Handling Halloween

Well, this post may be a bit late for some-- however, I think that a lot of it applies to the other upcoming holidays (we certainly aren't in the clear yet...). As I'm typing I'm waiting for Trick-or-Treaters at home, hoping that we get a good number, since we certainly have plenty of candy! We didn't live at our house last year, so we never know...

Here are my tips for handling Halloween:

1) Take time to enjoy the season- the flavors, the traditions, etc.- this doesn't necessarily mean over indulging in the treats- but it does mean not depriving yourself. I have a "Trick-or-Treat" scented candle burning in my kitchen right now, which somehow just makes it feel like a holiday!

2) In regards to the treats, have some- have your favorites, and enjoy them! Be sure that your are intentional and conscious of your choice, and I'll bet that you'll enjoy them just that much more.

3) That said, pick your POINTs- don't waste POINTS on the stuff that you don't really love. For me, candy corns are just "meh" when compared with some of the other options. So, I'm picking other ways to use my POINTs. Now a Heath on the other hand... yep, I'll pick those POINTs!

4) Know what you are getting yourself into... This goes back to the basic tool of preparing yourself. Consider in advance the types of things that will be available at your parties, know the POINTs of common candy (as a side, here are a few that are relatively low: Twizzlers, York Peppermint Patties, 3 Musketeers, and some of the basic 'sugar' candies- i.e. Runts, Laffy Taffy, etc.), and plan for your success.

5) Enjoy the holiday and celebrate your accomplishments along with the holiday itself! What did you do differently this year? How have you changed your behaviors since last year's Halloween? What did you choose to do well? How did that feel? Don't be scared to celebrate the small accomplishments--- remember that it is the culmination of many small changes that ultimately bring us the overall success.

Allright, it is now 6:17pm, and no Trick-or-Treaters yet. I'm adding one more tip:

6) Have a plan of how to dispose of your leftover candy! Whatever works for you- but don't let it sit around and haunt you past the holiday.

Center is Closed due to snow

Hi all,
Just a quick post for any meeting members out there-- the Westminster, CO Center is closed this evening (Thursday 10/29), as it was last night, due to the snow. Stay warm, dry, and committed to your plan this week! If you must go out, drive safely.

I'll see everyone next week. In the meantime, I'm off to enjoy some low POINT soup to keep me warm as I start a movie-marathon. This is my kind of snow day!


~Braelin

An A+ Apple

Apples don't typically top my list of favorite fruits. I think that in many instances, apples are sort of overdone (along with oranges). My exception to this used to be a crisp Macintosh that I picked off the tree while visiting an orchard in New England. I grew up in New England, and a great Mac. was a true seasonal treat. Since moving to Colorado however, I've had just a few too many mealy macs. to even consider reaching for an apple. I don't dislike apples-- just don't tend to choose them when other fruits are readily available. However, this fall I've seen lots of people blogging and tweeting about apples... and not just any apple mind you, the Honeycrisp apple.

So, I figured I'd give it a try to see what all the buzz was about this year. Let me tell you--- apples have rocketed to the top of my fall fruit list! I got a bag (think that it was 5 lbs) of relatively small organic Honeycrisps on Saturday. Today is Monday. I am going to the store on my lunch break to pick up another 5 lbs. Seriously! I ate 5 (small) Honeycrisps from Saturday night to this morning. I think that Mike beat me- and so another bag is needed. Wow- that's a lot of apples! What I am enjoying most about the Honeycrisp, is well... exactly what the name implies. They are super sweet, but super crisp. Crispyness is my most important factor when it comes to apple consumption, and the Honeycrisp certainly lives up to the name.

When I first got into cooking a lot, I'd ask Mike to "grade" the food that I was cooking-- so I could get some feedback from him about if the meal was worth repeating (otherwise I got a lot of "this is good"-- hard to discern good from good). I earned lots of As, Bs, and a few Cs, but the A+ was reserved for truly stellar food-- not a grade that was given loosly. These organic Honeycrisps deserve that rating: A+ apples!