Warming our homes and hearts

The sun is going down earlier and the farmstands are offering less variety. Our gardens are fading away. These changes are causing us to alter the types of food we're eating and to rethink what our possibilities will be.

This has the potential to create chaos in our world of weight loss. Naturally, we'll begin leaning toward foods to warm our bodies and our hearts. We can hear the faint whisper of "comfort food" calling to us.

Here in New England, we're like bears who sleep through the winter. Our instincts are telling us that we need to begin "packing it away" so that we can make it through the season. However, The beauty of our cuddly friend, the bear, is that they actually use all the food that they eat. At the start of spring, and when the snow and ice thaw, those bears wake up half the size that they began.

Let's think of the beginning of our weight loss journey as the bear before winter. The beginning of your journey can begin now, no matter where you are in your weight loss. Through the season, we can set our goal to be that half size bear. Focus can be put on our winning outcome.

I challenge everyone to consider what you really want to achieve. Before you begin putting your goals to bed, think about what that will get you. When you "wake up" in the spring what do you want to have achieved? How will it make you feel? How can setting a goal now benefit you in Dec., Jan. and Feb.?

Here's some "comfort food" that will comfort your weight loss goals! I make it every winter and never get tired of it. Get cooking everyone....




Turkey and Black Bean chili*

Points Value - 4
(1 cup chili w/2 tbsp. cheese, 1 tbsp. sour cream and 1 tbsp. scallions)
Serves 4
Core recipe


2 tsp. Exta Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 lb. ground skinless turkey
1(15 0z.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1(14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shredded fat free cheddar cheese
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
1/4 cup sliced scallions


Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about five minutes. Add the turkey and cook, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about three minutes. Stir in beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are very tender, about thirty minutes. Serve with cheese, sour cream and scallions.



*source: Weight Watchers-"Pure comfort"