mix all ingredients together. Chill for an hour to let flavors come together. 1/2 cup of this is only 1 PointsPlus.

I love using spicy ingredients. They satisfy my taste buds, they help me feel physically satisfied and, I am told, they heat up my metabolism. One ingredient I really have be come fond of is sriracha (an Asian style chili sauce - think Thai Ketchup). When I stumbled upon this simple version of slaw with sriracha in it I knew I had to try it and share it with you. This makes a good side dish for almost anything. It also makes a good topping for a sandwich or a turkey burger. You could put it in a wrap or dump into a pita for a quick, low points plus treat. NEW ASIAN SLAW 4 cups cabbage shredded (any combo you like) 1 cup carrots, shredded 1 small onion, diced pinch of salt and pepper 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp peanut butter 2 Tblspn rice wine or white wine vinegar 1 tsp sesame oil (you can use an extra tsp peanut butter instead) 1 tsp sriracha (or more) 1/4 cup FF Mayo 1/4 cup buttermilk 1 tsp sugar Toss the vegetables together; set aside. Whisk remaining ingredients together until smoo...

I love this easy soup recipe. It is super healthy (if you use low sodium tomato juice) and packs a ton of flavor. If you are tired of the WW Garden Vegetable recipe, this will really do the trick. At just 1 PointPlus per serving it is the perfect thing to take the edge off of your hunger. It can also be used as a low PointsPlus lunch if you are planning to save a few extra points for dinner! WALT'S VEGETABLE SOUP 6 cups tomato juice 3 Tbspn oatmeal - ground 1 Tbspn rice polishings (ground rice) 16 oz can stewed tomatoes 1 1/2 cups celery chopped 1/2 cup green beans sliced 1/2 cup peas 1 cup spinach packed & shredded 1 1/2 cups cabbage, shredded 1/2 cup brown rice 1 bay leaf 1 tsp marjoram 2 Tbspn parsley pepper to taste Combine juice, oats and rice polishings. Cook until thickened. Add remaining ingredients except the spinach. Cook until rice and vegetables are tender; 20 - 25 minutes. Add the spinach and cook 5 minutes. serves 8

This basically vegetable mix is a great way to add a ton of flavor to your food. Many of us are aware of the trinity (onion, celery, and bell pepper) but this Caribbean version gives a good zip and base of flavor when used to start soups, rice, or meats. The two great things about this recipe are it has 0 points plus and it makes a lot. I keep it in 1/2 cup portions frozen in little snack bags for easy access in the freezer. SOFRITO 2 medium onions 4 cubanelle peppers 15 - 20 garlic cloves, minced 1 - 2 serrano peppers 1 large bunch of cilantro 4 plum tomatoes 1 red bell pepper Clean everything. Drop everything into a food processor. Completely puree. Use what you need and freeze the rest. About 4 cups

A few weeks ago Weight Watchers had a recipe for slow cooker (pumpkin) oatmeal. I was a bit sceptical because it called for 1 & 1/2 cups (only) of steal cut oats (I use old fashion). How could this be enough for 8 servings and for 5 pointsplus each? But some of my members claimed that they really liked steal cut and half the amount of steal cut is the same as old fashion oats. I gave it a try. It was so good I tried it several more times! SLOW COOKER OATMEAL - you can choose the flavor you want to make 6 cups water 3 cups apple or pumpkin or banana or ?, diced into 1/2 inch cubes 1 1/2 cups steal cut oats 1/2 cup honey 1/4 tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp nutmeg (other flavorings can be use - vanilla, orange or lemon zest, ginger) Put all into your 3 - 6 quart slow cooker. Cook on low for 8 hours. Stir - it will look watery until you stir and scrape up any oats stuck to bottom. You can eat at this point (1 cup per serving), but I pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish and I chill. Then I cu...

Time to bring back the taco soup! It is so easy and good it is ridiculous. Just a package of taco seasoning and 7 cans and you have a soup for a crowd or a batch in your frig for a week of good eating. If you shop at ALDI or get the cans on sale it is an extreme bargain too. You just have to watch the sodium content. 1 large onion, chopped cooking spray 1 pkg of taco seasoning 2 cups whole kernel corn (or 1 can) 1 can fat free chicken broth 1 can black beans, undrained 1 can great northern beans, undrained 1 can fat free refried beans 1 can diced tomatoes 1 can spicy season tomatoes Sauté the onion until soft in a large pot sprayed with non stick cooking spray. Add the other ingredients to pot and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. If you want to spice it up (and I always do) add one or two chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce - adds smoke and heat! If you have a one cup serving this is 3 PointsPlus. It is especially good on a baked potato for a quick filling meal.

I love a good soup - most chefs do! It can be a one dish meal full of nutrients or it can be great snack (just zap a bowl in the microwave and eat). I am especially thankful that most soups are really satisfying, low in calories and easy to make. Here is a soup I make in my pressure cooker (not like my mom's pressure cooker that was scary but a Swiss one that is really full proof - or try one of the electric ones). This can easily be made in a slow cooker on low for 4 or 5 hours as well. It makes a big batch. Because it has vinegar in it, it last a long time in the frig or freezer. I like to keep these low point soups around during the holidays so I can make a good choice and eat this instead of holiday treat that is handy to grab and calling my name! CABBAGE SOUP WITH CARAWAY (or no caraway if you don't like that flavor) 2 t canola oil 1 med onion coarsely chopped 1 lg carrot large dice 1 - 2 T caraway seed (or use fennel or dill if you prefer) 1 bay leaf 2 cups apple cider ...

Checkout this Youtube link to sneak a peek at what is coming from Weight Watchers! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unr3nypqw7g For the latest checkout Weight Watchers on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/weightwatchers

Here are some quotes you can use to inspire you as you work through the holidays. Best Holiday Exercise: Pushing away from the table. Remember~it's a HOLI...DAY not a HOLI...WEEK! Don't stuff your face, Face your stuff! Make sure you serve yourself islands, not continents. Those invisible extras multiply and divide all over your body. Whether I count it or not.... it counts The first two bites of what you love.. is what you love! "Prior planning prevents pudgy people" If you want a little behind, you must leave a little behind. He who stuffeth puffeth. May you eat from the horn of plenty without blowing it. "Don't be a turkey! Remember what you want the most and make it happen." If you gobble, gobble, gobble, you will wobble, wobble, wobble. Nothing tastes as good as thin feels. The minutes spent at the dinner table won’t get you fat . . its the SECONDS! A moment on the lips, forever on the hips. Years from now we probably won’t even remember what we a...

I use this dressing all the time! It is perfect for any summer slaw. It is enough for 2 10 ounce bags of shredded cabbage or works great for broccoli slaw or a carrot salad. It can easily be halved. I like to bring this to a party in a jar and toss the slaw on site. That way I can be sure to have a really fresh salad! DRESSING FOR COLE SLAW 1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt 1/2 cup light Mayonnaise 1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitute) 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1 tsp dried dill weed salt and pepper to taste Mix well. Can be stored for serval days in the frig.

At Weight Watchers this is healthy snack week. Many leaders from across the country have put together their list of healthy (or I should say low point filling) snacks. Here it is to inspire you! Weight Watcher leader ideas for (Healthy) snacking: 1. (WW) String cheese and grapes or a small apple 2. WW Yogurt or Fiber One Yogurt with berries 3. Small banana and Peanut Butter 4. Almonds 5. WW Smoothie made with water and berries 6. Caramel Latte smoothie made with cold leftover coffee and lots of ice- 1 point and it tastes like a Coolata or Frappucino 7. Fiber 1 yogurt and 1/4 cup Fiber 1 cereal stirred into it 8. Vitatop Double Chocolate Muffin Tops (or any flavor-available in freezer section of grocery store or online) 9. Vita top muffin(heated in microwave for 20 sec.) with WW yogurt on top 10. 1/2 C Fiber One Cottage Cheese mixed with one 6oz container Activia light yogurt 11. bagel thins & WW cream cheese 12. sandwich thins, toasted, with cream cheese, peanut butter, fruit spr...

This recipe is from Rammona. Now I am not a big one for RAW foods and I have rarely found a gazpacho I like. I do like this one. It is good for you and great on a hot day. 2 1/2 cup(s) canned tomato juice 1 cup(s) tomato(es), fine chop 1/2 cup(s) cucumber(s), fine chope 1/2 cup(s) celery, fine chop 1/2 medium green pepper(s), fine chop 1/2 cup(s) scallion(s), chopped 1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped 1 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp table salt, optional 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp hot pepper sauce, to taste Pulse all but the juice in processor a few times. Add juice and chill for several hours. 6 servings WW recipe builder says this is 2 points for serving but when I do the math I get one point - you do the math and see! Enjoy!

Here is a salad that should trip your trigger! If you want to bring a substantial salad (this is like a pasta salad but with a grain) to a summer party, try this one! It is full of whole grain fiber and lacks the bleached emptiness of pasta. It is also full of filling foods! 2 cups water 1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add barley; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain. 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon each salt & pepper 2 cups finely chopped seeded tomato 1 cup thinly sliced spinach 1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper 1/2 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber 1/2 cup diced mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup finely chopped pepperoncini peppers 2 teaspoons dry oregano or basil Drizzle the oil over the drained barley and mix completely. Combine the juice, oregano, pepper and salt in large bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add barley, tomato, and remaining i...

I don't like to eat anything that is MOCK! I feel like it is mocking me for eating it! But this vegetable salad is quite good. I admit it does not really taste exactly like potato salad, but it kind of does! And it is good and refreshing. For zero points, who's complaining? I am beginning to think, CAULIFLOWER IS THE NEW POTATO! Really! Have you ever eaten cauliflowere puree instead of mashed potatoes? Yum! 1 head of Cauliflower, thoroughly cooked & chopped 2 cups diced Celery 3-4 Radishes, chopped 1/2 Bell Pepper, chopped 1 Dill Pickle, chopped 1/4 cup onion, chopped 1 tsp. Lemon Juice 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire Sauce sweetener equal to 1 Tbl. sugar 3 Tbl. Mustard 3 Tbl. plain nonfat yogurt Make sure you chop the cauliflower chunky so it is like pieces of potatoes. Chop the other ingredients very small. When the cauliflower is cool, mix all the vegetables. Mix the lemon juice, worcestershire, sweetener (us honey if you can't tolerate artifical ingredients), musta...