“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.” (Psalms 46:1-3 KJV)

My phone rang around 6:45 p.m. last night and it was my husband telling me about the devastation that had hit Joplin, Missouri.  I turned on KOAM & watched as a much shaken Doug Heady tried to make it through his update of the recent events.  Photos started pouring in on the television along with interviews of victims who had survived.  The devastation and the impact of the storm seemed almost unbelievable.  

My best friend lives in Carl Junction, Missouri and my thoughts immediately turned to panic as I dialed her cell phone.  Of course the lines were flooded and all I heard on the other end was, "all lines are busy, please try your call again".  I decided to text and much to my relief she texted back that they were fine and her daughter had not had to work at the Joplin Wal-mart that day.  Tears of relief poured from my eyes.  Others were not so lucky.  Prayers go out ten-fold to Joplin, Missouri and for the Emergency workers, Doctors, Nurses, Volunteers, and community.  I have had numerous calls today regarding how you can help.



In response to the devasting tornadoes in Joplin, Mo., Neosho County Health Department will be taking donations of water, gatorade, bathroom items(toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo,) blankets, canned goods, baby goods(diapers,formula) . We will deliver this at some point within the next week.
Please bring items to the Neosho County Health Department- 320 East Main, Chanute.

On a happy note . . . . .

CONGRATULATIONS to all of our Meltdown participants for beating your best week ever!

You had the most minutes of exercise, the most pounds lost, and each of you have a laser focus for the end of this Meltdown journey!

Recipes for this week

Crazy Chicken Panini Sandwich

Ingredients:Sauce
1 1/2 tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. adobo sauce (from canned chipotle peppers) or chipotle hot sauce (like the kind by Tabasco)
2 dashes onion powder
2 dashes garlic powder

Sandwich
One 100-calorie flat sandwich bun (like Arnold Select/Oroweat Sandwich Thins)
2 oz. cooked skinless lean chicken breast, shredded or pulled into pieces
1 tbsp. roughly chopped fresh basil
2 thin slices red onion
2 slices plum tomato
1 stick light string cheese, shredded or pulled into pieces

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine ingredients for the sauce and mix well. Set aside.

Split bun in half and lay the halves flat, split sides up. Evenly spread half of the sauce onto the bun halves, leaving half of the sauce in the bowl. Set aside.

To the bowl with the remaining sauce, add chicken and toss to coat. Set aside.

Evenly top one bun half with basil, onion, tomato, saucy chicken, and cheese. Place the other half on top, sauce side down.

Bring a grill pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Place sandwich in the pan. Using a spatula, press down gently but firmly to seal the sandwich. Grill until hot and lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side, flipping carefully and pressing down with the spatula to seal.

Cut in half (or not) and enjoy!

MAKES 1 SERVING

Serving Size: entire recipe (1 sandwich)
Calories: 256
Fat: 5.25g
Sodium: 700mg
Carbs: 28.5g
Fiber: 5.5g
Sugars: 6g
Protein: 27g

NO GUILT BLAST

	BTW (we're very into abbreviations today), "PBCG" stands for "Peanut Butter Candy Goodness." Vanilla + peanut butter is perhaps the most underrated flavor combo of all time; why shouldn't it have its own blended drink?  Not something to eat every day but maybe a once in a while treat:) Ingredients: 15 pieces Reese's Pieces candy, divided 1 1/2 tsp. fat-free non-dairy powdered creamer (like the kind by Coffee-mate) 1 no-calorie sweetener packet (like Splenda) 1/2 cup light vanilla soymilk 1/2 cup fat-free vanilla ice cream (like Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Fat Free) 1 tsp. reduced-fat creamy peanut butter, room temperature 1 cup crushed ice or 5 - 7 ice cubes Optional topping: Fat Free Reddi-wip Directions: Place 5 candy pieces in a sealable bag and roughly crush. Set aside. In a tall glass, combine creamer and sweetener with 1 tbsp. hot water. Stir to dissolve. Add soymilk, stir, and transfer to a blender. Add the 10 remaining candy pieces and all other ingredients to the blender, and blend at high speed until completely mixed. Pour mixture into the tall glass and gently stir in the crushed candy (reserving some of the candy if you plan to add whipped topping). Top with Reddi-wip, if using, and sprinkle with reserved candy pieces. Dig in! MAKES 1 SERVING
	Serving Size: 1 shake (entire recipe) Calories: 235 Fat: 6g Sodium: 169mg Carbs: 37.5g Fiber: 2.5g Sugars: 19.5g Protein: 8.5g Won Ton Appetizer This new starter is totally cute, amazingly delicious, and a calorie bargain, considering it has a fraction of the cals found in the original.  I love this recipe!!!  So did my family. Ingredients: 8 small square wonton wrappers (often stocked near the tofu in the fridge section of the market) 4 oz. cooked skinless lean chicken breast, shredded 2 tbsp. BBQ sauce with about 45 calories per 2-tbsp. serving 3/4 cup dry coleslaw mix 2 tbsp. Newman's Own Lighten Up! Low Fat Sesame Ginger dressing (or another sesame ginger dressing with about 35 calories per 2-tbsp. serving) 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro  Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To make the wonton shells, spray the inside and outside walls of a deep square or rectangular baking pan with nonstick spray. Evenly drape wonton wrappers over the pan's walls on a diagonal, making triangle-shaped "shells." (Use two pans, if needed, to keep wontons from overlapping.) Bake for 3 - 4 minutes, until just crispy enough to hold their shape. Remove pan from the oven and set aside to cool. Combine chicken with BBQ sauce in a bowl and mix well. Set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine coleslaw mix, dressing, and cilantro. Mix well. Microwave for 45 seconds, until slightly softened. Set aside. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. One at a time, carefully remove wonton shells from the pan and fill each with a heaping tablespoon of BBQ chicken and a heaping teaspoon of cilantro slaw. Lay filled wontons gently on their sides on the baking sheet. Spray the upward-facing sides of the wonton shells lightly with nonstick spray (for added crispiness) and bake for about 5 minutes, until warm and crunchy. Let cool slightly and serve! MAKES 2 SERVINGS Serving Size: 4 wonton tacos Calories: 191 Fat: 2g Sodium: 605mg Carbs: 25g Fiber: 1g Sugars: 7.5g Protein: 17g