November 8

1 Thessalonians 3:9 - NLT
How we thank God for you! Because of you we have great joy in the presence of God.

Gail wished she could do more for Mrs. Cooper. One night Mrs. Cooper had passed by her apartment and heard Gail crying. She stopped to see if there was anything she could do to help. Gail told her about her diet and how hard it was. Mrs. Cooper had been very sympathetic, and had spent many hours with her since. She helped take Gail's mind off food. Gail really felt strongly that she wouldn't have made it through the diet without Mrs. Cooper. We have someone who will listen to us when things get to be too much for us. That someone is God, and we can be thankful that He is ever with us, ready to listen to the concerns of our hearts.

Today's Thought: Let your praises to God be louder than the grumblings of your stomach!

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Today's Tip:  Restaurant "Value" Is No Bargain.
Big restaurant portions typically shatter any healthy limit for fat and calories at a single sitting. Don't feel you're wasting your money if you can't eat it all -- eat half, wrap up the rest, take it home, and make it a second meal later.

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Vegetarian Pasta-Mexicano

1 lb. fettucine
2 T olive oil
1 large (or 2 small) onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 C mild green chiles, such as Anaheims or Poblanos
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 C chopped tomatoes
1 can (15oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 C corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1/4 C chopped cilantro

Serves 4
Cook pasta according to package directions. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers and chiles and sauté, stirring frequently for about 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except cilantro and pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add pasta and cook to heat through. Stir in fresh cilantro and serve.

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November 7

Philippians 4:19 - NLT
And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

It really wasn't fair that so many thin people couldn't understand what it meant to be fat. Patty got mad when skinny friends chastised her for not sticking to her diet better. What did they know? Patty was always so thankful to God for what weight she'd been able to lose already that she could never understand why her friends put her down. Didn't they know what she had to sacrifice? Whenever Patty got mad at her friends, she asked God to help calm her down. His peace filled her heart, and she was able to relax. God had done so much for her while she dieted. Too bad her friends couldn't see it.

Today's Thought: God is with me when it feels like the world is against me!

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Today's Tip:  Health and Diet
An apple a day keeps the doctor away! Apples, applesauce, and apple juice contain pectin, phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Pectin may lower blood cholesterol levels because it’s a component of fiber, while phenolic compounds may act as antioxidants against LDL cholesterol (the bad kind). The flavonoids are recognized for extending the action of vitamin C. So maybe there is truth to that old saying!

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Apple And Cheddar Corn Muffins

Ingredients
1 cherri langley
1 2/3 cup flour
1 tsp flour
1 1/2 oz uncooked yellow corn meal
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 lb apples, cored,pared,finely chopped.
1/2 cup corn, thawed frozen
2 1/4 oz cheddar, shredded
1/3 cup sugar
1 dash cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg
1/3 cup corn oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line 12 muffin pan cups with paper baking
cups. In large bowl combine flour, cornmeal, and baking powder.
Add apples, corn, cheese, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, stirring to
combine. Beat eggs and oil; stir into flour mixture
(mixture will be stiff). Fill baking cups and bake in center of oven for 15 min.

November 6

Mark 10:49-50 - NLT
When Jesus heard him, he stopped and said, "Tell him to come here." So they called the blind man. "Cheer up," they said. "Come on, he's calling you!"   Bartimaeus threw aside his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus.

Kate was so thankful.  God had truly blessed her.  She had been on the verge of collapse, and the doctor told her that her weight had to go.  Reluctantly, she had started to diet, not expecting any great results.  She prayed for God to help her, because she felt so weak.  When the doctor gave her a clean bill of health, she closed her eyes and prayed. God is God of the impossible.  When we say "can't," He says "can".  Faith is believing that God can, and will, help us when we are in need.  God cares for His children, and for that we should be eternally grateful.

TODAY'S THOUGHT:  I'd rather be grateful than have another plateful!

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Today's Tip:  Keep a Food Diary.
The best way to start eating healthier is to log everything you eat for 3 days. The first step in changing for the better -- see how often you eat 5 fruits and vegetables a day. Make reaching that mark your first goal.

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TORTELLINI IN BROTH - LOW CAL  

1 lb. frozen tortellini w/cheese, cooked al dente
32 oz. chicken broth
10 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
4 lg. tomatoes, peeled, deseeded & diced
2 c. fresh spinach, washed & cut up
5 fresh basil leaves

Begin by putting 2 saucepans on stove top. 1 filled with water to boil tortellini. 1 filled with the chicken broth, which should be brought to a boil and then simmered until reduced by half.
Meanwhile, saute the garlic in butter and oil until golden brown. Add the tomatoes and saute until they release their juices. Then add spinach to cook until wilted. At this point add the reduced chicken broth and bring this mixture to a boil, turn down heat and simmer until reduced by 1/2 again. Drain cooked tortellini and add to broth mixture. Serve immediately.

November 5

Matthew 5:11 - NLT
God blesses you when you are mocked and persecuted and lied about because you are my followers.

Ken could hardly wait to get back to school. Peter had ridden him about his weight the entire year before. When Ken had vowed to lose weight over the summer, Pete had laughed at him. 'Fat boy, you can't keep away from food. You'll be back, big as a beach ball. Don't kid yourself!' Ken could hardly wait to make Pete eat those words. He had spent the entire summer as a Christian youth counselor at camp. The people there were so supportive of what he was trying to do. They had made it possible. Not only had they helped him lose weight, but they helped him show Peter just how wrong he could be!

TODAY'S THOUGHT:  I'm going to prove that there's more to me than my weight!

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Today's Tip:  Lose 20 Lbs.
Omit just 200 calories every day for a year, and you'll lose up to 20 pounds! One step in the right direction: Use mustard instead on mayo on sandwiches, and skip the cheese.

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LOW CAL FRUIT SALAD  

2 apples, diced
4 bananas, sliced
1 can mandarin oranges
1/2 cantaloupe, diced
1 wedge watermelon, diced
1 can grapefruit, diced
Grapes, destemmed
1 c. plain yogurt
2 tbsp. sugar

Make sure you drain all your canned fruits. Pour into a large bowl, combine all your other fruits and blend well. Chill and serve.

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November 4

Luke 15:10 - NLT
'In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents.'

Paul fumbled with his keys outside his apartment. When he tried the lock, the door swung inward. Cautiously, he entered. As he switched on the light a dozen of his friends and neighbors jumped out, shouting, 'Surprise!' They had come out to offer a congratulations party for the sixty pounds Paul had been able to lose. It was such a wonderful moment. Paul had felt joyful about what he had done for some time, but it was something special to have friends celebrate with him. God had blessed Paul so much. Not only had He helped him when he dieted, but He gave him such good friends.

Today's Thought:  To gain means starvation; to lose, jubilation!

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Today's Tip:  Fitness
Continually rotate new ab exercises into your routine to keep your workout interesting. Choose an abdominal exercise, like the hanging knee raise, that you have not yet perfected. Set a goal to reach a certain number of reps by a certain date.

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DIET OR LOW CAL CHICKEN  

1 (1 1/2 lb.) boneless chicken breast, cut into strips
2 tbsp. lite soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. grated ginger root or 2 tsp. ginger
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. green or red peppers, sliced thin
1/4 - 1/2 bottle lite Italian salad dressing

Stir fry in wok; add 1 bag Japanese vegetables and small box chopped broccoli or French beans and simmer. Delicious over rice.

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November 3

Psalms 126:6 - NLT
They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.

The groaning was over. The long nights of hunger lay behind. For some strange reason, the diet was getting easier. Finally, Diane's body had gotten the message that snacks and heavy meals were no more. The cravings and cryings of her stomach subsided. It had been a tough war, but Diane felt she had scored a victory at long last. All the weeping was behind, and she felt a wonderful joy. She knew that plenty of tough times lay ahead, but she also knew she could handle them. With God's help, she would make it. The hardest part was behind her.

Today's Thought: When I take it one day at a time, the days fall away as fast as the pounds!

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Today's Tip:  Health and Diet
Side dishes don’t have to put a dent in your diet. Eliminate some of the fat from those side dishes. Use low fat mayo in potato salad or cole slaw. Mix some low fat yogurt with regular mayo to decrease the fat content. Add spices, tomatoes or vegetables to baked beans. Toss cole slaw with some shredded apples for a sweet taste and extra vitamin C.

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LOW-CAL CHICKEN & RICE SALAD  

2 c. chicken or turkey, white meat
2 c. cooked, cooled rice
1/4 c. diced green pepper
1/4 c. diced red pepper
1 c. grated carrot
1/2 c. sliced celery
1/4 c. diced onions
Lettuce or spinach

Toss all ingredients with low-cal or fat-free dressing. Serve on greens. Serves 6.

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November 2

James 1:2 - NLT
Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.

Renee really felt good whenever she had the strength to say no to food that was offered to her. Each time she could refuse eating, it made her feel she'd won a moral victory. Mentally, she kept score. It became a game to see how often she could hold out between defeats. In a strange way, it made her diet enjoyable. She felt she was really accomplishing something that was important. By the end of about four months, Renee was able to defeat just about every temptation that came along. She felt God's pleasure as she grew more able to decline treats. That joy made her diet fly by.

Today's Thought: Diets can be fun, especially when they're done!

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Today's Tip:  Skip the Butter.
Cooking with canola or olive oil may reduce heart disease risk. Just remember that even these "good" fats are loaded with calories, so use them in moderation.

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Easy Mashed Potatoes

4 large potatoes (Idaho or russet)
1 cup low-sodium canned chicken broth
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly chopped chives
3 tablespoons low-fat sour cream

1. Peel the potatoes and cut them in half. Place them in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Drain.

2. Bring the broth to the boil, and turn down to a simmer.

3. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or fork. Slowly add the broth until the desired consistency is reached.

4. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Lightly stir in the sour cream and chives.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (about 1/2 cup)

Calories 90, Total Fat 0g, Saturated Fat 0g, Cholesterol 1 mg, Sodium 102 mg, Total Carbohydrate 21g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Protein 4g.

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