New Year!!

Happy New Year from the Lisics!

2011 has been awesome. Full of wonderful memories as well as trying times. But we are planning to make 2012 the best year yet! I don't know if you have seen the posters at Walmart since the New Year change and maybe I am a sucker for advertisements but I love their new slogan! Back on Track. That is the theme for 2012 and I cannot tell you how excited we are. It will probably be tough...but we are so up for the challenge!

One of the ways we are getting back on track is getting back on Weight Watchers. Wes and I both started Weight Watchers this past summer before the wedding and did really well on it. With school and the holidays we have gotten off track with it and both of us are ready to start back. I know it sounds lame and super cliche to start a weight loss program at the beginning of the year but for us, it is a new start and we are really looking forward to it!

So I thought tonight I would share a recipe I made today. One thing I always have a problem with is sweets! I don't know about you but I seem to always crave something sweet...especially after dinner! I found a recipe on another blog and tried it out. Even though the holidays are over, I went for a recipe that would be perfect for them - Pumpkin butter! You can have 1/8 of a cup of the pumpkin butter on 2 pieces of low calorie toast (We eat Healthy Life bread that is 35 calories per slice and tastes great!) for a Points Plus total of  just 4 points! It was delicious and a perfect treat to have as a dessert when you get a craving for some sweets. Here is the recipe...I recommend you try it out! (Even if you aren't on a diet haha) 

Pumpkin Butter
Gina's Skinny Recipes 
Servings: 14 • Serving Size: 1/4 cup • Old Points: 1.5 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 88.2 • Fat: 0.3 g • Protein: 1.0 g • Carb: 27.3 g • Fiber: 2.5 g  

****A Serving Size is 1/4 cup but I have found that half of that is PLENTY for two pieces of toast! Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

• 3 1/2 cups pumpkin puree, or 1 (29 ounce) can (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup apple cider or juice
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tbs cinnamon
• 1-2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (to taste)

Directions: 

Combine pureed pumpkin, vanilla, apple juice, spices, cinnamon and sugar in a large saucepan; stir well. Heat and simmer until thickened. (Be careful! When I made it, it popped a little with too much heat!) Stir frequently. Adjust spices to your taste. Refrigerate before serving.

Hope you enjoy it! We definitely did! :)

Much love,
the Lisics