To Track or Not to Track????

28 days until Spring! I am so excited. This is the most exciting time of the year! I even saw a little hyacinth trying to grow :) Yipee!!
How is tracking going for you these days? Tracking is an exceptional tool for assisting us in our weight loss journey. It is absolutely invaluable. Now there are some of us who may have a bit of trouble with it. Now don't fret, this week, we are going to work out any kinks with tracking you may have. We will also be introducing another technique, called Simply Filling. It is really exciting to have many options to help us monitor our feelings of hunger and fullness. I can't wait to see y'all in the meetings :)
Below is a great recipe sent to me by one of our lifetime members. YUMMY!!!

** Sorry this is so late- I have been having computer troubles :(
Hey You Guys!!! (Yes, the Electric Company is back!)
I hope you all had a great Valentines Day followed with a relaxing President's Day. Good times :)
Have you ever noticed a few unhelpful habits you may have when it comes to food? I think we all do. This week in the meetings we are going to focus on the 8 Helpful Habits that will really help us to attain and maintain our weight loss goals. This is a 100% for sure don't miss meeting :)

Chicken Fajitas

main meals

POINTS® Value: 4 Servings: 4

Ingredients

	1 medium garlic clove(s), peeled and smashed
	1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
	1 tsp chili powder
	2 tbsp fresh lime juice
	1/8 tsp table salt
	1/8 tsp black pepper
	1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut lengthwise into thick strips To make the salsa:
	2 cup(s) cherry tomato(es), coarsely chopped
	1/2 cup(s) scallion(s), chopped, green and white parts
	1 small jalapeno pepper(s), cored, seeded and minced (don't touch seeds with bare hands)
	1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional (see note below)
	2 tbsp fresh lime juice
	1/8 tsp table salt
	1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground To finish the fajitas:
	1 spray(s) cooking spray
	1 medium red onion(s), thinly sliced
	1/2 medium sweet red pepper(s), thinly sliced
	1/2 medium green pepper(s), thinly sliced
	1 tsp canola oil
	4 medium whole wheat tortilla(s)

Instructions

• In a medium-size glass bowl, combine garlic, red pepper flakes, chili powder, lime juice, salt and pepper; add chicken to bowl and stir well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  
  
• Meanwhile, to make salsa, in a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, scallions, jalapeno, red pepper flakes, lime juice, salt and pepper. Set aside to allow flavors to blend.
  
  
• Coat a large, heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add onion and peppers, and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes; spoon vegetables into a small serving bowl and cover to keep warm.
  
  
• Add oil to same skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken and any marinade remaining in bowl, but discard garlic (juices will sizzle so be careful of splattering liquid). Cook chicken until well-browned on bottom, about 3 minutes; flip chicken and cook until browned on second side, about 3 minutes more. If chicken is not cooked through, reduce heat to low and cook an additional 2 or 3 minutes.
  
  
• To serve, place 3 ounces of chicken strips on each tortilla; top with about 1/2 cup of vegetables and 1/2 cup of salsa. Yields 1 fajita per serving.

Notes

• If you're short on time, substitute 1 cup of store-bought salsa for the fresh salsa (could affect POINTS values).

Hummus Harmony!

I have recently fallen in love with Hummus. For those of you have never had it or heard of it, it is a very old Mediterranean food. It is made from chickpeas (garbanzo beans). I have been experimenting with it and just LOVE it. Here is a basic recipe that you can alter with the optional things to taste. I really like to eat hummus with the new Mulit-Grain Crisps Weight Watchers snacks. They have the flavor of a wheat thin and the crispness of a tortilla chip. It is great to dip pita bread in as well as veggies:)

Basic Hummus
1 can chickpeas, drained (5 POINTS)
1 t salt
1-2 T lemon juice
Optional additions-
2-4 cloves of garlic, roasted
2 t olive oil (2 POINTS)
1 t pesto (.5 POINTS)
sun dried tomatoes
roasted peppers
Drain the chickpeas and put in the food processor with the salt and lemon juice. Process until smoothish :) Eat as is or try an addition. To roast the garlic, I just put the whole cloves in a frying pan with the olive oil and cook them until they are nice and brown. Then toss them in the processor. This all can be done in the blender, but you will need to reserve some of the liquid from the beans to add back in so it will blend. For the additions, you can just add one of them, or try different combinations.

Real life is not always going to be perfect or go our way, but the recurring acknowledgment of what is working in our lives can help us not only survive but surmount our difficulties.
~Sarah Ban Breathnach

Got Skills?

I hear it is going to start snowing again... but that can't get me down! It was sort of balmy today...right?? ;)
Alright everyone- this a going to be one of those meetings that will just plain make your day. Actually, this week we are going to be working on our weight loss skills! In our week 5 book, "Eating Out and On the Run," we are introduced to a new technique for tracking called SetPOINTS. This is one awesome way to give you a bit more flexibility when dining out or at a special occasion. If you already have your week 5 materials, please take a moment and read through them and bring any questions you may have to the meeting. We are going to get into it and come away with a great new strategy for some tricky times.
I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU!!! I know I say that every week, but it is true. You make my day, every time I come to work. I hope you know that!! :)

Anybody Thirsty???

Only 48 days until spring! Ok- I know that I am a goofball, but hey, I think everyone was wondering how close Spring is!
Did any of you try the two recipes I sent this past week? They are SO fabulous and if you missed them, they are on the blog. They are both made from 100% Filling Foods with AMAZING taste! They are a toofer- you know a 2 for 1 ;)
So, how about a drink??? This week in meetings we will be debunking the myths about liquid intake. Come in and find out how to get those liquids in each day and more importantly WHY! I can't wait to see you!
Please don't forget that our members who attend meetings loose 3x's more weight than those who go it alone. Don't go short changing yourself. Get your cute self into a meeting and make 2009 your best weight loss year ever!!