Control

"Everything's fine. Look, I made a lot of martinis. That's all anybody every drinks at these things. You know, martinis?" Spencer Tracy, "Father of the Bride", MGM, 1950

In the movie, "Father of the Bride", Spencer Tracy (the father) is continually trying to regain control of an uncontrollable situation... A wedding. In one scene in particular, Tracy is put in charge of serving drinks at the reception, a responsibility he's been given simply because (unbeknownst to him) those truly in charge want him safely out of the way. He uses the opportunity to try to take control yet again, though, mixing up pitcher after pitcher of the only drink he thinks anyone will want... A martini. And, when the guests proceed to order anything but martinis, he is 'forced' to drink them himself.

The reception scene from MGM's classic film is both humorous and cautionary. As someone who's spent quite a bit of time "Searching for the Perfect Martini" (both metaphorically and literally), I can certainly empathize with the movie father's approach to controlling the uncontrollable... while appreciating the humor of his failure. Many a heroic tale has taught us that Tracy's character should have been able to rise to the occasion and find the ideal solution, becoming the savior of the moment... versus the comic relief.   

As a Weight Watchers member, though, I've learned to appreciate that 'uncontrollable situations' and 'ideal solutions' are simply examples of all-or-none thinking. By focusing on incremental goals and smaller (and therefore more achievable) solutions, we can overcome obstacles over time that, previously, might have seemed insurmountable.

Case in point? Old favorite recipes......

Many of us have special recipes we once enjoyed but have since given up on, perhaps because we're embracing healthier lifestyles or avoiding particular foods (e.g. foods high in sugar, saturated fats, etc.). Changing such recipes would be impossible, after all, as the changed recipe wouldn't taste as good as the original, or would fail to live up to our memories. We simply need to find entirely new recipes that are healthier... albeit less delicious... right?

Perhaps... Or perhaps not... As the original recipe above and the 'tweaked' recipe below recently proved.

A WEIGHT WATCHER'S FRIENDLY PEACH COBBLER

Ingredients:

• 6 medium peaches, peeled and sliced
• Butter-flavored cooking spray
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup Splenda
• 1/2 cup Brummel & Brown spread (w/yogurt)
• 1 egg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x13 pan with butter-flavored cooking spray. Cover the bottom of the prepared pan with sliced peaches, spray with butter-flavored cooking spray, sprinkle with cinnamon and set aside.

Pulse rolled oats in a blender or food processor until the consistency of flour. Combine the oat 'flour' with the Splenda. Place the Brummel & Brown spread in a microwave-safe bowl, cover, and melt in the microwave for 15-30 seconds (in 10-15 second increments). Add the melted spread and egg to the oat 'flour' and Splenda mixture, combine to make a batter, and spoon the batter evenly over the peaches.

Bake for 45-50 minutes. Serve warm. Top with 1/4 cup Halo Top Vanilla Bean Light Ice Cream or fat-free whipped topping.

Serves 8, 4 WeightWatchers Smartpoints per serving (5 Smartpoints with light ice cream or fat-free whipped topping).

A note to social media users: Here is a sample tweet you can use to share this recipe: 

• A few thoughts on #control, accompanied by a @WeightWatchers-friendly #peachcobbler #recipe: http://bit.ly/2xDEDND #foodblog @Splenda