1972: The Retro WW Experiment

Wiggle It. Just a Little Bit.

2012-03-17T05:04:00.005-07:00

Isn't fish month over yet? Cripes. Whose bright idea was this anyhow? I am fresh out of fish dishes. For real.

So what do you do when you are desperately searching for an interesting, easy Retro WW Recipe? Where do you turn? You whip out your collection of WW Hot Stuff pamphlets from 1978, of course! They will never let you down.

Here's the gem I found today:

Tuna Wiggle

1 slice white bread, crumbed

1/4 cup water
1/4 cup evaporated skim milk
1/2 packet instant chicken broth
4 ounces canned tuna, drained
4 ounces cooked peas
2 teaspoons diced pimento
1 teaspoon dehydrated onion flakes

Place bread crumbs, in saucepan with water, milk and broth mix. Cook over low heat until thick. Pour in blender and process until smooth. Pour back in saucepan, add remaining ingredients, and cook until heated through.

In the world of Retro WW, a very "special" recipe comes along every so often. In such recipes - you already know they are going to end up down the garbage disposal even before you start to make them. But you make them anyway, for some reason. Tuna Wiggle was one of those recipes. From start to finish it had me gagging. It didn't taste like much of anything actually. In fact, I found it to be a tad boring and bland. And it certainly did not live up to its exciting name. But the texture, the odor and the overall appearance made it just plain unappetizing.

So I did something I'm not proud of.

I added blue and red food coloring to it, and tried to make it purple.

That, of course was a total disaster. Why would a person do such a thing, you ask? What kind of maniac would take a perfectly good bowl of tuna, peas and bread crumbs and turn it into a purple casserole from Hell?

Well my friends: Did you try to eat a Retro WW Tuna Wiggle for lunch today? No? Then don't judge me.

My Apologies to Barnes & Barnes

2012-03-10T15:22:00.010-08:00

If you are a forty-something card-carrying member of the early-80's "I Want My MTV" generation, you are totally going to get this post. If not, I apologize in advance for the obscure reference. The answers to your questions can be found through a quick Google search, though. Enjoy.

Fish Balls, Fish Balls
Roly Poly Fish Balls
Fish Balls Fish Balls
Eat Them Up. Yum.

In the Morning
Laughing Happy Fish Balls
In the Evening
Floating in the Soup.

Ask a Fish Ball
Anything You Want To
They Won't Answer
They Can't Talk.

I took a Fish Ball,
Out to See a Movie,
Didn't Have to Pay
To Get It In.

Fish Balls Fish Balls
Roly Poly Fish balls
Fish Balls Fish Balls
Eat Them Up. Yum.

Eat them up. Yum!

Gone Fishing

2012-03-04T07:24:00.013-08:00

Ever since my mom picked up a set of super-cute mini fish molds for me at a local flea-tique, I have been waiting for an excuse to put them to use. This is why I have decided to kick off Fish Month with a super awesome Shrimp & Salmon Mold courtesy of the 1974 Weight Watchers Recipe Cards - #18 Fish Spectaculars Category.

Alas, my little copper fishy friends -- your day has finally come.

As luck would have it, there was one envelope of Knox Unflavored Gelatine in the pantry today. So I dissolved it in some water and stuck it in the blender with a cup of buttermilk, some lemon juice, vanilla extract, butter flavoring, and crushed ice. Oh--and a couple drops of yellow food coloring for good measure.

OK-Let's just pause for a second. As with any other Retro WW recipe that starts with combining ingredients in a blender with Knox Gelatine, there are two things you need to know:

The smell is AWFUL. And I don't mean like, "Ew that's kinda smelly." I mean it's like, "Did someone just open the gates of Hell and conjure up an evil, rotting carcass?" Like that.
It looks like something frothy that a sick animal would leave on the carpet, but you're not really sure which end it came out of.

Got it? OK. Now we can continue.

As instructed, I poured the mixture into a large bowl and combined it with 6 ounces of cooked shrimp and 6 ounces of cooked salmon.

You can now serve the dish as is. (Really?) Or it can be allowed to chill in individual molds until firmly set, and unmolded onto a bed of greens. I chose the latter option, because the former resembled a bowl of chunky bile.

Plus, I really wanted to use my adorable new mini molds!

Here they are all lined up & getting "gelly" in the fridge:

And here's the final product:

I have to admit, I was pretty creeped out by these little fishies. Maybe it was the beady little eyeballs I fashioned out of pimentos. Maybe it was the Frank's Red Hot I poured on top, making the whole thing look like a mini-fishy massacre. I really don't know.

They didn't taste bad. But I think I'll be having nightmares about these slimy little guys for quite awhile.

Fifty Fish, Forty Days

2012-02-29T10:12:00.005-08:00

There are over 50 species of fish permitted on the 1972 Weight Watchers Program.

You MUST eat a minimum of 5 weekly fish meals - using fresh, frozen or canned fish.

Fish may be boiled, poached, broiled, roasted, baked or browned. Never fried.

It's March. It's lent. It's time to get fishy.

photo courtesy of y108.radio.com

But here's the deal. I live in Pittsburgh - capital of the Church Lady Fish Fry. You seriously can't drive more than 5 miles in any direction during the next 40 days without seeing a poorly hand-painted sign that says - "Fish Fry This Friday $8".

So for the next few weeks, I will offer some Retro WW alternatives to that dreaded deep fried end-of-the-week weight loss foe.

We WILL get through this. Together. The next few weeks will involve fish soups, fish molds, and a saucy little number I like to call the Fiske Ballar.

Don't say I didn't warn you.

I Want Candy

2012-02-25T14:10:00.014-08:00

Here's an old Retro Weight Watchers trick for when you need some freakin' chocolate so bad that you actually might violently hurt someone.

You know what I mean, ladies...

Since candy in any form is strictly off-limits for the Retro WW society, a little creativity is required for "those times" when a gal needs a little something sweet to take the edge off.

Pineapple Candy Snack

1/2 Cup Canned Crushed Pineapple, no sugar added
1 Package Chocolate Flavored Low-Calorie Milk Beverage

Mix together well. Form into bars or balls on wax paper. Place in freezer until frozen. Makes 1 serving.

I used a Weight Watchers Chocolate Smoothie Packet in my candy snacks. Yeah--I know, that's very un-retro of me. Whatever. You wanna make something of it? I wasn't about to drive all over the G-damn tri-state area hunting for Chocolate Alba Mix, now was I? Do I have to do EVERYTHING AROUND HERE??? Why are you looking at me like that?!?!

Ahem... I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me.

Anyway. You remember Alba, right? Oh yeah, they still make that stuff. And it ain't easy to find.

Anyway, my Pineapple Candy Snacks turned out just fine, and they really hit the spot. Sometimes a girl just needs some chocolate and then all is right with the world again.

**Heavy Sigh**
Eight Chocolate Pineapple Balls. All for me. Hooray.

Thanks to my pal Averyl for reminding me about this PMS-Busting recipe on my Facebook page! Do you have a favorite Retro WW Recipe you'd like me to try? Let me know! I'll be glad to give it a whirl!

The Knoxapocalypse is Here

2012-02-18T16:36:00.000-08:00

You can tell a lot about a person by the company they keep.

I don't know what that says about me and my fellow Retro Food Bloggers - Ruth, Lexi, and Emily. Except that we all have a strange desire to regularly encase things in gelatine. And we are a very bad influence on each other.

So when we recently put our heads together to plan an "Epic Mid-Century Blog Crossover Jell-O Recipe Dare", I knew right away I was in very big trouble.

The challenge: Choose the most horrifyingly fabulous Jell-O recipe from your collection, and after a random re-assignment - the lucky recipient must make it, eat it and blog about it.

The rules:
1. No substitutions
2. No excuses
3. No tears - there's no crying in Jell-O molding, dear.

My assignment (Courtesy of Retro Ruth):

Believe it or not, I was actually relieved beyond belief when I received this assignment. First of all, it is very Retro WW friendly. In fact, the only non-legal ingredient is the Lime Jell-O! We Retro WW gals are only allowed to have Knox Unflavored gelatine, you know - but I figured I could break the rules just this once. I was also relieved because my recipe was surprisingly semi-appetizing. Trust me. It could have been MUCH worse. These girls I am mixed up with are like the Jell-O mafia. They don't mess around.

Here's a really pretty picture of my lime Jell-O before I completely desecrated it:

And here's a totally nauseating picture of the Jell-O after I chilled it, whipped it, and added the tuna/pineapple/sour cream fixins to it.

I tried to think happy thoughts as I folded all of the ingredients together so as to help the Jell-O maintain its fluffy-ness. Sadly this did not work very well, and the entire mixture deflated into a giant bowl of green gelatinous goo. I stuck it back in the fridge for a few more minutes and let the gelatine do its thing.

In the meantime--I got to work on my pineapple boat. I found a really nice lady on YouTube to show me how to do that. She made it look so easy. Yeah. This was not easy at all. I'm just glad I didn't lose any fingers. I'm also glad no one was watching, because I really f-bombed the Hell out of that pineapple and made a huge sticky mess in the process.

But I must admit, in the end I pulled it all together, and my Waikiki Whip turned out just peachy. Here I am putting on the finishing touches and taking a big ol' taste:

The flavor was overwhelmingly tart and fishy. Oh, and just in case you didn't notice - I even gagged a little bit during the video. Not because it tasted all that bad, but because I wasn't prepared for how intense it was. Seriously. I really wasn't ready for that jelly. But even with the on-camera "Regurgitation Close Call", The Waikiki Whip was still a wonderful trip.

And here is one final extreme close-up shot for your viewing pleasure:

Mission accomplished!

Now please be sure to check out these other Jell-O Superstars today as they complete their own crazy challenges:

Ruth at the Mid Century Menu
Emily at Dinner is Served 1972
Lexi at After Apple Picking

Get Your Freak On

2012-02-15T08:39:00.000-08:00

I admit, most of the time when I come across a recipe, I make it simply for the shock value. I usually choose recipes for this blog because of their gag factor. There, I said it. I find it oddly thrilling to gross people out.

But once in a great while, there is that rare occasion when I find a Retro WW recipe that I make because it actually sounds good.

I know. Freaky.

I have been wanting to make these Green Bean Patties from my 1978 Hot Stuff Recipe Pamphlet for some time. Why? Because they have all of the qualities of my perfect recipe: fast, cheap and easy. Plus they sounded delish.

If you want to make them for yourself, here is the recipe:

GREEN BEAN PATTIES

1 cup French Style Green Beans, drained and chopped
1 slice toast, crumbed
1 medium egg, well beaten
salt & pepper to taste
Dehydrated onion flakes, to taste
1 slice cheese

Combine beans, egg and toast. Add salt, pepper and onion flakes to taste. Shape into patties. Place in non-stick skillet and cover. Heat until brown on one side. Cut cheese into pieces the size of patty. Remover cover from pan and turn the patties and place cheese on top of each. Re-cover and heat until cheese melts. Makes one serving for the mid-day meal.

These freaky little green things were straight up delicious, and I am not even kidding. What's more freaky? I ate them for breakfast. Yeah. With a cottage cheese chaser. I am crazy like that.

So - I can't help but wonder, what's the craziest "diet dish" you have ever concocted (Past or Present) that actually turned out surprisingly tasty? Can you top my freaky green pancakes? Hit me up in the comments section or post it on my Facebook wall so we can really get the conversation going.

Come on get freaky!

Terrible Twos

2012-02-12T13:19:00.000-08:00

The month of February marks the Two-Year Anniversary of the 1972 Retro Weight Watchers Experiment, and for the past few days - I have been pondering how to best celebrate this momentous occasion.

To be honest - I never expected this thing to last two years. In fact, I didn't really know what to expect when I started blogging on that cold snowy day in 2010.

All I know is that over the past two years I have met so many fantastic people through my blog, Twitter and Facebook. I have learned so many things about myself and what I can accomplish. I have pushed the boundaries of culinary art. I have enjoyed every moment, and now I can't imagine my life without my blog.

It almost brings a tear to my eye.

Shut up. It's my blogday, and I'll cry if I want to.

So how do I celebrate this? How do I pay tribute to my blog, and all of its wonderful readers?

I guess the most appropriate way to show my excitement is with a GREAT BIG PINK GELATINE MOLD! I mean, really. What could be better than a heart-shaped gelatinous symbol of my devotion?

Nevermind what's in it. Just enjoy the freakin' moment.

So thanks to everyone who has been a part of this adventure - both longtime friends and brand new followers. There is so much more to come, and it's only going to get crazier up in here! Stick around, my friends. You know what they say about the "terrible twos"...

Almost

2012-02-08T11:50:00.000-08:00

I enjoy a good slice of pie.

I have even been known to take a road trip in search of good pie.

So when I spotted a recipe in my 1978 WW Hot Stuff Recipe Pamphlet entitled, "Almost a Pie", I have to admit my curiosity was piqued. I also figured if it was anything like the great "Almost a Snicker" caper of June 2010, it was worth trying.

When approaching a recipe like this, it is very important to keep your expectations low. There is no reason to get excited yet. Temper yourself. And remember - no matter what happens, you still get to eat something when it is all said and done. For most Retro WW gals, this is enough of a thrill in itself.

"Almost a Pie"
4 medium eggs
2 cups skim milk
4 tablespoons diet margarine
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1/4 cup flour
2 slices bread, torn into small pieces
dash of salt
Artificial sweetener equal to 1/2 cup sugar
Dash of nutmeg

In a blender container, place ingredients in order given except nutmeg. Start blender, count slowly to 10. Turn off blender. Pour mixture into 9" pie dish which has been sprayed with release agent. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

[Before]

[After]

It looked almost like a quiche. It smelled almost like a souffle. It tasted almost like french toast.

But Almost a Pie? Um. I beg to differ. Let us take a moment for a quick demonstration, shall we?

Here is what an "Actual Pie" looks like:

Here is what "Almost a Pie" looks like:

You be the judge.

Something's Coming...

2012-02-04T16:27:00.000-08:00

There are so many exciting things happening at the 1972 Retro WW Experiment, I can barely contain myself.

Did you notice we recently got a makeover with a new brand new header and wallpaper? That was exhilarating. You like?

We also just joined FACEBOOK! If you haven't already done so, please go ahead and "like" us. Please. Just "like" us, OK? Don't make me beg. The Facebook page is still in its infancy, but my hope is to create a groovy community where we Retro WW friends can share our thoughts, pictures, recipes and any other random Retro WW love that might arise there. You know, Kumbaya and all that crap.

And stay tuned, because something BIG is on the horizon. A few of my bloggy friends and I have something wild & crazy up our sleeves. We are going to Knox your socks off! To quote one of my favorite showtunes: Something's coming. I don't know what it is. But it is gonna be great! Who knows...

West Side Jell-O Story

Before I sign off, there is one final order of business to which we must tend. That is of course the mystery of the Pink Soup. The five ingredients that graced my blender to concoct that pink substance were:

Cottage Cheese
Tomato Juice
Chicken Bouillon
Condensed Milk
Canned Mushrooms

No one guessed all five. But the reader who came closest would have to be Jana from Time Travel Kitchen! Cue the confetti! It seems Miss Jana knows a thing or two about scary retro food.

On that note, I must sign off for now. But remember folks: Something's coming. Don't know when. But it's soon. Catch the moon. One handed catch! Who knows...

Pink Soup!

2012-02-01T09:19:00.000-08:00

I am feeling a bit playful today. So I thought I'd have a little fun with today's Retro WW experiment, and make a game out of it!

What we have here is Card #6 from the 1974 Weight Watchers Recipe File: Chicken Bisque.

I made it. I ate it. It was....interesting.

It was also PINK.

Now comes the fun part: Can anyone guess the 5 main ingredients that make up the base for this figure-friendly soup? And don't even say chicken. That's in the title, and you don't get credit for that one.

Remember, folks. This is a Retro WW Recipe. Anything goes.

Ready. Set. GO!

NOTE: I will reveal the answer in my next post and the lucky commenter who comes the closest will get a very special Bloggy shout-out! Good Luck!

Give the People What They Want

2012-01-27T11:57:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, there are still people out there who are looking for old WW recipes from the 1970's. They walk amongst us. They could be your friends... Your co-workers... Your neighbors.

How do I know these people exist?

Because their creepy Google searches show up in my Blog stats every day.

Sometimes I sit and wonder -- who are these glorious people that scour the internet at all hours of the day and night looking for Retro WW recipes? They search for things like "Bev's Hot Livers" or "Cottage Cheese Danish" or the ever-popular "Frankfurter Spectacular". They want to know how to make their own "catsup" or turn a mushroom into a peanut. They desperately need to find out how to make a Toffee Candy out of instant coffee and dehydrated milk.

They come to my blog in search of answers. I must deliver for them.

So when I notice a recipe title that pops up in my blog keyword search stats more than once, I feel the need to give the people what they want.

And thus we arrive at today's Retro WW Experiment:

TUNA CHILI
1 cup tomato juice
1 beef bouillon cube, crushed
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 ounces onion
4 ounces drained tuna, flaked

Combine all ingredients and cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated and flavors are blended. Makes one fast serving for the mid-day meal.

OK. Why anyone would ever want to exhume this recipe is beyond me. I literally took one bite and gasped in terror. Seriously. What the Hell? The serving is HUGE too. In order to eat this entire thing, I think I would need to be roofied.

I even tried to improve the presentation by serving it in my favorite pink Pyrex Bowl. Fail.

So there you have it. Another long-forgotten Retro WW Recipe revealed to the world. You asked for it. You got it, people.

Now go to your room and think about what you have done.

Creamed Wieners

2012-01-21T03:26:00.000-08:00

As an adolescent, I spent about 50% of my time following my mom around asking her, "What's for dinner?"

To which my mom would usually reply, "Shit on a Shingle."

This made me laugh hysterically. So I would ask her over and over again.

"Come on, Mom! What's for dinnnneeeeer???" I would whine in a dramatic fashion.

And my mom would look at me with a perfectly straight face and say, "We're having Shit on a Shingle."

This is hilarious to a 14-year-old, by the way.

We never actually had Shit on a Shingle (SOS) for dinner. My mom was a great cook and always made us something delicious and fresh. In fact, I don't think I ever really knew what Shit on a Shingle (SOS) even was.

Until now.

I came across this recipe in my 1974 Hot Stuff Recipe Pamphlet, and it sounded so horrible - I had to try it.

Creamed Wieners

1 cup chopped celery
4 oz. onion, chopped
salt & pepper
2 cups water
2/3 cup non-fat dry milk
4 tsp margarine
8 tsp flour
12 ounces frankfurter, sliced
2 cups enriched rice, cooked

Cook celery, onion and salt & pepper in water until tender. Drain, reserving liquid. Mix dry milk and reserved liquid together. Make white sauce using margarine, flour and the fluid.

Add cooked celery, onions and frankfurters. Heat thoroughly.

Serve over rice. Makes 4 servings.

The original SOS recipe calls for chipped beef instead of wieners, and it is usually served atop toast. But this Retro WW version will do just fine. In fact, when I tasted it, I said to myself, "Wow - this is some really good shit!"

I can't wait for my husband to ask me "What's for dinner tonight?"

Hee Hee.

Party On!

2012-01-16T05:59:00.000-08:00

This is a direct passage from the 1966 Weight Watchers Cookbook by Jean Nidetch:

The Cocktail Hour: No, we do not permit alcoholic beverages in the WW Program, but you can enjoy an hour or two of relaxation with company, serving glasses of tomato juice, non-caloric carbonated drinks of your own choice, "Roast Peanuts" and the "Popcorn Bowl". Your daily fruit or Malted Milk can also be taken at this time.

Reading the above passage, I realized that I have done the tomato juice thing and the diet soda thing to get through many a special occasion. But what of this Malted Milk? I needed to know more...

The "Basic Malted" consists of:

1 glass skim milk
Sugar Substitute to taste
3 ice cubes

Process in blender for 30 seconds and enjoy. If you are in a pinch, and a blender is not handy -- simply shake up your Malted Milk in a jar and serve it straight up or on the rocks! What could be easier?

But wait! There are also many variations on the theme...

A Milk and Diet Pepsi Cocktail is always fancy, yo!

For example--one could add diet soda, coffee, or various flavoring extracts. I imagine one could also add bean sprouts or boiled celery since these are also permitted in unlimited quantities. But that would be a bit of a turn-off at a cocktail party, I suppose.

But take it from me - there is NOTHING classier than a milk mustache!

A Scandinavian Surprise

2012-01-07T04:30:00.000-08:00

Well spank my jell-o mold and call me Sally.

It takes a lot to shock me. But when I got my January 2012 issue of Weight Watchers magazine in the mail this week, I almost fell off my platform heels.

After perusing page after page of pertinent tips, recipes and pictures of the beautiful Jennifer Hudson -- I came upon something in the very back of the magazine that made my stomach flip.

It looked so familiar to me. I wonder why? Oh yes! I ran to my Retro WW collection and grabbed my very own copy of the May 1970 issue - featuring foods from Scandinavia. A fishy sampler platter lying atop a sapphire blue shag carpet adorns the cover. I might add that this particular issue contains one of my all-time favorite Retro WW recipes - The Fiske Ballar (more commonly known as Fish Balls). TeeHee.

Don't worry. I am plotting my Fiske Ballar Experiment as you read this.

How fun that the modern day Weight Watchers magazine has decided to include a "Flashback" feature in every issue! I guess this retro thing is really catching on, eh? In my wildest fantasy, I'd like to think I had a little something to do with that.

Now, what is it they say about imitation and flattery?

Retro WW Interview Project - Sherrie's Story

2012-01-02T03:54:00.000-08:00

In November of 2011, I put out a call to the brave folks who actually followed the original Retro WW program back in the 1970's. My request was simple: share your Retro WW story with me so I can share it with the world. Thus began the "Retro WW Interview Project". Check out my first interview with my mom, in case you missed it, and please email me if you would like to be part of the interview project! After all--When you go through a traumatic experience, they say it helps to talk about it.

Up next, allow me to introduce Sherrie. Her Retro WW story will make you laugh, cry, and maybe even jump for joy. Make sure you read to the very end, because there is also a very important lesson about why you should always wear the correct size underwear.

1. Why did you join WW? What was your "A-Ha Moment"? What year was it?

I joined WW for the first time in 1971, I was 11 years old. I admittedly joined for all of the wrong reasons. My father wouldn’t allow me to get my ears pierced and constantly badgered me about my weight. I bargained with him, if I lost 25 pounds, could I get my ears pierced. The answer was yes. So, my mom drove me to the Carpenters Hall, and I joined WW.

Sherrie 1978

2. What is your most vivid Retro WW memory?

The Carpenters Hall where the meetings were held was large and cold and musty smelling. When you walked in off the street there was a pop machine, with pop in glass bottles for 25 cents. I would buy a bottle of Tab each week and then go in to weigh. There were two old doctor office type scales at one end of the room and two lines of people lined up to get weighed in. Everyone could see your weight as the scale was adjusted for your weigh in. It felt kind of like cattle being herded onto a scale. Pauline, my WW leader was a tiny thing that stood on top of a stage at the other end of the room behind a podium, that made her look even smaller. Pauline was always very sweet and very kind, she taught me that even a ¼ of a pound was a huge weight loss, after all that is the size of a cube of butter.

3. What was your favorite Retro WW treat?

There were these breakfast muffins that we used to make, you would use slices of bread ripped up (cause you couldn’t use flour) and eggs and dry powdered milk and frozen blueberries. You got six of the muffins at a sitting. I used to think they were the bomb. Also, if you had hot dogs you could have (as a youth) 6 broiled hot dogs for dinner, loved wiener night.

Sherrie 1985

4. What was the hardest rule to follow on Retro WW?

The liver rule, hands down. I had liver, broiled, there was no frying, just broiling. The first and last time I ate my liver meal I ate only a small portion of it and cried all the way through it. All those fish meals you had eat a week, would be a second. Your proteins were 2oz for breakfast, 4 for lunch and 6 for dinner (I was a youth, so I got more of some things) I would opt for fish meals for breakfast and lunch so I wouldn’t have to eat so much. I hated fish so usually it was dry tuna on a dry piece of bread. Bleh.

5. What was the best thing about being a WW member in the 70's?

It was almost like being a member of a cool secret society, like belonging to fight club or something. Jean Nidetch was often talked about, and we always dreamed of her coming to our meeting. She never did, but the district manager for the western states came once, (Jack Bode) you would have thought he was a movie star. I reached goal when I was 12, started high school 1 month before I turned 13. Although I didn’t stay on program, WW gave me my teenage years as just a normal kid, not the heavy set girl with the pretty face. The recipes were so crazy back then, but without them the food was not palatable. The best thing about the 70’s was it really taught me to try new things at least once, and to eat my vegetables! It was simpler times, simpler food. The results were the same then, as they are now, Weight Watchers works, it’s a network and you always have support.

6. Any other interesting tidbits about your Retro WW experience??

Pauline told us a story one time about a member that was shopping in sears with a dress on, she had two small school age children with her. She had lost so much weight that her undergarments were not fitting her anymore. She looked down at her feet from behind the racks and noticed that her panties had slipped down and were laying on top of her shoes. These were big ol panties that had seen better days. She was mortified. Being a sensible woman who did not show her panties to strangers she got a nervous look on her face and scanned the shopping floor.. good no one noticed. She pretended to be looking at a dress on the rack and stepped out of her under garment and swiftly bent down and scooped it into her purse in one ballet like move. She continued to shop. An hour or so later her and the kids were leaving Sears, and as she started to walk out the door she felt a large firm hand on her shoulder, and a deep male voice say, Madam, I saw you put something into your purse. Oh my God, she thought. She denied it. She couldn’t tell the security guard it was her under pants. He said Madam, show me your purse. She clutched it to her chest. The police came ..

Sherrie 2010

The moral: As you lose weight, always, always reward yourself with new underwear.

2011: A Year in Review

2011-12-26T16:51:00.000-08:00

The Slim Santa Snacks have been served. The Egg-Less Nog has been drunk. Another year has come and gone.

It is so hard to believe that my little Retro WW Experiment is almost two years old! In my second year of blogging about the scary rules and recipes of Weight Watchers circa 1970-1978, I became bolder and braver. I tried food combinations that no human should ever consume. I tackled some culinary bucket list items.

I still haven't achieved my goal of meeting Jean Nidetch. Sigh. One day...

Anyway. In case you have forgotten, here's a look back on some of my finest moments from 2011. The good, the bad, and the horrifying.

Cheers!

Healthade

A Deeply Disturbing Mystery Fluid

"French Fries"

Hint: They're NOT French Fries

Lemon Tuna Mold

My first ever double-decker and first ever video blog

Cucumber Zips

The ultimate freak food

Frankfurter Spectacular

There are no words.

Fluffy Mackerel Pudding

Video proof that I actually eat this crap

Rosy Perfection Salad

My role model in molded-salad form

Cinnamon Squares

The worst thing I ever ate.
And that's saying a lot.

Happy New Year!

Festival of Light Recipes

2011-12-18T05:32:00.000-08:00

Jean Nidetch never missed an opportunity to renovate a favorite holiday recipe. In fact, she could take the most decadent delectable and turn it into a dieter's dream.

So with Hanukkah starting this week, I would be remiss if I didn't whip up some classic WW versions of this Holiday season's favorites.

Being a proud Jewish Brooklynite, and a self-proclaimed F.F.H. (formerly fat housewife), you can bet Jean knows a thing or two about Latkes, Kugels and Sufganiyot. Since most traditional Jewish foods are not often figure-friendly, Jean offers alternatives for the slim-seeking set.

Take for example, the Latke.

As a lover of Latkes, I have experimented with my share of Retro WW Latke recipes...

First there was the Retro WW Blueberry Latkes. They were delicious and nutritious. One of my very first Retro WW endeavors -- I loved them, but my husband didn't. Whatever.

And then came the Cauliflower "Potato" Latkes. These were a hands-down winner. I made them for lunch and gobbled up the whole batch. I'll swap my potatoes for cauliflower any old day.

But today, I decided to take a different route. Instead of a Latke, I made a Kugel. And I'm so glad I did.

Potato Kugel with Cheese Topping

1 Potato, scrubbed and grated
1 egg
1 slice bread, cut up
1 tsp dehydrated onion flakes
Salt & Pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Transfer to a small casserole. Set in shallow pan holding 1/2-inch water. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Top with cottage cheese and dill.

This recipe made one big serving of warm potatoey, cheesey goodness, and you can bet your sweet tuchus I ate every last bite.

I don't come from a Jewish family, but our love of starchy potatoes topped with cottage cheese runs so deep, it is almost like a religion. In fact, I would be willing to bet that as soon as my mom reads this post, she'll be running to the store to pick up the ingredients for this recipe.

I hope everyone has a happy & healthy Hanukkah. May your Latkes be light and your Menorah be bright! Gut Yontif to all, and to all a good holiday outfit that isn't too tight!

Slim Santa Snacks

2011-12-11T05:07:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows that it is customary to leave a snack for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.

Most normal people leave him cookies.

As a Retro WW Gal, I simply don't keep cookies on hand. They are not "legal".

Anyway--This Saturday night, as I was flipping through my 1970 Christmas issue of Weight Watchers magazine, I found the perfect treat for Santa. The "Snacks & Hors d'Ouevres for the Skinny Christmas Scene" centerfold recipe spread really caught my eye.

What? You don't put on a cocktail dress, sit by the tree and peruse magazines? Why not?

I thought -- with all those cookies he'll be eating, Santa will surely appreciate a slimming snack to carry him through his busy night. Right?

So I immediately put on my apron and got to work on these...

Slim Santa Snacks
1 1/2 cups tomato juice
pinch garlic powder
cloves
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
2 Tbsp water
1/2 pound large fresh mushrooms

Combine first 5 ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes. Soften gelatin in water and add to tomato juice mixture. Chill until syrupy.

Remove stems from mushrooms and place on rack. Spoon mixture over mushrooms and chill until set. Repeat 2-3 times until mushrooms are well coated.

I was so excited about my Slim Santa Snacks, I left out a few of them just in case Santa decided to arrive early. You never know, right?

Well! Lo and behold, when I awoke this morning -- I found an empty platter and a special treat in my stocking...

Merry Christmas everyone! I wish you the happiest of holidays filled with peace, love, joy and lots of "slimming" things to eat!

An Interview with Mimi's Mom

2011-12-04T03:38:00.000-08:00

For almost two years, I have been immersed in the 1972 Retro Weight Watchers Program. I have tried, somewhat pitifully, to follow the program and to sample the thousands of "healthy" recipes from that era. My progress has been mediocre. But I press on...

There are, however, millions of people who actually did follow this program over 40 years ago. They were dedicated, strong and successful. I want to pay tribute to them in a regular segment called, "The Retro WW Interview Project".

Today, I start with my Mom...

Mimi & Mom Before & After:

Q: Why did you join WW?
A: It was 1971. Living in Pittsburgh during the 1970's we were big Steeler fans, and one day I looked at the newspaper. In the sports section, it had all the stats of the Steelers players, and I screamed when I noticed that I outweighed all of them EXCEPT Mean Joe Green. I wanted to lose weight on a structured program, and I liked the idea of going to a meeting hearing others in my same situation. Knowing I had to weigh in weekly, to keep me on task.

Q: What is your most vivid Retro WW memory?
A: My first 10 lbs off, I was so happy!

Q: What was your favorite Retro WW treat?
A: I would toast a slice of bread, slice it length-wise and put my portion of farmers cheese on it with a smidgen of sweet & low then broil till bubbly. I swear, it was like cheesecake to me!

Q:What was your "Frankenstein Food"? (the one food that was most tempting to you)
A: Potato pancakes.

Q: What was the hardest rule to follow on Retro WW?
A: No alcoholic beverages!!!!!!! It was so hard to be "social" on plan. As a young woman with a busy lifestyle, I was always in challenging situations with friends and family. It was hard to always say "no".

Q: What was the best thing about being a WW member in the 1970's?
A: Feeling there was a light at the end of the tunnel and that I could eventually fit thru it!

"Go Steelers! I'm so glad I weigh less than you now!"

Solid Salad, Jack

2011-11-29T12:18:00.000-08:00

At some point in your life you will do something that will shame you. You won't want to tell anyone about it, because it makes you look really weird and creepy. Or stupid. But, for some reason, you'll tell one person. Then that person will forever know that thing about you and there will always be an awkwardness between you. Forever.

Welcome to my circle of shame.

Last Thursday night, I was up late feeling really guilty about my Thanksgiving gluttony. I woke up early on Black Friday and went directly to the grocery store to stock up on lots of fruits, veggies and various salad fixins. My goal was to eat clean for the remainder of the holiday weekend. Really clean.

Here's where things get weird.

While flipping through my 1977 Weight Watchers Recipe Booklet, I noticed I had all of the necessary ingredients to make myself something called a Solid Salad. That's right...

Solid Salad

2 cups cooked green beans
4 ounces artichoke hearts
4 ounces chopped green onions
1 medium cucumber, peeled and cubed
1 medium tomato, cubed
salt & pepper to taste
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Combine first 6 ingredients. Set aside. Mix mayo, lime juice and garlic salt. Blend all ingredients thoroughly. Chill several hours. Serves 4.

I chopped. I peeled. I mixed. And then I put it all in the blender. Looking back, I'm not even sure if that was really what I was supposed to do. But I did it anyway. In the world of Retro WW cooking, you just can't know for sure.

I put the pureed baby-food-like substance in a dish and stuck it in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Then I broke down and had to sneak a spoonful. It was tasty.

Five minutes later, I snuck another taste. It was still pretty tasty.

Within 15 more minutes I had eaten the entire Solid Salad. It stopped being tasty after the 4th or 5th bite. But I kept going.

In summation, I ate a giant bowl of lukewarm pureed vegetables and mayo. And I liked it.

By the way--if you Google the term "Solid Salad" here is the first thing that you'll find. Its a great video from 1944 with a trio of gals singing and dancing about a salad. Watch closely, and maybe you'll pick up some of the dance moves. They're fairly simple. Especially once you get past the one minute mark. Solid Salad, indeed!

A Very Retro WW Thanksgiving

2011-11-22T12:18:00.000-08:00

At precisely 6:30pm on Thursday November 26th, 1970 - a completely "legal" Retro WW Thanksgiving Dinner was served by a laser-focused WW member somewhere in America.

The Menu:

Founding Fathers Soup

Thanksgiving Day Roast Cornish Hen

Celery Mushroom Dressing

Parslied Squash

Creamed Spinach

Pumpkin-Orange Melange

Coffee and Tea

This awe-inspiring meal was featured in Weight Watchers magazine as the snazzy centerfold of the month back in November 1970.

Are you drooling? I thought not.

No mashed potatoes? No candied yams? No green bean casserole? No cornbread stuffing? No gravy? No pumpkin pie? No wine???

That's how they did it in 1970. It was hardcore, baby.

Let us now give thanks for the flexibility and forgiveness of modern day WW and PointsPlus. It just keeps getting better...Happy Thanksgiving!

The Retro WW Experiment Interview Project

2011-11-20T03:40:00.000-08:00

I know you are out there. And I want to talk to you...

Are you one of the many people who actually followed the original Weight Watchers program in the 1970's? Did you eat fish 5 times a week, top your toast with cottage cheese and serve up your wieners six ways to Sunday?

Did you actually eat things like this:

Salmon Mousse

Did you ever slice a piece of bread horizontally to make a "two-fer" sandwich? Did you always keep a box of Knox Unflavored Gelatine on hand just in case you wanted to whip up something like this:

Tomato Juice Aspic

If so, please email me, twitter me or leave your contact information in the comments section below - because I would love to interview you for a new feature on the 1972 Retro WW Experiment called...

Real Life Retro WW Success Stories!

You did the hard work. You lived the program. Now it's time to share your story with the world.

Don't be shy.

Keepin' It Fresh

2011-11-10T13:54:00.000-08:00

Twelve years ago this week, I reached my ultimate weight loss goal and became a WW lifetime member. I remember this vividly, because it was also just before my birthday weekend, and my parents had given me a HUGE gift card to go shopping for clothes.

That was one of the best weekends of my life.

I remember running through the mall, trying on clothes in sizes that I hadn't worn in years, and grinning so hard my cheeks hurt. I remember squealing in the fitting room and hugging the saleslady who kept bringing me smaller sizes.

"Honey, that's too big on you." She said obliviously, "I think you need the next smaller size." I was literally exploding with absolute glee.

It was amazing.

Twelve years later, I am still going strong and keeping off my 40 pound weight loss (give or take a few pounds depending on the day), but for some reason - I no longer squeal with glee when I try on a pair of jeans.

So what happened?

Maintenance.

It ain't thrilling. It ain't sexy. It ain't easy.

But it's necessary.

I mean, Jean Nidetch lost 72 pounds and has kept it off for 50 years. That's right. I said 50 years. You gotta respect that.

Maintenance is tough work, and it is not very rewarding. The compliments are scarce and the accolades are few and far in between, so we need to find ways to settle in for the long haul and learn how to keep the WW love alive.

I, for one, like to focus on small accomplishments and try new things. Here's an example:

"No Guts, No Glory"
Frankfurter Spectacular
Yea, I made that sucker. What of it?

So how do you keep it fresh? How do you stay motivated and keep yourself excited about the weight loss journey after the thrill is gone? What's your "Frankfurter Spectacular"?

Do tell...

Soup Season

2011-11-05T04:49:00.000-07:00

Every WW gal knows that soup is a surefire weight loss secret. I mean--who hasn't made it through a tough week by loading up on WW Zero-Point Garden Veggie Soup?

And there are so many types of soup to chose from: hot soup, cold soup, creamy soup, chunky soup, and the list goes on and on.

But did you know that there is also a little known category of soup that will not only help you watch your waistline but also make you love your country?

Patriotic Soups!

Cue the marching band and fireworks.

There are two recipes on the 1974 Patriotic Soups card: Founding Fathers' Soup and Pumpkin Soup.

I decided to try the first one, because it just sounded like the right thing to do as an American citizen. What could be more patriotic than honoring our Founding Fathers with a hot bowl of sauerkraut and tomato juice?

Founding Fathers' Soup

1 quart water
1 1/2 cups sauerkraut
1 cup tomato juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
4 chicken bouillon cubes
4 beef bouillon cubes

Combine all ingredients in saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

Can you just imagine our Founding Fathers enjoying a big crock of this soup after signing the Declaration of Independence? I can't help but wonder--While they were paving the way for the freedom of our country, were they also counting their calories?

Life, Liberty, And the Pursuit of Weight Loss? Hey. If it's good enough for Thomas Jefferson, it's good enough for me.

A Halloween Miracle

2011-10-29T02:08:00.000-07:00

This is not a Trick. This is an actual treat. And you will actually like it.

I had an extra can of pumpkin on hand, so I scanned my 1978 "Hot Stuff" Retro WW booklets for a good pumpkin recipe. And what I found just may shock you.

Pumpkin Cookies
16 ounces canned pumpkin
1 1/3 cups non-fat dry milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp imitation butter flavoring
Brown sugar replacement to equal 1/3 cup brown sugar (I used Splenda)

Combine all ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Drop by teaspoons onto non-stick cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Chill.

As my pumpkin cookies were baking away, I noticed something magnificent. An aroma started to fill my house. Not the odor of boiled celery. Not the odor of simmering tomato juice and cabbage. Not the odor of canned bean sprouts and onion flakes. It was the delicious and comforting aroma of cinnamon nutmeg yumminess baking to perfection in a warm oven. It was a Halloween miracle.

But how would my cookies taste? Needless to say, I had really high hopes for these little suckers.

I was so excited to eat one, I could barely wait to get them out of the oven. I even burnt my finger as I frantically pulled the first cookie directly from the baking sheet with my bare hand... My initial reaction?

Meh.

But after I let them chill for a few minutes, I tried another. And so did my hubby. We both agreed they were waaaaay better when cooled and tasted very much like pumpkin pie filling. And you know they must be good, because he ate -- not one -- but six of them!

I figured these little guys to be about 1 PointsPlus per cookie if you make approximately 16-20 of them. So if any of you modern-day WW gals want to go retro for Halloween, here's your chance!

It's a known fact that WW gals can work wonders with a can of pumpkin. What will you do with yours?

Smoothie Smackdown

2011-10-22T04:35:00.000-07:00

Smoothies are a mainstay in the Retro WW diet. The smoothie allows us to experiment with a variety of delicious fresh ingredients and puree them into a frosty cup of juicy goodness. I have sucked down many a Retro WW Smoothie in my day. Who can forget the Lettuce Orangeade Smoothie, the Purple Cow Smoothie or the Knox Gelatin Smoothie?

I sure do love a good Smoothie.

So when my blogger buddy The Skinny Architect tipped me off to a great new Smoothie place opening in my hometown, I had to go check them out.

Planet Smoothie Pittsburgh is not retro at all. In fact they are very modern and hip. The decor is bright, cheery and colorful. When you walk through their door, you instantly become a smoothie fan. You are now ready to place your order.

For a full listing of their smoothie combinations, I highly recommend checking out their website. What did I order? I was of course drawn to the "2-Piece Bikini Smoothie" in the weight loss smoothie section of their menu. It was a yummy mix of strawberry, banana, nonfat milk and vanilla. Under 300 calories!

And then my smoothie-maker asked me a mind-blowing question: "Would you like to add a fat-burner blast to your smoothie?"

Um. Yes, please?

Let it be known that everyone looks cooler while drinking a smoothie. Even me.

I was so inspired by my fabulous visit to Planet Smoothie, I decided to whip up a smoothie of my own. Let's just see how my Retro WW Smoothie compares...

The Pimento Asparagus Smoothie
1974 Weight Watchers Recipe Cards

2 cups fresh, cooked asparagus
2 (7 oz.) jars pimentos, drained
1/2 cup skim milk

Let it rip in blender. Garnish with a scallion. Drink up!

Oh dear... Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. Someone please grab me a tic tac! And a memory-erasing pill! And a Silkwood shower!

Please Note: For my benefit and for the benefit of all people, my blender has been officially placed on hiatus until further notice.

The next time I crave a smoothie, I think I'll just visit Planet Smoothie, and leave my asparagus and pimentos alone.

Better Late Than Never

2011-10-16T05:05:00.000-07:00

"On October 12th 1492, a man discovered America. On October 12th 1923, America discovered a lady who was born to 'discover' Weight Watchers. He was Christopher Columbus. She was Jean Nidetch. He took the mystery out of the world. She took the L out of flab." - The Jean Nidetch Story

This week was Jean Nidetch's birthday.

And I missed it.

Sorry Jean!

If I could, I would bake Jean a great big Black Walnut Flavored Cake with Strawberry Fluff Frosting - just like the one in her 1974 Weight Watchers Recipe Cards.

I have no idea how Jean spent her birthday, but I have no doubt it was fabulous.

As for me, I'll be sure to honor the awesomeness of Jean's birthday in some small way. Maybe I'll try to inspire someone to make a positive change in their life. Maybe I'll try to challenge myself to do something new and visionary. Maybe I'll set a new goal, chart a new course or find a new passion.

Or maybe I'll just whip up a wickedly awesome gelatin mold.

What will you do today that is awesome?

An Apple and a Frank a Day

2011-10-09T14:04:00.000-07:00

It was a perfect day for apple picking here in Pittsburgh: sunny, warm and clear. If you were smart, you went out and loaded up on bushels and bushels of juicy red apples at your local orchard.

And if you did that, you are now probably wondering: What the deuce am I gonna do with all of these apples?

If you are a Retro WW gal, you're probably thinking: I know! I'll chop up some wieners and stuff them in a couple of these apples. Then I'll sprinkle them with some onion flakes and curry powder and bake them in a big-ass Pyrex dish. Oh yes--that sounds downright delicious!

And that's exactly what I did today.

I couldn't resist whipping up the following recipe from my 1974 Best of Weight Watchers Magazine. It just seemed perfect for a day like this:

Apples and Franks Karachi

4 boiled frankfurters, diced
2 medium baking apples, cored
1/4 tsp dehydrated onion
1/4 tsp curry powder

Hollow out apples leaving only a thin shell. Finely chop the scooped-out apple and sprinkle with curry and onion. Stir in diced frankfurters. Spoon mixture into apple shells. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

The fragrant curry mingling with the pungent aroma of the frankfurters will turn your kitchen into an odoriferous Hell on Earth. Crack a window. You'll be fine.

If you really want to impress your friends, tell them that you picked up this recipe while visiting Karachi. They'll think you are very exotic and worldly. They don't have to know you heard it here. It'll be our little secret.

Let's Get Cheesy

2011-09-27T04:34:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows that Cottage Cheese is a staple in the Retro WW diet. In fact -- in an earlier post, I explained the absolute necessity of it and I proclaimed my undying love for it.

So it shouldn't surprise you that when I stumbled upon this vintage cookbook in the 50 cent bin at the flea market -- I simply had to have it.

Creative Cooking With Cottage Cheese
From The American Dairy Association Test Kitchen
Rock On with Your Cheesy Self!

Oh the things you can do with Cottage Cheese! Page after page of creative ways to incorporate those creamy curds into virtually everything and anything. There are no limits to what you can do with a carton of Cottage Cheese.

That's why I always, ALWAYS keep a pound in the fridge. And a back-up pound, just in case.

But as I thumbed through my new cookbook, I was disappointed to learn that none of the recipes inside were Retro WW "legal". Bummer. They all contained at least one ingredient on my forbidden list. What to do?

After much consideration, I decided that sometimes you just have to break the rules. And furthermore--it's my blog and I can do whatever I want to do. So... let's get crazy with some Cottage Cheese!

My favorite retro recipes are the ones that combine a pathologically random list of ingredients in a blender. These are ingredients that would never, ever be put together my a clear-thinking normal person, but somehow they work.

Take for example, the "Teeners Special Dunk":

1 1/2 Cups Cottage Cheese
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
2 Tablespoons milk
1/4 Cup Catsup
3 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish

I dipped some celery in it. I had to keep tasting it because it reminded me of something I once ate, but I never figured out what it was. Maybe it will come to me in a dream someday.

I don't know who came up with this messed up recipe, but those crazy Teeners sure do seem to enjoy it. Whoever the Hell they are.

How do you like your Cottage Cheese?

Canned Fruit-a-Palooza

2011-09-18T09:26:00.000-07:00

We all have those blogs we follow that we love so much it makes us jump for joy every time we see a new post pop up in our reader. For me, one of those blogs is Caker Cooking.

Recently, Brian at Caker Cooking posted a crafty recipe involving Canned Pineapple Rings. He actually created a kitschy jell-o mold that you make right in the freaking can! And I was like -- Are you kidding me? Come on! How did I never think of this? I immediately began to ponder how Jean Nidetch missed out on this one. I was perplexed and inspired all at the same time.

And then I came across the following recipe in my new 1978 WW Hot Stuff Recipe Pamphlet:

Annie's Easy Fruit

1 can fruit cocktail, no sugar added (reserve the can)
1 envelope unflavored Knox Gelatin
1 drop red food coloring
1 teaspoon cherry flavoring

Drain fruit cocktail and combine the liquid with gelatin. Add food coloring and heat to dissolve. Remove from heat, add flavoring, and cool slightly. Stir mixture into can. Chill. Unmold and slice. Makes 4 servings.

OK. First of all. Who is Annie, and why does she think fruit needs to be made "easy"? Isn't it easy enough already? In my opinion this recipe made it more difficult. It should have been called "Annie's Difficult Fruit", because the whole process was a huge pain in the arse.

This recipe defies gravity

Secondly, this was awful. Just awful. I would've much preferred to have just eaten the fruit cocktail right out of the can, and ditched the Knox Gelatin. But that's just me.

Please note my cat looking on in the background. Horrified.

I have a feeling the Caker Cooking, super sweet, non-WW version might be quite a bit yummier. But maybe next time I'll just have a piece of fresh fruit and skip the can altogether. What do you think?

By the way-- did you know that today is Lose-a-Palooza, a one-day social media event sponsored by Weight Watchers to help fight world hunger? So if you are looking for something more virtuous to do with your canned goods -- why not contribute them to the Weight Watchers Lose for Good Campaign instead? Visit www.weightwatchers.com/loseforgood for more info!

More Hot Stuff

2011-09-17T15:49:00.000-07:00

Have I ever mentioned how much I love the people who read this blog? Well, I do. I love them very much.

Especially the ones who send me presents!

Recently, a loyal Retro WW Experiment reader contacted me to let me know she wanted to send me a box of Weight Watcher's "Hot Stuff" recipe booklets from 1978. These booklets are similar to the one I blogged about in my recent Wiener Soup post. Of course, I gladly agreed to accept them.

Upon receiving the booklets, I squealed and nearly peed my pants. Oh so many crazy recipes. Even the recipe names made me happy. Some examples include:

Marge's Micro Lunch
Zippy Bean Salad
Freda's Flan
Frankfurter Moussaka
Hungry Gal Skillet
Almost a Pie
Liver Delight
Um-Boy Brownies
Cranberry Tongue
Tuna Wiggle

And these are only the tip of the iceberg. Every single recipe filled me with glee, and I have plans to give many of them a whirl. But the one I chose to make first was simply called "Annie's Easy Fruit".

You'll have to wait for my next post to get a look at the final product. And, trust me, you won't want to miss this one.

In the meantime -- I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who continues to follow this wacky experiment. And a special shout out to my new friend, Kathy - for sending me the groovy Retro WW Hot Stuff Booklets and providing us all with many, many more months of Retro WW enjoyment.

Whether we like it or not.

My Rosy Perfection

2011-09-10T05:05:00.000-07:00

I've had many role models along my weight loss journey, but the most unusual by far comes in the form of a molded salad.

That's right. I've finally snapped. I'm striving to be like a gelatin mold.

While some people collect inspirational quotes, success stories or motivational photos, I keep one single recipe card pinned to my mirror to always remind me to stay positive and never give up.

The 1974 WW Rosy Perfection Salad is the perfect balance of sweet and tart. It is bold and has a slight bite, but it is never bitter. Although some may say there are newer or better or more appealing salads out there -- the Rosy Perfection Salad does not care. It knows it is pretty, and it is proud. It has staying power. It has confidence. Not to mention, it is the most beautiful shade of pink I have ever seen.

How can you not love the Rosy Perfection Salad? I adore it in so many ways, but I have never actually whipped up one of my own.

Until today. The ingredients include...

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup artificial sweetener
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cups shredded red cabbage
1 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon chopped pimento

When you fold it all together into one beautifully molded masterpiece, you feel like you can take on the world. Or at least just take on the day. Which isn't always easy to do, is it?

So won't you please have a piece and join me? It never hurts to have a little Rosy Perfection in your day.

Back to Basics

2011-09-05T15:22:00.000-07:00

I had an epiphany at my Weight Watchers meeting this week.

The topic was "Getting Re-Started", and how it helps to go back to the basic program fundamentals when you need to recharge your weight loss efforts. For the purposes of the 2011 Points Plus Program, the basic rules for re-booting are:

Stay on Target
Power Up
Treat Yourself
Get Moving

It all seems so simple. So basic. So intuitive.

It got me thinking about the "basics" of the original Weight Watchers program and what a royal pain in the patootie it is to get back on track after falling off the Retro WW wagon. Here's a quickie run-down of the 1972 WW Rules. Just in case you were wondering:

Eat only the foods listed in your Menu Plan, in the quantities specified and only at the meals specified. Get ready...
EGGS: Limit them to 4-7 per week. Only at breakfast or lunch. Easy enough.
CHEESE: Only hard cheese, pot, or cottage. Only at breakfast or lunch. Only in quantities permitted per your menu plan. Hint: learn to love cottage cheese.
FISH: You must eat a minimum of 5 fish meals per week at lunch or dinner. There is a lot more to this fish thing, but it gets really complicated, and I don't have the energy to explain it right now.
MEAT AND POULTRY: No more than 3 meals per week for certain meats, such as beef, lamb or ham. Others can be used as desired in limited quantities. Aside from your basic chicken and turkey, get ready to start eating some crazy stuff here. Pigeon anyone?
LIVER: Must be eaten once a week, either for lunch or dinner. Yeah, right.
BREAD: 1 slice at breakfast and one slice at lunch. Must be eaten at mealtime only. Creativity is required here.
FRUIT: Fruits are divided into 3 groups. Some are permitted daily. Some are permitted once per week. FYI- Apparently bananas are evil. 3 fruits per day are permitted for women.
VEGETABLES: Some are limited and some are unlimited. Go easy on the parsnips -- Get crazy with the celery!
MILK: Choose wisely. You get 16 oz skim or 12 oz buttermilk or 8 oz evaporated skim per day.
FATS: I love this one. 1 tablespoon of fat per day. Must be spread with a spatula or knife -- never with a brush. Seriously.
Do NOT eat or drink the following:

Alcohol
Bacon
Butter
Cake, cookies, crackers, pies
Candy, chocolate
Catsup, chili sauce
Cocoa
Cream
Cream cheese
Fried foods
Dried fruit
Ice cream, ice milk, sherbet
Jam, jellies, preserves
Luncheon meats
Muffins, biscuits
Non-dairy creamer
Olive or olive oils
Pancakes, waffles
Peanut butter
Peanuts, other nuts
Pizza
Popcorn, potato chips, pretzels
Pork products
Puddings, custards, flavored gelatin
Raw fish or meat
Specialty breads
Salad dressings
Sardines
Smoked fish, smoked meats
Soda pop, punch
Soups
Sugar
Syrup

Honestly, I don't know how anyone survived this plan. They did it, though. I know this, because I have the certificate which proves that my own mother followed this plan, lost weight and lived to tell about it.

So now that Summer is un-officially coming to an end, are you reluctantly getting "back to basics" with your weight loss efforts? If so -- just remember. It could be worse. It could be 1972.

That's What She Said

2011-09-02T18:08:00.000-07:00

What is it about Retro WW Gals and their love of wieners? They seemingly cannot get enough of them.

With six ounces of all-beef frankfurters permitted every day if desired, I suppose it's easy to get a little wacky with all those wieners.

For example--we had the Crown Roast of Frankfurter, the Frankfurter Pie, and who can forget the awe-inspiring Frankfurter Spectacular?

We are always looking for something new to do with our wieners.

So I was thrilled when a friend gave me this rare Retro WW recipe pamphlet from 1978. This mini-cookbook is simply called "Hot Stuff", and contains some never-before seen treasured legal recipes. I could tell right away that this particular recipe pamphlet was authentic, because it has a pineapple/liver recipe handwritten on the back cover and some unidentified grease stains on the front cover. Classic.

And the best part...when I opened up this greasy little pamphlet to page 10, what did I find? A franktacular recipe for "Wiener Soup".

Wiener. Freaking. Soup.

Oh yeah. Dinner is served!

The recipe made two servings, but when I offered my husband a delicious bowl of hot Wiener Soup, he politely turned me down. I can't think why.

Portion Control

2011-08-28T04:44:00.000-07:00

Aside from my obsession with Retro Weight Watchers, I also have a mild addiction to a little thing called Vintage Pyrex.

By far--my favorite Pyrex piece is the mini fridgie which is a teeny-tiny covered casserole dish. It comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Here's a sampling from my collection...

Why do I love the mini fridgie so much?

Two words: Portion Control.

I challenge you to find a modern-day bowl or casserole with the portion power and versatility of the mini-fridgie. It can go from fridge to oven to freezer, and is small enough to make even the most minuscule WW dishes look appealing.

Did someone say Mock Chopped Liver?

When everything you eat is 6 ounces or less, you really need a serving dish that can make you feel better about your sad state of gastronomic affairs. Am I right?

For more Pyrex fun, please hop on over to my other favorite blogging spot - The Pyrex Collective and check it out! Caution - Vintage Pyrex can be highly addicitve!

Roll the Video!

2011-08-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

If you have ever visited this blog and wondered, "Who the heck is this Jean Nidetch lady you keep talking about, and why do you want to meet her so badly?" -- this post is for you.

Please enjoy this perfectly "legal" Martini recipe along with a fabulous video I found this morning on YouTube courtesy of the Sun Sentinel.

The "Legal" Martini contains:

1 cup hot water
1 packet instant chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp bitters

Combine, chill and garnish with a button mushroom. Yes, I said a button mushroom. Olives are not legal, silly!

The video contains:
An amazing interview with my idol Ms. Jean Nidetch -- the founder of Weight Watchers. Jean might be a little long in the tooth and a little rough around the edges, but I simply love her to pieces.

So sit back and enjoy your Retro WW Cocktail while Jean tells us how Weight Watchers was born. Be careful, though. You might just fall in love with her, too!

Something New

2011-08-15T17:44:00.000-07:00

I loved the 80's. The music! The fashion! The hair!

But do you wanna know what was totally awesome about the 80's? The crazy new free-stylin', free-wheelin' Weight Watchers food plan!

In tune with the awesome new 80's life-style, WW began to offer more freedom, flexibility and FUN! The introduction of the "Full Choice" Food Plan opened up a whole world of new possibilities to the Retro WW Gal, and she was loving every minute of it.

That's right! Check out the cover shot below from the 1981 Weight Watchers 365-Day Menu Cookbook. Do you see anything shocking in this photo?

You are not hallucinating. You really are seeing peanut butter, popcorn, nuts, olives, salad dressing, graham crackers, wine and BEER!

So--Apparently, in keeping with the needs of a changing society, WW finally started offering some more flexible options in 1981. They even inaugurated a vegetarian plan for those who chose a meatless lifestyle and "Personal Action Plan" to help manage behavior changes.

Such a smart company. So cutting edge. Always evolving with the changing needs of the consumer and following the latest nutritional science.

But wait....what's that on page 250? Something familiar...Oh no...Could it be???

It's good to see some things never change. A delicious Fish & Tomato Aspic and a Macaroni Cheese Mold always hits the spot no matter which decade you prefer. As Jean Nidetch says in her introductory note, "Isn't it delicious to know that with this book, the choice is yours?"

Me? I choose to stick with the simpler times of 1972. My next recipe? I haven't decided yet. But I can assure you it will be groovy, baby.

Retro Movie Time

2011-08-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

I don't say this often, but you may want to pull out your blender and grab a jar of pimentos, because this next recipe is a keeper. For real.

If you are a 1972 Retro WW gal, one thing you know for sure is that popcorn is illegal. The horror! So what do you nibble while you kick back for a chick flick with your gal pals? You make yourself a "W.W. Popcorn Bowl" filled with all of your favorite unlimited vegetables and gobble to your heart's content.

Chop up some celery, green peppers, mushrooms, cucumbers, radishes and cauliflower into bite-size pieces. And if you really want to get wacky? Pair your "Popcorn Bowl" with this easy Retro WW Dip for Veggies:

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
Dash Hot Sauce (I used many dashes)
6 oz. cottage cheese (I used fat free)
1 4-oz. can pimentos, drained
dash salt
dash garlic salt

Puree in blender until smooth!

I suspect even the modern day PointsPlus gals will flip for this dip!

FYI: The top Oscar winners in 1972 were The Godfather and Cabaret. Marlon Brando, Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey took home the statues. Now, I ask you, what could be better than that?

So kick back with your favorite classic flick and enjoy this wonderful Retro WW snack! I promise - you won't even miss the popcorn!

Un-Holy Mackerel

2011-08-06T06:03:00.000-07:00

Today, I opened a can of mackerel and proceeded to make pudding with it. I'm not really sure what else to say about that. Frankly, I'm a little freaked out.

You'll have to excuse me, because this experience has left me a little speechless, so I'll be relying heavily on pictures to tell the tale of my Fluffy Mackerel Pudding adventure.

FYI - here is what canned mackerel looks like when you take it out of the can.

I was not prepared for this. But I pressed on.

The recipe card told me to start by putting 2 stalks of celery and a green pepper through a food grinder. I used my food processor. That worked fine. Then I combined my chopped veggies with some spices, onion flakes, mustard, and of course - the mackerel.

I then mixed in 2 raw eggs, as instructed, and divided the mixture evenly into 4 heatproof cups. As I popped them in the oven for 35 minutes -- I crossed my fingers.

My biggest fear? What if they don't get fluffy? What if they don't get FLUFFY?!? WHAT IF THEY DON'T GET FLUFFY?!?!? I was very concerned about this.

But alas! My fears were unfounded when I finally pulled my lunch out of the oven and was overjoyed by the fluffy little cups of fishy goodness. I happily applied the finishing touch: a slice of hard cooked egg for garnish.

Here I am taking a big bite of some Fluffy Mackerel Pudding for your viewing enjoyment. How did it taste? See below to find out...

The Party's Over

2011-07-31T14:37:00.000-07:00

Returning from vacation is never easy. But, as a Retro WW gal, I can tell you--it's pretty close to torture.

For seven glorious days... I ate no knox gelatin. No tuna. No bean sprouts. And I drank alcohol. A lot.

But now I am once again faced with the dreadfully horrible task of jumping back on the Retro WW Wagon.

I'm not gonna lie. There were many times today when I asked myself: Can I do it? Can I return to the exciting life of a celery slingin', jello moldin', cottage cheesin', tuna eatin' Retro WW lady??? Can I???

The answer was simple. All I had to do was look in my September 1970 issue of Weight Watchers Magazine. On the first page was Jean Nidetch - all white pant-suited up and emanating an ethereal glow while beckoning me with the following ad:

And just like that, I'm back in the saddle.

So give me a few more days to adjust, hit the grocery store, and I promise I'll be back to my old tricks again. And I haven't forgotten about that can of mackerel sitting in my pantry...

In the meantime, please stop over and check out my recent guest post on the super fantastic Carla's blog - MizFitOnline. I was honored to contribute a post about retro fitness where I discuss the importance of leg warmers, leotards and satin gym shorts. Be sure to leave a comment and share your Retro Fitness Secret!

Feeling Mackerelly...

2011-07-20T05:29:00.000-07:00

I recently had a change of heart.

Long time followers of the 1972 Retro WW Experiment will recall a weekly feature known as Thanks But No Thanks Thursdays. In the weekly TBNT post, I would typically select a recipe from my vast collection of 1970's Retro WW cookbooks and highlight it as a dish I would never EVER consume. These dishes, commonly known as "dietetic disasters on the platter" were not only horrifying. They were, in many cases, vomit inducing.

But now. Over a year later, I have done a lot of soul searching, and have decided to actually try one of my TBNT classics. I know. Crazy.

I've carried the Fluffy Mackerel Pudding 1974 WW Recipe Card around with me for over a year. I've slept with it under my pillow. I even made a special little outfit for it to wear:

So I think I am almost ready to whip up some Fluffy Mackerel Pudding for you. But we'll all have to wait one more week. You see, I'm getting ready for my Summer vacation, and I just don't think I can handle it right now. Come on--We've waited an entire year. What's one more week?

Oh but I did buy a can of Mackerel to prepare myself. And I'll be packing it in my suitcase. What? Doesn't everyone bring a can of Mackerel on vacation with them??

It warms my heart when I think of this dusty can of mackerel getting plucked off the grocery store shelf and being thrust into a world of Retro WW excitement. Oh you lucky mackerel!! You get to be in a Fluffy Mackerel Pudding. All your Mackerel friends would be so jealous!

So, I'm off to the beach. But, be patient, my friends, because the next time we meet, I'll be fluffing some mackerel and serving it up just for you!

Bring on the Booze!

2011-07-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just need a cocktail. As I prepare for vacation, I decided we needed a little break from the Retro WW action, so I enlisted the help of a fellow blogger buddy. Since my vintage WW mags and cookbooks contain no recipes containing alcohol, I asked Emily (AKA the fabulous yinzerella) to mix up some retro cocktails and snacks for us -- figure friendly of course. She did not disappoint. So gather round, ladies and gents. Let's get loaded! And be sure to stagger on over to Emily's blog for more Retro Food & Fun...

Greetings and Salutations! Firstly, I want to say how flattered I am that Miss Mimi invited me to contribute to her fab blog.

I am currently working my way through the 1972 Dinner is Served! recipe card series, but since those are most definitely NOT ‘figure-friendly’ I turned to one of my new acquisitions, The 2 in 1 International Recipe Card Collection for Mixed Drinks and Hors D’Oeuvres, published in 1977 by Random House. This set of more than 300 cards includes a section titled “Low-Calorie Drinks.”

According to The 2 in 1:

“…there is no reason to go on the wagon just because you want to lose a pound or two. In fact, if you do give up liquor and substitute high-calorie sodas, or worse, milk shakes, or worse still, if you proceed to munch your way through the cocktail hour on cheese and creamy dips, take second helpings at dinner instead of a glass of wine, and raid the fridge at nightcap time, you’ll find yourself getting fatter than ever.”

Well, that makes perfect sense to me! Yay to wine! Yay to nightcaps! Ole! to Margaritas and No-Crust Chili Pizzettes!

I reduced the amount of beef (I used 93/7 ground) to 8 oz and reduced the amount of tomato paste and egg in half, but used the same amount of veggies and spices as directed in the recipe. I didn’t have any Cayenne in stock so I used extra chili powder and instead of regular ol’ green pepper I substituted the slightly spicier Poblano.

After they were balled, pattied, smothered, and sprinkled, the pizzettes went into a 400 degree oven in a cast-iron grill pan. About 15 minutes later they emerged from the oven and I plated them along the lo-cal Margs.

Here’s the result:

I love any reason to bring out my baby sombrero.

Where the hell was the ‘chili’ in the No-Crust Chili Pizzettes??? It wasn’t there. These were bland. In hindsight I should’ve used a Jalepeno or hotter pepper and seriously upped the spices as a whole (that doesn’t mess with points!). I can only imagine how super-bland it would’ve been if the flavors were diluted by twice as much ground beef. Also, in what parallel universe does ½ cup of tomato paste + oregano + garlic = enough topping for a full tablespoon on 8 patties let alone 16?

Furthermore, I love how at the bottom of the recipe it reads, “if desired, place patties on round sesame or Euphrates crackers.” Uh…doesn’t that totally negate the point of them being ‘No-Crust’?

The Margarita was skimpy. Thong skimpy. That’s not a cocktail. That’s a shot. I ultimately made the Margarita as prescribed but put it on ice in an 8 oz glass and topped it with diet 7Up. Yum. The result is the same points-wise but is a much more satisfying beverage.

According to current WW calculations = 2 pts. per No-Crust Chili Pizzette & 3 pts. per Margarita.

The verdict: for a mini fiesta, you’d be better off dipping crudités in bean dip and putting some Bethenny Frankel’s Skinny Girl margaritas on the rocks. I’m just sayin’.

Forbidden Aspic

2011-07-09T04:05:00.000-07:00

It's time for me to come clean. I did something "illegal" today. In fact, I have done it on many other days too. It breaks my heart to confess this, but I have cheated on the 1972 Retro WW Plan.

What did I do?

I ate ketchup.

As any retro WW gal can tell you, ketchup was "illegal" in 1972. If you wanted to have some ketchup on your food, you had to make your own from boiled tomato juice, artificial sweetener and spices. I have done this. Its not good.

You see, I live in Pittsburgh. The home of the H.J. Heinz Company, and our ketchup is sacred here. As long as I can remember, I have been smothering my food in gobs of Heinz Tomato Ketchup - and no other brand will do. You just don't mess with my ketchup.

So when I came across this wonderful Retro Salad Cookbook from Heinz, I had to have it. And in a bold and defiant move, I selected a highly scandalous recipe:

Tomato Ketchup Aspic

1 Envelope of Knox Gelatin
1/4 Cup Cold Water
1 Cup Boiling Water
1/2 Cup HEINZ Tomato Ketchup
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice

Kaboom! Oh no she didn't!!

I felt a bit naughty when it came time to un-mold my aspic. Believe it or not, I actually had some trouble coaxing the aspic out of the mold. Was this a sign? A warning? But then suddenly I heard that familiar thunk, and my forbidden aspic was finally set free to jiggle on the plate. How can something so wrong feel so right?

So there you have it. I'm a ketchup hussy. It feels so good to finally get that off my chest.

Cool It Now

2011-07-05T13:08:00.000-07:00

During the Summer months, it is very important to keep cool. And I don't just mean temperature-wise.

There are so many opportunities to lose your cool when the weather gets warm. Cookouts, parties, cocktails and vacations can all make the Retro WW Gal experience Summertime distress!

So what do you do when you need a quick refresher to cool you off if you begin to stray from your weight loss goals? Mix up the following ingredients, and you'll be sure to get yourself back in the correct mindset almost immediately...

The Cooler Melange
(July 1971 Weight Watchers Magazine)

1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1/2 Cup Tomato Juice
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Teaspoon Mint Leaves

After knocking back one of these, you'll forget all about those fun Summer parties & activities. The shuddering chill up your spine will remind you to get yourself back on track right away. Yes indeed.

Because when you suck down a glass of buttermilk and juice -- playtime is over.

Frankfurter Spectacular

2011-06-26T16:12:00.000-07:00

At first I was afraid. I was petrified.

I woke up this morning thinking, "Mimi - today's the day". I was feeling confident, I had some free time, and I knew what had to be done.

It took me a few hours and a couple of extra strong iced coffees to finally muster up the energy. But the next thing I knew, I was at the grocery store buying a pineapple. And a pound of wieners.

That's right, ladies and germs. Today is the day I conquered the Frankfurter Spectacular!!!

You might recall how I brazenly blogged about this ultimate Retro WW goal a few weeks ago. Well, it seems that once you announce a goal to the entire world wide web, there's no turning back. So here we are.

First step: Choose a pineapple. Which of these lucky beauties would become my Retro WW masterpiece?

Second Step: Slice up a pound of wieners and start broiling them. Be sure not to cut the whole way through your wieners. This will all make sense very soon.

Third Step: Cut your pineapple so the core remains in tact. Be sure to reserve the leaves for garnish!

Fourth Step: Stick those slippery wieners into your pineapple core with fancy toothpicks. Admittedly, this step is a little creepy and gruesome. Just make sure no one is watching when you do this.

Final Step: Place your masterpiece on a serving dish surrounded by canned carrots -- and then stand in awe of its beauty. Now stand there some more and clap for yourself. Go ahead. No one else is going to.

I have decided that I will leave the Frankfurter Spectacular on the kitchen counter as a surprise for my husband who has been out golfing all day. When he walks through the door, this is the first thing he will see:

Did I mention this dish makes 2 servings? That's a spectacular amount of frankfurters for just two people! (Well, minus the one frankfurter that I caught my cat gnawing on after he jumped up on the counter when I wasn't looking.) What a perfect Sunday dinner for me and my sweetie... And a spectacular bargain for just under $5.00!

Aren't you glad you that can rest easy tonight with the knowledge that this spectacular recipe exists in the world? And now I can check off yet another challenge from my Retro WW bucket list. BUT--How can I top this one, you ask??

Three words: Fluffy Mackerel Pudding. It's happening. Stay tuned...

Coffwheeeeee!

2011-06-24T14:11:00.000-07:00

I'll tell you a secret: We love coffee in the Retro Mimi household.

I'll tell you another juicy little tidbit: Coffee is "legal" in unlimited amounts on the 1972 Retro WW Program. That's right: No limits. Use as desired.

Considering my love of coffee combined with the total freedom to indulge in as much as I desire, you may think I would have already cooked up every imaginable Retro WW recipe containing coffee. In fact... looking back, you may even recall the Coffee Gelatin, The Coffee Bubbler, and the Coffee Toffee. But those were only the beginning, my friends.

Fellow coffee lovers....Please brace yourselves for the magnificent Retro WW Coffee Pops!

These frozen little caffeinated treats made their first appearance in the July 1971 Weight Watchers Magazine and then reappeared in the 1974 Weight Watchers Recipe Cards. So you know they're a winner.

Here's the run down:

Dissolve 2 tablespoons of freeze-dried coffee in 1 quart of boiling water and allow to cool. Add 1/4 cup artificial sweetener and a pinch of saffron. Pour 1/2 cup of the mixture into each of 8 paper cups, and freeze for about 1 hour (or until half frozen).

Insert small sticks into center of each cup and return to freezer until firm. When ready to serve, remove from freezer and tear paper cup away from pop!

Here's my husband excitedly about to take a bite.

My experience with the Coffee Pop was intense. The flavor hit me like a giant wall of crappy coffee. It made my lips chatter and my nostrils sweat. My hair curled up a bit on the ends, and I could swear I heard a faint percolating sound buzzing in my ears. Frankly, it scared me a little.

We didn't finish our Coffee Pops, but a few licks were enough to keep us buzzing well into the night. And I still can't get the taste of horrible coffee out of my mouth.

From now on, I'll be sticking with Starbucks. How do you take your coffee?

Morning Sickness

2011-06-19T04:15:00.000-07:00

On those busy mornings when you just don't have time to prepare, chew and swallow your toast, egg, and fruit -- here's a Retro WW solution that whips up in a jiffy and goes down fast & easy.

The trick is keeping it down.

The Blender Breakfast from the March 1970 issue of Weight Watchers Magazine is the perfect breakfast for my busy Sunday. Since we are heading out the door early for lots of Father's Day festivities, I need something I can grab and go. I just don't have time to mess around with all that toasting, and scrambling, and CHEWING today.

So instead of pulling out the toaster and the frying pan -- I just popped the following ingredients into my trusty blender:

1/2 Cup Orange Juice
1/2 Cup non-fat Milk
1 Slice Bread
1 Egg
1 Tsp Vanilla

First, let me say: I ran out of Orange Juice and had to use Cranberry. Very bad idea. I do NOT recommend this.

Second let me say: I do NOT recommend this at all. Ever. For the love of God, please don't ever, ever do this.

On one hand--There is the very cool side effect of feeling a little like Rocky Balboa guzzling down raw eggs. But on the other hand, the chunkiness of the bread crumbs and the creepy smell of the thing is enough to make anyone a little nauseous. I took one sip and threw it down the disposal.

I hope you all enjoy your Father's Day. I'll be heading out soon to celebrate with my terrific dad. But first, I think I need to Google the symptoms for Salmonella...

Invasion of the Cucumber Canapes

2011-06-05T06:38:00.000-07:00

Can I be honest? I really have no idea why I made these. I just couldn't help myself. It was like some strange force made me do it...

This weekend, I came across a recipe for Cucumber Canapes in the Christmas 1970 issue of Weight Watchers Magazine. These little Hors d'Ouevres looked so freaky and weird, I had to try them. And as luck would have it, there was an extra packet of Knox in the pantry and a cucumber in the fridge -- so I figured, why not?

After dissolving my Knox in a cup of boiling broth, I added some dehydrated onion flakes and vinegar then popped it in the fridge for just enough time to get it "syrupy". At this point-the recipe said to fold in some chopped parley and pimento. I decided to go with basil and tomato to give it more of a Summertime feel.

Next step--I spooned the mixture into a mini-muffin tin and topped each gelatin muffin with a cucumber slice. Then...Popped it back into the fridge for 2 more hours.

The result was an orb-shaped translucent finger food that resembled an alien pod of some sort. In fact, when grouped together--they might remind you of a scene from the movie Invasion of the Body Snatchers:

The flavor is zesty and oddly refreshing. The combination of jelly and crunch is mildly unsettling. Wait...Oh no! They seem to be multiplying! They are taking over the planet!

There's nothing to be afraid of. You are part of it now. Just go ahead and keep making more Cucumber Canapes. Resistance is futile.

Something Spectacular

2011-06-04T05:51:00.000-07:00

All true WW members have goals. Our goals motivate us. They keep us going. They inspire us.

As a Retro WW Blogger, I have a goal.

And it is spectacular.

My goal is to one day construct the ultimate Retro WW recipe. The one that I dream about every night. The one that graced the cover of Weight Watchers magazine in January 1970:

And also made another appearance in the 1974 WW Recipe Cards:

Yes, the Frankfurter Spectacular is a sight to behold. Allow me to explain. What you are looking at, my friends, is a full pound of weiners wrapped artfully around a pineapple core. It is quite possibly the most beautiful thing I have ever seen -- While at the same time the most terrifying thing in the world.

One day I will summon up the nerve to create my own Frankfurter Spectacular. And it will blow you all away. It will bring us all to tears. In a word, it will be: SPECTACULAR. Just you wait and see.

Until then, I guess the flying hot dogs and dancing pineapples will continue to haunt my dreams every night.

How about you? What's your goal?

Speaking of spectacular...have you had a chance to check out my recent interview over at the spectacular Inherited Values blog? If you want to learn more about my crazy Retro WW Collection go check it out!

To Jean, With Love - The Next Chapter

2011-05-30T16:17:00.000-07:00

On June 30, 1999 - I walked into my first Weight Watchers meeting. Ever.

I will never forget the feeling of stepping on that scale for my starting weigh-in. I was horrified. A little old lady wrote down my weight, handed me my books and then looked me square in the eye. She could tell I was about to cry. She said nothing to me except the following words:

"Honey--You never have to see that number again."

She was right.

I know I usually do a lot of joking around on this blog, but as I approach my 12 year anniversary as a proud WW member I want to get serious for just a moment...

Many people ask me why I am so enamored with Jean Nidetch and all things Weight Watcher. I can only answer that question by explaining how Weight Watchers truly changed my life. There was a time when I woke up every morning dreading the day ahead of me. Everything was hard. Everything was embarrassing. Everything was a major bummer. Food controlled me, and my weight was rapidly getting out of control.

But the day I walked into my first WW meeting, all of that changed. I didn't even have to lose single pound... Just being there I felt more confident. I felt happier. I felt like I was understood. I felt like I fit in. I felt in control.

I could have signed up for any other diet program out there. But thank goodness I didn't. I lost over 40 pounds and I haven't missed a week in 12 years.

A few weeks ago, as I was checking my blog stats, I noticed that several people stumbled upon my blog by searching Google for ways to contact Jean Nidetch and send her a thank you note. I realized that there must be millions of people out there just like me who owe so much to this great lady and want to let her know.

So...If Jean were reading this blog, what would you say to her? Here are just a few of the folks who stepped up to the plate to offer their thoughts...

"Thank You Jean! Your program saved my life!" -- Lynn at Hill Warning

"Thank you aunt Jean! I love your books and I use them as a Bible, as my personal diet plan! I love the way you lost your weight. I love you!" --Mar Si at I Want to Be Thin

"Thanks! - You helped people help themselves and changed lives forever" --Roz at Weighting for 50

"Thank you for Changing my life" --Cilla

"Really Jean, Liver?!" --Leanne at The Skinny Architect

"What's the #1 reason for the obesity epidemic in the US?" --Diane aka Liver Lover

"Thank you, Jean, for proving to us that 'It's choice, not chance, that determines your destiny.'" --- Nacho Mama at Nacho Mama's Blog

As for me? If I could say one thing to Jean it would simply be: If you are ever in the Pittsburgh area - stop by. I can whip up a killer Fluffy Mackerel Pudding, some Coffee Bubblers, and we can invite a few of my WW buddies over for a good old fashioned WW meeting in my living room. I even promise not to gush too much.

OK. Maybe just a little.

Anyone else out there wanna chime in? What would you say to Jean Nidetch?

Knox to the Rescue (Again)

2011-05-26T14:57:00.000-07:00

Here's why it pays off to always keep a few envelopes of Knox Gelatin on hand at all times:

Because all you need is some Knox, hot water, a few drops of extract (I used almond), some non-fat dry milk, some butter flavoring, a couple packets of sweetener and a handful of ice cubes. Throw it in the blender for about 5-8 minutes, and guess what you've got?

Ice Cream. Damn straight you do.

Actually, the 1970 issue of Weight Watchers magazine calls it the Warm Weather Delight. Either way, it is going to blow your mind.

It truly is mind-blowing how these few ingredients come together and form a mousse-like substance that is like no other... One that closely resembles ice cream, but contains no CREAM.

So with this weekend being the "unofficial" start of Summer. I insist you give this one a whirl.

Who needs the Dairy Queen when you can be a Knox Princess? Shut up. You know you want to try it...

The Worst Thing Ever

2011-05-21T04:08:00.000-07:00

There's a show on the Food Network called "The Best Thing I Ever Ate", and I think the premise is that famous chefs talk about foods they have tried all over the world in different categories that are so good--you must eat them before you die. Sort of a culinary bucket list, maybe?

I don't know. I've never seen it. I think it would just tick me off.

Why? Because here is what I ate this morning for breakfast:

Cinnamon Squares

1 16-ounce can bean sprouts
artificial sweetener
1 Tbsp cinnamon
2 slices white bread, toasted

Spread bean spouts on a foil covered cookie sheet and sprinkle with cinnamon & sweetener. Bake at 450 for 15 minutes.

Remove from oven; spoon 1/2 of mixture onto each of 2 pieces of toast. Sprinkle with additional sweetener and cinnamon, if desired. Makes 2 servings.

OK--so mine were not "squares" since I used Arnold's sandwich thins instead of bread. But you get the idea. Whatever.

Believe it or not, this recipe was a third prize winner in the 1971 Weight Watchers Magazine recipe contest. In my opinion? It is the WORST THING I EVER ATE.

Why do I keep torturing myself like this? I don't know. I mean, if the world ended today--would I really want this disgusting Cinnamon Bean Sprout Sandwich to be my last meal? Life's too short. Right? What is the meaning of life anyway????

Dammit. I really need to stop getting so existential about bean sprouts.

How Jean "Scooped" Us All

2011-05-11T17:13:00.000-07:00

Lately, it seems like everywhere I go, someone is talking about making ice cream out of bananas. It's on the web, on television, and in every Weight Watchers meeting from here to Kalamazoo. You take a banana, freeze it, put it in your food processor and yada, yada, yada -- next thing you know you've got ice cream.

But did you know that this is not a brand new idea? Did you know that Jean Nidetch had her own banana ice cream recipe? Of course she did.

Long before the Points Plus generation, Retro Weight Watcher gals were buzzing about a recipe called...

Bananas Arctic

2 medium bananas, peeled and sliced
1 cup skim milk
4 tsp artificial sweetener
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon rind
1/8 tsp cardamom
1 drop red food coloring

Combine all ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Pour into freezer tray; freeze for 30 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

I made a batch and it was quite yummy...

I ate the whole darn bowl...And I don't feel guilty at all...

Just a little brainfreeze, maybe...

A Moldy Mother's Day

2011-05-08T04:30:00.000-07:00

If I had the time and the patience, my Mother's Day dream would be to prepare the ultimate Retro WW brunch for me & mom. If I had my way, it would be a masterpiece of molds and it would go a little something like this...

We'd start with a salad. A three-step mold of tomato juice and cottage cheese layered in a beautiful display of gelatin love. The Madrilene Cheese Salad--Tres Francais!

Next, we'd move onto the main course. It would be the Shrimp-Salmon Mold. The perfect dish to share with mom! Look at those two perfect little jellied fishies hugging each other atop a bed of fresh lettuce. It almost brings a tear to the eye.

And finally--to top it all off--a Melon Mousse for dessert. Think of the fun we could have sharing our coffee and conversation as we savor the flavor of a pureed, molded cantaloupe mixture.

To make all of these dishes, I would need a whole box of Knox Gelatin, 3 copper molds and about ten hours to prepare them. But it would be worth it to see the look of surprise and delight on my mom's face.

But the reality is--me & my mom are both busy working ladies, so the Ultimate Moldy Retro WW brunch will have to wait. In the meantime, we'll still have a blast hanging out and enjoying each other's company... over a great big pizza just the way we like it. With extra cheese. Oh--and hold the gelatin. Woohoo!

Have a Happy Mother's Day everyone! What are you eating today?

PS: Don't forget to send in your Jean Nidetch love for my great big "To Jean With Love" post coming later this month! Get on board!

Things That Make You Go Hmmm...

2011-05-04T15:54:00.000-07:00

If you throw a party in Retro WW style, it's always important to have plenty of the following on hand:

A fizzy non-alcoholic punch flavored with rum extract;
Assorted Gelatin Molds; and
Freaky, yet creative Finger Foods fashioned out of raw vegetables

Here's a fun recipe for a Retro WW party favorite that will have your guests wondering..."What the hell is this thing?"

Cucumber Zips
1 pkg Unflavored Gelatin
2 Cups Tomato Juice
1 1/2 tsps Worcestershire Sauce
1/8 tsp pepper
2 Large Cucumbers

Sprinkle gelatin on tomato juice to soften and cook over low heat until dissolved. Stir in Worcestershire Sauce and pepper. Chill until gelatin is consistency of unbeaten egg whites.

Peel cucumbers; trim off ends and cut in half. Scoop out seeds and pulpy center of cucumber. Stand halves upright in flat dish. Pour slightly thickened tomato juice into cucumbers. Chill until set. Cut into 1/4" slices and serve.

There are many reasons to throw a party this time of year... Weddings, engagements, showers, and graduations. Mother's Day and Father's Day are also right around the corner. So if you are looking for some fun party food to serve to your guests...look no further. The Cucumber Zip is a PIP!

Actually... I'm lying. Please do not serve these things to anyone. Ever.

My advice? Stick to the Chips & Dip. Forget the Cucumber Zip. And get back on the wagon tomorrow!

PS: Don't forget to send in your Jean Nidetch love for my great big "To Jean With Love" post coming later this month! Get on board!

What Would You Say To Jean Nidetch?

2011-04-26T17:14:00.000-07:00

Fifty years ago something monumental happened.

Jean Nidetch invited six of her friends over to her living room in Queens, NY. They met there once a week and talked about their weight loss struggles and successes. None of them were doctors or nutritionists or psychologists. They were just friends. It was the birth of the Weight Watchers meeting.

Back then, it was really brave and liberating for these women to confess their eating compulsions and struggles in a public forum. It was just unheard of.

Now there are thousands of Weight Watchers meetings all over the world with millions of men and women sharing their weight loss stories. There are weight loss blogs, message boards, and social networking sites. The whole bit.

All thanks to Jean, we now know that the sharing makes the journey so much easier, and Jean's spirit is in all of us as we chronicle our journey to become thinner & healthier.

So here's my question to you:

What would you say to Jean if you had a chance? What burning question would you ask her? What would you want to share with her more than anything else?

Tell me in 10 words or less.

Send it to me in an email. Tweet it to me using #jeannidetch. Or get really creative and send me a picture, poem or even a recipe to express your Jean Nidetch love. I will compile your messages and publish them all together in one special "To Jean With Love" post during the month of May.

Don't forget to include your blog URL so I can add a link!

So what are you waiting for? Join The Retro WW Movement and show your love for our founder, Jean. I'm sure she can't wait to hear from us!

The Egg Rules

2011-04-24T04:29:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter! Good news everyone--EGGS are legal on the Retro WW Program. But as always -- there are a few peculiar "rules" provided by the 1972 WW Program Cookbook that we must follow:

No more than 4 eggs per week, for breakfast or lunch ONLY, never for dinner.
Eggs may be cooked in the shell, poached, or scrambled without added fat. Do NOT eat raw eggs.
Egg whites and egg yolks may be prepared in separate recipes provided that both white and yolk are consumed as part of the same meal.

There is no rule against dying your eggs. So go ahead... get crazy with the food coloring!

Would you believe I even found a recipe in my 1972 WW Program Cookbook for deviled eggs?! Oh yes. Easter is a happy day for the Retro WW gal.

Now if I could just find something in my Retro WW rulebook about chocolate bunnies and jellybeans. I'm sure there's a loophole in there somewhere.

Catsup Revisited

2011-04-21T14:42:00.000-07:00

There is one statement that you can guarantee has been muttered by every single Retro WW alum from the early 1970's:

"We made our own catsup!"

This is also the aspect of the Retro WW Program that is most intriguing to the modern day Weight Watcher. In fact--this aspect of the Retro WW experience is so crucial that it was actually the very first recipe I ever attempted on this blogging experiment. Yep. I made my own catsup. You can read about it here.

You would not believe how many requests I get for this recipe. I didn't include it in my original "catsup post", because I never thought anyone would want it. Plus--no one was really reading this blog back then, except my mom--and she already had the recipe.

Anyway. I have no idea why anyone would ever want this recipe. I doubt Jean Nidetch even still uses it. But for what it's worth--here it is. Ladies and gentlemen. I give you...

Catsup

46 oz. tomato juice
2 cups sliced celery
1 tsp each: allspice, mace, celery seed
8 cloves
8 peppercorns
1-inch stick cinnamon
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1 clove garlic
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup cider vinegar
dash cayenne pepper
salt
artificial sweetener equal to 2 tbsp sugar

Boil first 9 ingredients in wide saucepan until reduced by half. Stir frequently to prevent scorching. Put sauce through strainer and press out juice from celery then put sauce back in skillet. Add remaining ingredients except sweetener. Bring to boil and cook 10 minutes longer at fast-simmer temperature stirring constantly. Stir in sweetener. Store in fridge and use as needed. Will keep for weeks.

So there you have it Retro WW fans! The most Retro Weight Watcheriest recipe in all the land! Run and tell your friends where they can find it. But be sure to give Ms. Jean Nidetch credit. And if you decide to whip up a batch, make sure to share it with your favorite WW buddy!

A Latke Luncheon

2011-04-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

In my family, we call them "potato pancakes", and we eat them by the pound - smothered in gobs of salty cottage cheese. I can still remember my grandmother making them for us on Fridays during lent. She grated those potatoes until her knuckles bled.

In other families--they are known as latkes. A traditional Jewish delicacy topped with applesauce or sour cream.

Whoever you are or however you prepare them--you will agree that they are a yummy treat. But not so easy on the waistline.

So when I saw the Retro WW version of "Potato" Latkes in the January 1971 issue of WW Magazine -- I had to give it a whirl.

Those pesky quotation marks alerted me right off the bat--I was not getting my grandmothers potato pancakes. No ma'am. Instead--I was getting something entirely different...

10 ounces of cooked cauliflower pureed with 1/3 cup cottage cheese, a slice of bread, 1 tbsp of dehydrated onion flakes and some salt and pepper. The mixture is then spooned into 6 patties on a cookie sheet and baked at 350 for 25 minutes or until crisp on top.

I have to admit--I was pleasantly surprised. Especially when I learned that I could eat all 6 latkes for one serving! Very satisfying and very delicious.

How did they compare to my grandmother's potato pancakes? Come on. Do you really have to ask?

I'm Sorry, French Fry

2011-04-13T13:41:00.000-07:00

If you know me, or have spent any length of time in my presence--then it is almost a certainty that you know one very important fact about me: I love French Fries.

I could eat them every day and at every meal. They are, in my opinion, the perfect food.

So today, when I was perusing my brand new stack of 1970 Vintage WW Magazines (thank you eBay) - and I came across The Second Annual Gourmet Contest: 51 Prize-Winning Recipes, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this:

Second Prize Winner: "French Fries"
Submitted by: Mrs. Gerald Abramowitz of Brooklyn, NY

Holy fried potato! Could this really be true?

Then I read the recipe:

8 oz. Italian Green Beans
1/2 tsp salt

Place beans on cookie sheet . Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes until brown and crisp.

You've got to be freaking kidding me, Mrs. Gerald Abramowitz. Seriously?? Do you really expect me to fall for these shenanigans?

Despite my displeasure and irritation, I decided I needed to try these so-called "French Fries" for myself. Second prize winner my arse, Mrs. Gerald Abramowitz.

So I laid out my green beans, salted them generously and waited patiently for them to get nice and crispy in the oven.

When I brought them out of the oven, I took one look at the pitiful little dried up beans and almost threw them in the trash out of sheer disgust. How could you do this to my beloved French Fry, Mrs. Gerald Abramowitz? HOW?

But...I took a little taste...

Oh. My. GAWD.

I'm not going to say it tasted like a French Fry. I'm not going to say it was even close. But, Damn. Mrs. Gerald Abramowitz--wherever you are: You deserved that Second Prize.

Tuna Redemption

2011-04-09T14:56:00.000-07:00

Upon reading the comments on my last post, I felt obliged to respond to the big question on everyone's mind:

How did the double-decker Lemon & Tuna Mold taste?

Well. How do I put this? To be quite honest. It was dreadful. One bite was all my gag reflex could handle, and then I threw it in the trash. Of course, I kept it around for a few hours before pitching it - just to stand in awe of its beauty. Then it had to go. It was garbage night, and I didn't want that thing lingering around the house for an entire week.

To make up for the Tuna Mold atrocity, I decided to try a more palatable dish this week. I also decided it had to be a tuna recipe, because I wanted to get right with my Retro WW karma.

I found this little lovely in my November 1972 Weight Watchers magazine, and it actually wasn't half bad!

Tangy Tuna Fish

1 Tbsp dehydrated onion flakes
1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup cottage cheese
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 medium cucumber, diced
6 ounces flaked tuna fish

Combine first 5 ingredients in blender and whiz smooth. (Warning: DO NOT make the mistake of smelling this mixture. It will scare the bejesus out of your senses). Combine cucumber and tuna in a bowl then add cottage cheese mixture.

I served it up with some sliced veggies, and had myself a lovely Retro WW legal lunch.

It was quick, tasty and easy. And best of all: No need for a fancy copper mold. Lesson Learned.

The Vlog: Getting Jiggly With It

2011-04-04T17:14:00.000-07:00

It all started with a dream and a $2.99 copper gelatin mold.

Never before had I attempted such a daring Retro WW Experiment, and if I was gonna go for it--I was gonna get it on video.

A double decker mold is not just a recipe. It is an art project. And it takes multiple stages, impeccable timing and several long hours in order to get it just right. Please allow me to break it down for you...

Stage One: The Lemon Layer

This layer required one envelope of Knox dissolved in water and some lemon juice, salt, sugar and yellow food coloring. Pour into mold. Chill until set. This was the easy part.

Stage Two: The Tuna & Veggie Layer

This layer required three envelopes of Knox dissolved in water and some vinegar, salt and lemon juice. Then we chill in a bowl until partially set. But WAIT! There's more! It is crucial that you catch the gelatin at just the right consistency so you can drop in some peas, sliced cucumbers, diced celery, and tuna. If you place them in at exactly the right time--they will float in a kind of gelatinized suspended animation. If you do it too early, though--they'll sink. Timing is everything.

Stage Three: The Final Chill

Pour the tuna & salad mixture over the lemon layer and chill until completely firm. The entire process from start to finish should take about 7-8 hours. I am not even freaking kidding you.

Stage Four: The Unmolding

This is my favorite part. Seriously. I get so excited I have to catch my breath every time. The best way to unmold a huge sucker like this is to soak the mold in luke-warm water for about a minute to loosen it up. Then you can turn it over onto a plate and dig in. As you can see from the video...mine slid right out without a problem. If you listen very closely, you can even hear the sucking sound it makes when the gelatin breaks the vaccuum and pops free from the mold. What a glorious moment. Success!

So there you have it... Two layers, 12 servings, and a LOT of leftovers. Another Retro WW Challenge conquered!

What is it about the gelatin mold that fascinates me so? I don't know. But, the art of molding is truly a hobby of mine. What's your food passion?

Alert the Media

2011-04-02T17:25:00.000-07:00

Looky what I picked up at the local thrift store today for $2.99 - it's a mind-blowing double-decker copper gelatin mold. What a beauty!

What I have planned for this bad boy is going to Knox your socks off! Here's a tease: It involves a box of unflavored gelatin (yes--the entire box), a cucumber, some food coloring and a video camera. Don't worry - the whole kit and kaboodle is Retro WW "legal"!

Curious? Well then, you simply must stay tuned for something that has never before been attempted here at the Retro WW Experiment. But, I need a few days to build up my courage.

Jean Nidetch...wherever you are...give me strength!

Variety: The Spice of Life

2011-03-26T12:33:00.000-07:00

Salad.

Any good Weight Watchers member -- be they retro or modern day -- will tell you that salad is a necessary staple on the WW program.

But a lifetime of salad eating can become a boring endeavor. There are only so many grilled chicken salads one person can realistically consume before wanting to spontaneously burst into flames and hurl oneself off a tall building.

The 1972 Retro WW Cookbook has offered up some very interesting salads for me to try over the past year including the Pink Lady Salad, the Chilled Celery Log and the dreaded freak salad that shall forever remain nameless.

But now I am ready to branch out.

So today--I took a little trip to my favorite little retro shop in Pittsburgh and picked up a brand new salad cookbook.

Better Homes and Gardens Salad Book, 1958

As always, BH&G have outdone themselves. There are over 350 different salads in this book - all with an elaborate theme and an extraordinary presentation. Not all of the salads are Retro WW "legal", but most can certainly be adapted.

For example--Do you have 4 hours to spare? Well then, why not whip up a Lemony Salmon Tower? Or a Shrimp-Lime Double Decker?

Garnish with: anchovy, pickles, herring, beets and Rolaids

Tall, Green and Handsome!

Have some extra Ham lying around? Well then, by all means -- you need to get started on a Party Ham Ring right this minute!

Beware the gooey yellow substance in the middle!

My personal favorite happens to be the Sunshine Salad. What can I say? I'm a sucker for a sunny day and a carrot mold.

Artsy Fartsy

I can't wait to start incorporating these new salads into my Retro WW repertoire. All I need now is a few more copper molds, a couple more boxes of Knox gelatin and a crap load more time on my hands.

Don't Try This At Home

2011-03-20T10:14:00.000-07:00

The other day, I came across a recipe in my 1966 Weight Watchers Cookbook that really gave me the creeps---and not in the usual "Thanks, but No Thanks" kinda way. This recipe had an inexplicable sinister quality that lured me in, and as soon as I conjured up this ancient Retro WW Recipe, I knew I had made a big mistake:

Healthade

1/4 cup liquid squeezed from green or yellow cooked vegetable
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons onion juice
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon parsley

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Chill before serving.

I read the recipe many times over trying to determine just what to do with it.

Healthade. A beverage? A dressing? A sauce? A laxative? A magic potion?

For my first effort, I mixed it up in my cocktail shaker and poured it into in a martini glass. After one sip--I knew I had made the wrong decision.

I pondered my next move... Being very careful not to anger the Healthade.

Hmmmm. Maybe I could use it as a marinade for that chicken sitting in my fridge? But even as the idea popped into my head - I immediately vetoed it. I just couldn't bring myself to possibly ruin a perfectly good piece of poultry. Plus - that poor little chicken would have died in vain if my Healthade horror turned out to be a flop. And I just couldn't live with that guilt.

What to do? The Healthade was becoming impatient with me, and I think it was starting to sense my fear.

So I began to nervously to peruse the pantry for some ideas, and there it was right before my eyes! A can of bean sprouts. The perfect pairing for my Healthade! I poured the insidious liquid on top of the sprouts as gingerly as possible - careful not to taunt or disturb it.

The outcome seemed to please the Healthade. So I tasted it. A sudden wave of nausea fell upon me. Something just wasn't right. To avoid any further problems, I promptly dumped it right down the garbage disposal. Gone forever.

Or is it? *cue creepy music*

Thinking about making your own Healthade???

Warning: Clear your mind. It knows what scares you.

Spring is in the Air!

2011-03-18T13:11:00.000-07:00

It's only a few days until the official start of Spring, and the temps are in the 70's here in Pittsburgh. So I cut outta work a little early on this sunny Friday, grabbed myself a tall iced tea and decided to sit on my patio with my favorite magazine!

Weight Watchers Magazine, June 1976

On the surface, Weight Watchers magazine in the 1970's wasn't much different than it is today. It's chock full of figure-friendly recipes, inspiring success stories, and interesting articles. But when you really pay close attention--you will notice some very interesting tidbits that make the Retro WW version of the magazine so much more fun.

Take, for example, the tagline of this June 1976 issue: Weight Watchers. The Magazine for Attractive People. Right off the bat, this makes me feel optimistic. I must be an attractive person since I am reading this magazine. Wow! What an affirmation! And, it's only 75 cents!

Then--I look inside, and I am just overwhelmed by the wealth of valuable information at my fingertips. How to decorate your Lazy Susan with colorful tape; How to tie a fashionable head scarf; How to stay slim on a bountiful cruise; and How to start a vegetable garden. Good stuff! There is also a fantastic article with weight loss tips from the rich & famous! Did you ever wonder how Leslie Uggams, Brenda Vaccaro, Sandy Duncan and Angie Dickonson stay so slim? Well thanks to my 1976 WW magazine--I now know the answer!

Quick & Colorful Tape!

This magazine has everything!

Now come the recipes! My mouth is watering over the vast array of grilled meats in the "Cooking in the Great Outdoors" recipe spread. Pork, steak, veal, and fish are our choices, and they all get washed down with the shockingly pink "Buttermilk Pick Me Up" on page 23.

Fire Up the Grill!

Buttermilk and OJ - Hits the Spot!

And just when you thought your WW magazine had covered it all, you'll be inspired by countless success stories and a special section called "Ask Jean Nidetch". And as you would imagine--Jean doesn't pull any punches.

This magazine is the complete package. It inspires me, it educates me, and it makes me think. It even tries to make me laugh with a comic strip about a sweet & struggling overeater wearing a housecoat and curlers -- named Girtha. Yes, Girtha.

Everybody Loves Girtha

So, I'm guessing they weren't down with the whole political correctness thing back then? Seriously??

I cherish my vintage issues of Weight Watchers magazine. They are torn and tattered and musty, but they are part of an amazing history that still continues today. However... if I need some true inspiration or a really great recipe--I think I'll consult my current issue!

Something Green

2011-03-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

I really wanted to prepare a festive Retro WW feast since this week is St. Patty's Day. But sadly I have no time, no motivation and no green food coloring.

So instead, I dug through my 1974 Retro WW Recipe Cards and found my top 3 favorite green dishes to display in all their glory. Ladies and gents, please feast your eyes upon:

The Mint Frappe
The Spinach and Egg Mold
The Ambrosial Lime Sherbet

With green goodies like these, who needs Corned Beef & Cabbage and Green Beer???

Happy St. Patrick's Day! And as they say in Ireland:

Wherever you go and whatever you do, May the luck of the Irish be there with you!

The Carnivore Cocktail Hour

2011-03-12T03:23:00.000-08:00

Jean Nidetch did not mess around when it came to the rules of the 1972 WW Program. Alcohol was strictly forbidden, and she never got tired of reminding us.

So how did the Retro WW gal handle the dreaded "Cocktail Hour"?

Jean advises that you can enjoy an hour or two of relaxation with your friends by serving glasses of chilled tomato juice, non-caloric carbonated drinks or malted skim milk. She also offers up a variety of alcohol-free cocktail recipes like this one:

Sober Ox on the Rocks

Beef broth over ice, with a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle with celery salt and serve with a lemon slice or wedge.

Make no mistake: this drink is not for everyone. You may even gag a little while trying to drink it. But just think of how cute you will look in your fancy cocktail dress while choking down this beefy beverage!

Oh -- and one more fun fact: the Sober Ox on The Rocks is the non-alcoholic version of the Bullshot--a popular retro cocktail containing beef broth and vodka. You may recall Rodney Dangerfield ordering this drink during the movie Caddyshack:

Rodney: "Hey kid, can you make a Bull Shot?"
Bartender: "Can you make a shoe smell?"

Don't be surprised if you receive a similar reaction from the bartender if you try to order this cocktail at your local drinking establishment this weekend. Cheers!

The Saddest Soup Ever

2011-03-06T08:17:00.000-08:00

What do you eat when you are lonely, busy, hungry and trying to follow the 1972 Retro WW Program?

The answer is: Quick Soup for One.

If you think the recipe title is depressing, just wait until you hear the ingredients:

6 ounces tomato juice
1 envelope instant broth mix
French Style string beans

Bring tomato juice to a boil. Add other ingredients, heat and serve immediately.

Before you start crying in your Pyrex bowl, just remember - you are not alone. There are lots of other Retro WW ladies out there who are just like you. It's going to be okay.

So even as you eat your Quick Soup for One - just imagine you are sharing that hot bowl of tomato juice & beans with a coast-to-coast network of weight loss buddies.

Kinda gives you the warm fuzzies, doesn't it?

Happy Birthday Retro WW Experiment!

2011-02-17T16:34:00.000-08:00

One year ago today I made a decision that changed my life.

I had a crazy idea. I was snowed in. I really needed a creative outlet.

So I became a blogger.

I will never forget my first post. How fun it was checking back everyday and hoping for followers. I still remember my first official follower. (Thanks Ellen) What a thrill!

Over the past year, I have fallen in & out of love with my blog many, many times - but I am glad we are still together. I have met some incredible people through this experience and have had a lot of fun in the process. So please join me in wishing a very Happy Birthday to the Retro WW Experiment...

Time to blow out the candle!

My 1972 "Raggedy Ann" Birthday Party

So what do you say we break the 1972 Retro WW rules and have a piece of cake? And maybe some potato salad. And ham. Just this once...

My Gorgeous Mom (holding the cake), Grandma, and family getting ready to PARTY!

I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read my crazy little blogging experiment. I hope you have enjoyed the journey so far. I know I certainly have.

Cheers! And keep on sharing that groovy Retro WW love! There's lots more to come...

The Final Guest Post Entry - Let's Wrap It Up!

2011-02-17T16:04:00.000-08:00

Well here we are. The final entry of the Retro WW Guest Post Challenge. How fitting that we are wrapping up this fantastic journey with some delicious hot "wrap ups". Yum. Thanks to everyone who participated in this challenge. You are brave. You are beautiful. Um...You are a little wacky. But that's why I love ya! Please enjoy this last guest post by Jill, and go visit her at www.shrinkingjill.com!

First off, I’d like to thank Mimi for the chance to try one of the retro WW recipes!

My recipe was ‘Hot Wrap Ups’, and since I’m a big fan of lettuce wrap appetizers, the prospect of making the 1972 WW version was enticing:

HOT WRAP UPS

1 cup diced celery

1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped

1/2 cup chicken bouillon

2 tbsp chopped chives

1/4 tsp garlic powder

dash white pepper

4 large lettuce leaves

pickle slices

capers

lime slices

parsley sprigs

Cook celery & mushrooms in bouillon for 5 minutes. Drain, reserving broth. Cool slightly. Combine celery & mushrooms with chives, garlic powder and white pepper. Soak lettuce leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain.

Spoon one fourth of the celery mixture into the center of each leaf. Roll up securely, folding the sides of the leaf over the filling. Secure with toothpicks, if needed. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Garnish with pickle slices on top, capers, sliced lime and parsley. Makes 2 servings, 1 point per serving.

This recipe was super-easy to make - about 15 minutes to prepare plus 10 minutes to bake - and I actually had most of the ingredients hanging around the house:

The only real challenge was getting the lettuce leaves to roll up neatly and keep the filling contained. Seriously, who boils lettuce? Fortunately I had a box of toothpicks at hand to save the day.

In my opinion, boiling the lettuce was a mistake - afterwards the leaves were very soggy and not too appetizing. But after assembling the dish and plating it with the suggested condiments it didn’t look too bad (just very monochromatic!)

So how did it taste? Well, it wasn’t necessarily bad, just really bland. The texture of the boiled and baked lettuce was not good. I tried this dish both with and without condiments and the capers were a nice addition - but when combined with the lime and pickle things got a bit ugly.

I think this recipe has potential, but next time I would use lightly steamed Napa cabbage leaves as a wrapper and would probably add some quinoa and ground bison or pork to the filling for a bit of protein and texture. A little onion wouldn’t hurt either! And the pickles and limes will definitely not make a repeat appearance.

Preparing the filling and just serving it with crisp lettuce (instead of baking it) might approximate the lettuce wrap appetizer at some of the big restaurant chains that always seem to have way more calories than they should!

Either way, it was fun making this recipe and getting a glimpse into Weight Watchers’ groovy past! Thanks Mimi!

The Ultimate Retro WW Guest Post - LIVER LIVES!

2011-02-11T15:12:00.000-08:00

All I can say about this next guest post is: BRAVO! My buddy Diane from the WW message boards is quite a gem. She stepped up to the plate and hit a home run with this liver recipe. I have successfully avoided the dreaded "liver rule" during the past year of my Retro WW adventure. But thanks to Diane--the Retro WW Experiment will forever include one fantastic liver dish that will go down in history. Hooray?

If you think the switch to PointsPlus was an ordeal, don't expect any sympathy from the WW'ers who made it to goal in the 70s. The program back then had a lot of crazy notions about weight loss, but the most notorious was the requirement to eat liver once a week. So when Mimi asked for volunteers to help try some crazy retro recipes, I just had to go for the liver - no half measures for me!

Here's the recipe Mimi sent:

Liver and Apple Salad
6 oz. cooked liver, diced
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup canned bean sprouts, drained & rinsed
1/4 medium green pepper, diced
1 medium apple, cored & diced
2 tbsp diced pimiento
1 envelope instant chicken broth & seasoning mix
1 tbsp mayo
1 tsp lemon juice

Mix all ingredients. Chill in bowl. Unmold on a bed of lettuce. Makes 1 dinner serving.

I made it for some game friends for luncheon today, and I have to say, it wasn't half bad. But it wasn't half good, either, so I won't make it again.

I should start out by saying I like some organ meats. I do a giblet gravy. I serve chopped liver and liverwurst at parties. I once made Julia Child's chicken livers in cognac. But this recipe had something far grosser in it: canned bean sprouts. I could not cope with the La Choy stuff I bought, so I subbed them for fresh. That's the only way I adapted the recipe. (Plus, I packed it into a ring mold to be extra fancy.)

The recipe assumes you've already got some cooked liver on your hands. Just on the off chance you don't, here's how you cook them:

Rinse the livers well under cold running water
Pick them over to remove any pieces of fat or any black or green spots
Dry them well and crank up your kitchen exhaust fan to 11 (liver, frankly, smells nasty when it's cooking)
Saute in a nonstick pan in a little canola oil, turning frequently until cooked through
Chill thoroughly before dicing up

Since I was making this for company, I doubled the recipe. It's really mostly fruit and veg, hiding the liver pretty effectively. The diced-up ingredients looked fine in the bowl, but when I mixed it all together, the colorful apples and veggies got coated with a none-too-lovely brown liver residue. Ew.

I packed the mess into a tinned ring mold well-sprayed with Pam, covered it with plastic and chilled it for a couple of hours. It unmolded very nicely onto a platter, and I served it forth with my 1970s Vera Neumann napkins.

No one got sick. No one had seconds. One friend cleaned his plate, more out of politeness than delight. One friend wouldn't touch it. Their 4-year-old daughter said she wanted to try it, but then she chickened out. My dog's attitude was, "All the more for me!"

Guest Post #11 - Are You Ready For This?

2011-01-30T09:32:00.000-08:00

This next guest post is chilling in more ways than one. I have no words to describe it. I can't even think of a clever introduction. Just make sure you read to the very end and pay close attention to the final picture. Look very closely at this salad and you will notice one very frightening detail that will make you question everything you have ever known about bean salads. Allow me to introduce Karen and her 1974 Retro WW Bean & Mushroom Salad experiment...

I was very excited when I received this recipe, mainly because it was a great opportunity to use for the ancient box of Knox gelatin that had been hibernating in my pantry for years. I didn’t even flinch when reading the list of ingredients because although it seemed to be a very odd combination of flavors (green beans? dehydrated onions? artificial sweetener? GELATIN??), I knew that Weight Watchers would never deceive me.

Bean & Mushroom Salad

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

2 1/2 cups cold water, divided

1 tbsp dehydrated onion flakes

1/2 cup tarragon vinegar

artificial sweetener equal to 1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

2 cups whole canned green beans, drained

1/2 cup chopped pimento

1/2 cup sliced canned mushrooms, drained

watercress

Sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water in saucepan. Stir in onion flakes. Stir over low heat until gelatin dissolves. Stir in remaining water, vinegar, sweetener and salt. Chill until syrupy. Fold in beans, pimento and mushrooms. Turn into a 5-cup mold (or bowl). Chill until firm. Unmold. Garnish with watercress. Makes 4 servings.

The recipe was not hard to prepare. The only surprises I encountered were: 1) the odor from the boiled dried onions and gelatin required the opening of the kitchen window for ventilation, and 2) the resulting sediment sludge:

A less-dedicated Retro WW Recipe Attempter would have stopped the experiment at this point. I was determined to power through and finish the recipe at all costs. Next came the addition of canned vegetables, gently folded into the slightly gelled goo.

After chilling the concoction overnight, the salad was ready to unmold and serve. I invited two friends over for dinner (I decided it was best not to explain the menu before their arrival), and eagerly awaited their reviews.

It was met with mixed reviews. All of us decided that it was not something we ever wished to eat again. That said, it did somewhat resemble three-bean salad, and the flavor was not as horrible as it looked. I would recommend trying this recipe with fresh vegetables and no gelatin.

Thanks Mimi for this opportunity!

The Disappearing Guest Post #10

2011-01-30T09:17:00.000-08:00

Enjoy this cool & delightful Retro WW treat from my twitter pal Lydia, because nothing can prepare you for what is coming next. If you think you've seen some scary Retro WW recipes...you ain't seen nothin' yet! But for now, please enjoy this semi-tame and semi-yummy Zesty Cheddar Log before it disappears!

Zesty Cheddar Log (1974)

4 OZ. Cheddar Cheese, grated
1/4 Cup minced celery
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 medium cucumber, scored & sliced

Combine cheese, celery, and Worcestershire in a bowl. Shape into log, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Sprinkle curry powder in waxed paper. Roll cheese log in curry, coating evenly. Wrap loosely in wax paper. Chill 2 hours. Slice and serve, evenly divided with cucumber slices. Makes 2 luncheon servings.

When Mimi sent me this recipe, I was intrigued and eager to try it out. I imagined Jean Nidetch and a friend eating this after a tennis match or something. The project began with me assembling ingredients. I grated 4 oz of Vermont cheddar cheese, minced some celery to yield 1/4 of a cup, and snapped photo #1.

I combined the cheese and celery with the 1 Tbsp. of Worcestershire sauce. The mixture was very crumbly and did not easily form a log. (I wonder if cheddar in 1974 was softer.) I rolled the log in 2 1/2 tsp of curry powder on a plate.

Now I see that the recipe calls for wax paper, which would've made the rolling easier. The result was a crunchy, definitely zesty, crumbly mess when I tried to cut it. I ate some and then refrigerated it, planning to slice it and serve on scored cucumber slices the next day. In the morning, I searched the fridge for the cheese log and my husband confessed he'd tossed it, unaware of my important assignment!

The cucumber slices made a nice snack sprinkled with salt.

Review: I liked the crunch of the celery, but the curry and Worcestershire flavors were too strong and dissonant. I hope that my hunt for new ways to eat vegetables will bring me some ideas of what else to do with celery and cucumber!

Guest Post #9 - Kiss My Aspic

2011-01-26T12:41:00.000-08:00

Have you met my Bloggy BFF, Heidi? She's quite a kick in the kitchen. That's why, when she asked me for a Retro WW Recipe, I have to admit - I didn't hold back on the gross factor. But I knew she could handle it. Check out her fantabulous blog kitschenfeast and you'll see why. Ladies. Hold onto your girdles. I give you: Creamy Luncheon Aspic.

You're Invited.

Nothing does wonders for the waistline like a ladies' luncheon circa '72. Cottage cheese was served 10 ways from Friday at card tables all across the United States. Often with pear halves, always with a green garnish.

When Mimi offered up the recipe for Creamy Luncheon Aspic, I couldn't wait to oblige. In big part because my better half presented me with the present of a lifetime this holiday season: a food processor! Visions of cheddar ale soups and pestos had been dancing in my head -- who knew one of my appliances virgin voyages would include gelatine. And Cottage cheese.

May I present to you -

Creamy Luncheon Aspic

1 envelope knox gelatin
1/2 cup cold water
1 1/3 cups cottage cheese
2 tbsp mayo
1 tsp Worcestershire
few drops red hot sauce
Salt

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in small saucepan. Place over low heat, stirring constantly until gelatin dissolves. Remove from heat. Combine remaining ingredients in blender (or food processor) and puree until smooth. Add to gelatin mixture; mix well. Pour into small ring mold which has been rinsed in cold water. Chill. Unmold and fill center with greens. Makes 2 servings.

I must confess my guess - that the ladies I'd invite over to lunch on this mess-terpiece might not stick around for dessert. They would be, after all, watching their figures.

Thanks, Mimi, for a recipe that really broke the mold! Or, broke me of molding [and gelling]!

If your gag reflex needs some flexing, come visit me at kitschenfeast.blogspot.com - I've been known to induce vomiting from time to time.

Guest Post #8 - Time For Dessert!

2011-01-23T06:42:00.000-08:00

When my Twitter pal Carrie asked for a Retro WW dessert recipe for her guest post challenge, I was thrilled. Up 'til now, no one had been brave enough to attempt a dessert. And, trust me, this one is worth the wait. Are you scared? You should be. But we WILL get through this. So pour yourself a cuppa joe, grab a Xanax and enjoy Carrie's "Brownies"...

This dessert was a classic WW attempt at making gelatin and some other random ingredients into "food." Therefore, I thought it deserved a classic WW-style photo — hence, the random props.

Chocolate "Brownie" Dessert (1974)
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
3/4 cup boiling water
1 1/3 cup non fat dry milk
artificial sweetener equal to 1 cup sugar
2 tbsp chocolate extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
red & green food coloring

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in blender container to soften. Add boiling water; process at medium speed until dissolved. Add remaining ingredients, except food coloring; process at high speed to blend. Pour into an 8x8 square pan. Chill uncovered until firmly set. Makes 4 servings (although, we stretched it to 6). At 4 servings it’s 4 PP per serving; 6 servings makes it 3 points.

I had about half the ingredients in my pantry, and most of the others were easy enough to find, but I will warn anyone attempting this recipe that chocolate extract is not readily available. I had to hit a health food store in my community to locate some. Also, do not make this in a glass pan. The bottom gets quite shiny and unappetizing. I would also recommend not attempting this particular recipe at all. Ever.

I’m going to wager a guess that working with gelatin is akin to working in certain types of clay. There’s an art to it that I’m certainly not looking to master. One of the joys of this particular recipe was the realization that gelatin foams … a lot.

Also, I am going to go out on a limb here and guess that Weight Watchers members in the ‘70s resigned themselves to the fact that their food was going to look horrifying. Personally, I couldn’t get past the gelatinous gray goo that looked something like the beverage Luke Skywalker drinks at the beginning of the original Star Wars movie. I’ve always wondered what that was; now I know.

And yes, I said it was gray. Trust me, I tried for brown by mixing my red and green food coloring (incidentally, the recipe never said when to add the food coloring, so I guessed). It just started turning this putrid shade of lavender, and I admit, I ultimately gave up. After it set, it did darken up a bit, but as you can see from the pictures, it’s definitely not the rich shade of brown one would expect from traditional brownies. I’m guessing this is the reason it was dubbed “brownie” dessert.

All in all, the mixture itself tasted fine — like sugar-free chocolate typically does. But the texture of the fully set product was abysmal. I got through one bite of it, took a second, and had to spit it out. My husband ate the remainder. Then again, he eats week-old, cold Chinese food mixed with mustard and salad dressing without batting an eye. He also renamed the concoction “gray matter.” But bless his heart, he is always appreciative of my efforts: “You’re a provider, honey — meat, beans and gray matter!” (I had served it with barbecue chicken and baked beans.)

It was an adventure, to say the least.

Speaking of adventures, I’m working on blogging more regularly, and I’m currently a Tumblr addict.

If you’re looking for a few laughs with a heaping side of judgment: http://randomactsofdouchebaggery.tumblr.com/

If you’re looking for heart-felt reflections on a quest to start a family: http://ourbabysteps.tumblr.com/

Or just follow my random, stream of consciousness on Twitter @carriepack.

Mystery Salad Guest Post #7

2011-01-20T16:47:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite things about Retro WW is the plethora of bizarro salads we have to choose from. These salads typically contain ingredients that simply should not EVER be combined together in nature. But yet somehow, in the end-- they seem to work. Tracy from TracyCooksItRight was willing to try one of these salads. I have no idea how she ate this, but she did it. A warning for those with weak stomachs: the following salad mixes gherkins, bananas, and mustard. I'm totally not making that up.

Hawaiian Beachcomber's Salad
8 oz. canned tuna
1/2 cup diced celery
2 tbsp chopped gherkins
1 medium banana, sliced
2 small slices pineapple (canned in own juice), diced - plus 2 tbsp juice
2 tbsp mayo
1 tsp dry mustard
2 cups shredded lettuce

Combine all ingredients except lettuce. Mix thoroughly, and divide evenly into 2 large bowls holding shredded lettuce. Makes 2 servings.

Since my mother and I were Weight Watchers during the 1960's and 70's, the recipes of that time are nostalgic to me. My experience in your Retro experiment was typical of what I've been reading from others. The recipe for "Hawaiian Beachcomber's Salad" sounded interesting, to say the least, but ended up tasting quite good. It was easy to put together, low in the present day Points Plus value, and filling. Thank you for the opportunity to participate. It brought back fond memories of my days as a child Weight Watcher. Thanks Mimi.

A Very Salty Guest Post #6

2011-01-18T14:03:00.000-08:00

My friend Roz at Weightingfor50 is a fun & fitness loving foodie with flair! So I knew she would turn this 1974 recipe for "Jackstraw LoMein" into a gourmet feast! She put her own spin on a Retro WW classic and made it into a modern day instant hit!

Jackstraw LoMein

8 onz cooked beef – cut into match like sticks

1 cup sliced celery

1/2 cup boiling water

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 1/3 cups cooked spaghetti

1 cup bean sprouts

1/4 cup beef bouillon

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tsp dry mustard

Several things went through my mind when I saw the recipe: “shredded lettuce that is going to be cooked – gross”? “I see sodium in my future, and lots of it.” “thank God there is no liver in this dish” and “this may not end well”. BUT….I gathered and prepared all the necessary ingredients and went forth.

Combine celery and boiling water in a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 6 minutes. Water brought to a boil, celery in, timer set for 6 minutes. Check!

Add lettuce and cook for 2 minutes longer. Lettuce in, timer set for 2 more minutes. Check!

Drain. No check, pan was already dry.

Add spaghetti, bean sprouts and beef. Check!

Combine bouillon, soy sauce and mustard – mix well and pour over mixture in saucepan. Check!

Toss gently and serve. Not check.

Know what, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be (seems cooked lettuce has basically no flavour or texture at all) however, it was UBER salty (despite my lower sodium broth and soy sauce) but BLAND! (all capitals, VERY VERY bland!)

Luckily, I had a 2011 “contingency plan” on the counter in case it wasn’t to our tastes. Sorry Mimi and Jean Nidetch! I confess, I added some steamed red and yellow peppers, a bit of sesame oil, some hoisin sauce, garlic and some Chinese 5 spice powder.

Served with chopsticks…..and there you have it. The “Weighting for 50″ 1972 Retro Weight Watchers Experiment (with a 2011 twist).

Was the recipe edible? Absolutely! Was it enjoyable? No, can’t say it was, but once I doctored it up, dinner was a-ok! Our sodium levels are likely through the roof tonight, but other than that, I’d say the experiment was a success!

A Very Spicy Guest Post #5

2011-01-15T03:40:00.000-08:00

When Margo asked me for a "South of the Border" themed Retro WW Recipe. I knew it had to be Marcy's Enchiladas. The only question: Who is Marcy? We never did find out, but please enjoy Margo (aka: ShesNachoMama) and her Retro WW enchilada challenge!

First, let me say that I am honored to participate in Mimi’s blog-speriment, having been a lurker here at her blog for quite a long while now. Also, like Mimi, I am a HUGE fan of Jean Nidetch. Her autobiography was one of the most inspiring books I’ve read in the last year-seriously! Naturally, I requested a retro-ww recipe with a “South-of-the-Border” flair (like me.) And Mimi did not disappoint. I was delighted to receive the following recipe (almost as old as I am!) in my electronic mailbox:

"Marcy's Enchilada" (1974)

1/2 cup tangy tomato sauce

1 medium canned tomato, chopped

1tbsp chopped green chili pepper

1tbsp dehydrated onion flakes

2 tsp artificial sweetener

1/2 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp oregano leaves

1/4 tsp basil leaves

Dash garlic powder

1 slice bread, toasted (ok-here’s where I actually “rofl!”)

2 oz. Cooked chicken, chopped

1 oz. Grated montereyjack cheese

Combine sauce, tomato, chili pepper, onion flakes, sweetener, cumin, salt, oregano, basil and garlic powder in saucepan. Simmer 12 minutes. Place toast in baking dish. Pour sauce over. Place chicken on top, then spoon grated cheese over chicken. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Makes one serving.

So, I made the recipe exactly as instructed. And? It wasn’t that bad! The only downer was the soggy toast (nasty!) I guess corn tortillas were not nationally available in 1974 as they are today. But the stuff that went on the toast was actually pretty yummy! I calculated the recipe at 7 modern-day pointsplus per serving.

Now, I did have a hunch that the toast would come out soggy, so I took the liberty of preparing my own, lightened up, enchilada casserole-for dos...

Nacho Mama’s Enchiladas (serves 2 @6 pointsplus per svg)

2 oz. Cooked chicken, chopped

28oz can diced tomatoes

1/2c Enchilada Sauce (I like Las Palmas)

1/2c diced mushrooms

1tbsp chopped green chili pepper

1 diced zucchini

1 garlic clove, diced

1/4c diced onion

1/4c frozen corn kernels

1/8c chopped cilantro

6 large black olives, sliced

1/4t Chili powder

4 corn tortillas (I’m lucky enough to live where they are made fresh daily-this makes a big difference!)

2 oz. Grated light cheddar cheese

Spray Oil

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Get your iron skillet nice and hot! Then spray each tortilla on both sides and toast until slightly crispy (WATCH YOUR TORTILLAS! They burn fast) Set aside.

3. In a large saucepot, combine all ingredients EXCEPT the cheese and olives. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 10 min.

4. Spray your small Pyrex casserole dish (I used my Mama Lola’s oval dish but a 5x9 dish will work perfectly) with oil. Coat the bottom of the dish with the sauce, then layer in the following order:

-Tortilla

-Sauce

-Cheese

-sliced olives

You should be able to get at least 2 layers. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Makes 2 HUGE servings.

So here’s Nacho Mama’s vs. Marcy’s Enchiladas (mine are on the left):

OK, remember that mine is TWO servings! Just so you can get a better idea, I plated up a half of a single serving of each:

So the verdict: Marcy’s Enchiladas were not bad, but not something my dear, late Mama Lola would want in her casserole dish. Plus? (pun intended) They 1974 version not only had a higher pointsplus value, but I’m pretty sure that mine are far more nutritious since they are crammed with veggies. And mine are more filling because, well, there’s simple more of them per serving.

That said, if I had to live on the scary retro food that Mimi has braved for all our sakes, I’d be pretty darn pleased with Marcy’s Enchiladas, soggy toast and all. Ole!

Wishing you love with extra cheese, Nacho Mama

@shesnachomama

The Incredible Edible Guest Post #4

2011-01-15T03:14:00.000-08:00

Today's Retro WW Guest Post Challenge submission is from an amazing lady named Lynn in South Carolina, USA. Wait until you hear how much weight she has lost! She is quite a WW success story. She can do anything! She can even make a 1972 Retro WW Recipe look delicious. Please enjoy Lynn's Chicken Cacciatore:

I am so happy to get to be a part of Mimi’s Retro WW Experiment. I was not a member of Weight Watchers in 1972 but by 1978, I had joined for my first time, lost 35 lbs and dropped out without reaching my goal weight. I have rejoined, lost and dropped out numerous times without ever reaching my goal and every time gaining back all of the weight I had lost plus more. The last time I rejoined I had ballooned to 376 lbs. I vowed I would stick to the program until one of two things happened; either I died or I reached my goal weight. I reached my goal weight in June having lost 196.4 lbs. I am now less than half of the woman I once was. I invite you to visit my blog where I frequently write about my journey. If you are someone struggling with your weight, please take the time to read the letter I wrote to the weight I lost (October 18, 2010). http://lynnthompsons.blogspot.com/

Oh, and in case you are interested my next goal is to become the best leader WW has ever had! Are you paying attention David Kirchoff?

I made this for dinner tonight and served it on top of a small serving of whole-wheat pasta. We also had steamed broccoli, and a small salad. I thought it was great but my husband’s reaction was less positive. It went like this, “This tastes like a similar dish you made back in the 70’s, not my favorite” You can’t help but love his enthusiasm!

Chicken Cacciatore
4 (10 oz) Skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup tomato puree
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup dehydrated onion flakes ( I used real onions)
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped pimentos
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 tsp rosemary leaves
pinch allspice
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp wine vinegar

Sprinkle chicken with salt & pepper, Brown over high heat in non-stick pan, turning frequently. Transfer chicken to baking dish. Set aside. Combine tomato puree, mushrooms, onion flakes, celery, pimentos, garlic, rosemary and allspice. Cook over low heat 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and wine vinegar. Spoon over each chicken breast. Bake at 325 for 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Makes 4 servings

Guest Post #3 - A Carb Dilemma?

2011-01-13T16:54:00.000-08:00

This Retro WW Guest Post Submission comes to us all the way from Australia. Yes, folks... The Retro WW love is spreading world-wide! We are officially an International movement for Pete's Sake! Please do enjoy my new friend Georgia's rendition of an old favorite...

Hi, I’m Georgia, food lover and former Weight Watcher. You can find my ramblings over at http://fabulousfoodandalittlefrolicking.blogspot.com/.

As a lover of all Italian carbs (who isn’t?!), I was initially thrilled when Mimi sent me my Retro WW Recipe for “Spaghetti”. However, those pesky inverted commas got the better of me, and my “Spaghetti” was...umm…rather lacking in the carb department! Here’s why:

“Spaghetti” (1966)

2 tsp dehydrated onion flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
salt & pepper
12 oz. tomato juice
1 tsp sugar substitute
large can bean sprouts

Cook first 6 ingredients together to make think sauce. Simmer about 1 hour. Drain & rinse sprouts. Cook until soft. Dry thoroughly. Pour sauce over sprouts.

Sadly, I was unable to emulate the recipe in full – tinned bean sprouts are not available in Australian supermarkets. I suspect they were circa 1966, but can only be thankful that the fresh variety has superseded their canned counterpart.

So what can I say? Unnecessarily sweet, insipid and a ridiculously long cooking time (I can’t begin to describe how strange it feels to simmer what is essentially just tomato juice for an hour), and yet kinda brilliant...in a 1960s onion flakey, bean shoot-y way!

I’m not sure that I can say I’m an advocate of the sauce, but in a moment of health-inspired madness, the concept of using bean sprouts as a pasta substitute could just be a winner. Next time perhaps the bean shoots could be paired with a more traditional meaty bolognaise sauce…but let’s not forget to keep the 1960s theme alive with a prawn cocktail for starters and a nice cherry brandy to round out the meal. On second thought, perhaps not!

Guest Post #2 - Are You Inspired?

2011-01-12T05:36:00.000-08:00

When Clare from clareisrunning.blogspot.com told me she was interested in writing a guest post for the Retro WW Recipe challenge, I asked her what type of recipe she wanted to try. SOUP was her choice, and I knew immediately what dish to send her. My only advice? Light some funky candles and put on some mood music, because this soup is groovy, baby.

Inspiration Soup
3 cups tomato juice
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups canned bean sprouts, drained & rinsed
1 cup drained canned asparagus plus 1/2 cup liquid
1 cup drained canned green beans plus 1/2 cup liquid
1/2 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots, drained & rinsed
2 ribs celery, chopped
4 beef bouillon cubes
4 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 cup cold water few drops Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup dehydrated onion flakes
Dash of each: celery salt, garlic powder, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme

Combine tomato juice, water, sprouts, asparagus/liquid, green beans/liquid, bamboo shoots, celery and bouillon in a saucepan. Bring to boil. Sprinkle gelatin over cold water to soften. Add to soup. Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer 20 minutes, adding more water if needed. Divide evenly. Makes 8 servings.

Mimi - Thanks so much for the opportunity to contribute to the Retro WW Recipe Challenge! As I looked over all of the ingredients for my Inspiration Soup I must admit I felt completely inspired to skip dinner altogether. And then there was that pungent, nauseating smell as the cooking began. I could barely bring myself to taste the end result so I pinched my nose and closed my eyes and...it was actually really good!

Even my family enjoyed it - so now we have a fridge-full of soup for dinner tomorrow too:). Cooking tomorrow night's dinner for the family on a Monday - how very 'Mad Men'! Now I just need to quit my job, start smoking and learn how to crochet. I am inspired!!

The Retro WW Guest Post Experiment - Phase 1

2011-01-10T10:42:00.000-08:00

It's only appropriate that the very first guest post submission for this crazy challenge should come from the #1 lady in my life. She is a constant inspiration for this blog and was my very first follower. Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to present to you Ms. Barby and her "Cottage Noodles"...

As Mimi's mom and an "old" member of the original 1972 WW program, I was delighted to be a a part of the Retro WW Experiment. I chose the recipe Cottage Noodles. (Pg. 67 in the 1972 WW Cookbook) Mimi and I love cottage cheese, eggs, and pasta in general. These 3 items were a staple in my avocado colored "fridge". When I was on the 1972 program, I counted the minutes when I could eat my lunch, which was the legal portion of cottage cheese with the legal portion of cooked macaroni. I mixed the 2 together and ate it COLD. This was my happy lunch. It was so much better then scoffing my tuna from the can. I probably ate it everyday. Boy!!! Have things changed. Thank goodness! So try the recipe, it tasted good - and Happy Weight Watcher"ing" ~Mimi's Mom

PS: I wouldn't mind making another guest appearance Retro WW style, if Mimi invites me again. It was alot of fun!!!!

Cottage Noodles
2/3 Cup Cottage Cheese
3 tbsp skim milk
1/4 tsp lemon juice
1 cup cooked egg noodles
1/4 cup diced pimento
2 hard cooked eggs, sliced
salt & pepper
1/4 tsp caraway seeds
1/4 tsp Worcestershire

Combine first 3 ingredients in blender and whiz smooth. Layer remaining ingredients in small baking dish and cover with blended mixture. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes until bubbly hot! Makes 2 luncheon servings. Enjoy!

The Pause That Refreshes...

2011-01-09T15:23:00.000-08:00

It's Sunday night. Time to unwind.

I've been super-busy all weekend sending out Retro WW Recipes to the many brave folks who stepped up for the Retro WW Guest Post Challenge. I'm not gonna lie to you: It's going to be crazy! And I'm a wee bit frightened.

Over the next few weeks, I will feature submissions from all over the Retro WW world. Brave men & women who, for whatever reason, have decided to try their luck at cooking up a bizarre and interesting recipe - courtesy of our friend and founder, Jean Nidetch.

So now I get to put up my feet and relax with a cocktail.

A 1966 Retro WW Tomato-Sauerkraut Cocktail, that is. Oh yea. This is Retro WW, baby. Only the brave and the strong stomachs survive!

Let the challenge begin!

Attention All Retro WW Wannabees!

2011-01-08T09:35:00.000-08:00

I'm looking for a few brave souls.

Are you a Retro WW fan? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to whip up a gag-tastic Retro WW recipe and serve it up to your horrified friends and family?

Well now is your chance to officially join the Retro WW movement...

Here's the skinny:

Email or Tweet me and let me know you'd like to give it a whirl.
Let me know what type of recipe you'd like to try--be it snack, dessert, soup, main dish, mocktail, etc. -- I'll try to find & provide one to suit you.
Get the goods, get in the kitchen and get to work!

When it's done, just send me a short post (and a pic or two) and I'll add your Retro WW experiment to the bunch! I'll also be sure to link back to your blog if you link to mine.

Ladies--let's get ready to mold, roast, poach, whip and spread the Retro WW Love!

Magic Mushrooms

2011-01-07T12:39:00.000-08:00

Did you know that in the Retro WW universe, a mushroom can magically become a peanut? It's true.

Since nuts are strictly forbidden - or illegal as we Retro WW gals like to say - the alternative is to make these tasty little "Roast Peanuts" from the 1966 Weight Watchers Cookbook.

Now, if you have followed this blog for a while, you know exactly what those quotation marks around the title of today's recipe mean, don't you? For a quick review of the significance of quotation marks on Retro WW, please click here.

So now you know: These "Roast Peanuts" are not peanuts at all. They are canned button mushrooms, drained, salted and roasted at a low heat for one hour until they are brown and dry and withered and crunchy. Yum?

Try them if you dare! Jean Nidetch proclaims they are "just like peanuts."

I beg to differ. But in a pinch? They'll do. (And they're ZERO PointsPlus for all of you modern day WW gals out there!)

Many thanks to the fabulous Ms. Bitchcakes for the recent mention and a very big Retro WW Welcome to all of the new readers who have stumbled upon my crazy blog. Enjoy your weekend, everyone! Grab a beer, a handful of "roast peanuts", and paint the town red! Cheers!

To Jean, With Love - Part 2

2011-01-02T14:03:00.000-08:00

Now that 2011 is in full swing, I find myself thinking about goals and aspirations.

The overarching goal of my 40th year was to fit into my skinny jeans. An admittedly vain and shallow goal - but quite an adventure, nonetheless. And one I accomplished in the eleventh hour, I should add.

But there was another goal. One that may have slipped by you if you weren't paying close attention.

This goal is a curious one.... One that I have blogged about before...

And one that I will continue to pursue into the new year and beyond.

Jean Nidetch, the founder of Weight Watchers and author of the 1972 Revised WW Program Cookbook, will turn 88 this year. I'm pretty sure she can still whip up a lean, mean gelatine mold, and I spent all of 2010 practicing this skill. If there were a Jean Nidetch fan club--I'd be the President, Secretary and Treasurer. Truth be told: I consider myself officially primed and ready for any Jean Nidetch encounter that may arise.

So Jean--if you're out there--feel free to shoot me a call, text or Tweet, and let's meet up for a good ol' 1972 WW Cook-Off. I'll bring the Knox. It'd be the cherry on top of my Retro WW Experiment!

Until then, I'll be waiting by the phone and polishing my copper molds.

Worlds Colliding

2011-01-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

I am truly a retro girl living in a modern day world. Or is it the other way around? I can never tell.

Anyhoo...

Since I have been doing so well on the new WW PointsPlus plan, yet I still have a strange affinity for those wacky & weird Retro WW recipes--I wondered what would happen if I took the two programs and mashed them together in some strange way? A sort of freakishly morphed version of the two WW plans I love so much.

I think it might look a little something like this...

I've noticed that many of the PointsPlus Power Foods also happen to be "legal foods" from the 1972 WW Program. So there are many opportunities for overlap.

Take, for instance, the recipe pictured above from the 1972 Revised WW Program Cookbook.

Peas Francaise

1/2 head shredded lettuce
8 oz. peas
2 tsp. dehydrated onion flakes
dash artificial sweetener
1/4 teaspoon butter flavoring
Salt & Pepper

Simmer all ingerdients in a saucepan for 15 minutes.
Makes 2 servings

Did I add some hot sauce? YES!

Did I add a Boca Burger? YES!

It was filling, delicious and only 4 PointsPlus for the entire bowl... A Pyrex bowl, I might add. Plus--it's Francaise which is code for "fancy". Right?

Do you think Jean Nidetch would approve?

Retro WW Hangover Cure

2011-01-01T07:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! And a Happy Hangover to all of you crazy kids who partied like it was 1972!

If you are like me, and you woke up with a little pounding in the head this morning, feeling a bit green around the gills -- Here's a surefire Retro WW hangover cure that is sure to do the trick!

COFFEE BUBBLERS

2 cups hot, double strength coffee
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 cups chilled, diet orange soda

Combine hot coffee with lemon juice and rind. Chill. Add soda & stir. Makes enough for the whole rowdy crowd!

Now go back to bed and sleep it off!

Have a great year, everyone! Thanks for hanging out with me in 2010. Hope we can have lots more fun in 2011!

Hey Banana-You've Come a Long Way Baby!

2010-12-29T06:42:00.001-08:00

Hello Retro WW Fans! I sincerely apologize for my lengthy absence.

You see, I have been very busy working, playing, Christmasing, and yes...following the brand NEW Weight Watchers PointsPlus Program. (And getting back into my skinny jeans in the process, I might add).

It's a little awkward, because as you all know, I didn't have much success on the 1972 WW Program. Part of it was my inability to stay on plan for more than a few days at a time. It was just too strict... And too time consuming.

But I still have an obsession with all things Retro WW. Which is why I pulled out my 1972 Revised WW Cookbook this week and started looking through it for recipes that might be PointsPlus friendly. FYI-There are many. And I will begin to share them with you as I incorporate them into my menu.

However, during my recipe search, I was reminded of a shocking discovery. Apparently, in 1972--Bananas were evil.

That's right. Bananas were only permitted once per week. And they had to be rotated on a tri-weekly basis with cherries and grapes. So if you were lucky, you'd get one--maybe two--bananas per month! And furthermore, on the day you ate a banana you were not permitted to eat any other fruit - be it apple, pear or pineapple. Let's face it--you had to REALLY want that naughty little banana.

The horror! The shame!

I am enjoying the freedom of zero PointsPlus bananas on the current Weight Watchers program so much, I had almost completely forgotten about the fact that bananas were forbidden fruit for the Retro WW gal. So here I am. Downing one (sometimes two) bananas per day like it's my job. And it... feels... fabulous!

Let us now sing the praises of our beloved banana! Raise your fruit bowls in the air and cheer! That is one liberated fruit!

Be Thankful!

2010-11-24T14:44:00.000-08:00

I know a lot of my fellow WW buddies are stressing out a little about the impending program changes that WW has recently announced.

Having been a lifetime member of WW for the past 10 years and an admittedly obsessed collector and follower of all things Weight Watcher - I for one am very excited about the change.

...And thankful.

If the WW program hadn't changed over the years, we'd still be eating liver once per week, downing tuna by the pound and gelatinizing our asses off.

And we'd still be eating stuff like this:

So this year, I am thankful that Weight Watchers is changing, evolving and staying on the cutting edge of nutritional science. 'Cause, take it from me - even though the 1972 WW Program may have worked for a lot of people--it is no picnic!

Happy Thanksgiving!