Happy New Year from The Laughing Cow®!

The ball has dropped and New Year's resolutions are in full swing. We're here to help you stay on track for a healthier, cheesier, and overall more enjoyable 2012.

Staying on Track with New Year's Resolutions

With a clean slate and New Year's resolutions at the forefront of nearly everyone's mind, it is the perfect time to not only stick to your goals, but also make them work in the long term. Staying on track with smart snacking and meal choices is easier than you think.

We've checked in with The Laughing Cow® Community Leaders to see how they plan on sticking to their New Year's Resolutions — maybe you'll pick up an idea or two from their motivational thoughts!

"Planning a positive attitude and several daily motivational inspirations will ensure I stick to my goal. I will follow a more balanced lifestyle with more play and less work, and more family time and less stress."
— Sarah Kay Hoffman

"Having a workout buddy works well for me. The yoga studio I go to is really social and what helped in the past was having a yoga partner. We would text each other prior to class to make sure the other one was going and it was always nice to chat a bit before or after class to catch up. Unfortunately, my previous partner moved away and I fell out of the routine. I'll look for another yoga buddy to help keep me on track."
— Patricia Bannan

"I'm hoping my resolution becomes habit after the first few weeks, like drinking water or going to the gym. Both of those were commitments I made to myself and have now become habits I can't live without."
— Roni Noone

"I am going to consume less artificial sugar in the form of gum and other sugar-free sweet treats as well as drink more water throughout the day. I drink a sufficient amount of water already but when I leave my home, I always forget to bring a bottle with me! Passing by the candy store or smelling fresh baked cookies in the mall when I'm a little dehydrated creates the perfect storm for a sugar craving! The more sugar I eat, the more I crave."
— Sarah Dussault

Stay tuned to our blog for advice from The Laughing Cow® Community Leaders, who will share advice for staying on the right track throughout the year — from fitness to lifestyle to nutrition choices!

Love Us or It's On Us!

As a subscriber to our newsletter, we know you're already well aware that The Laughing Cow® Light Cheese Wedges offer indulgent taste and skinny calories! Snacking is believing! So, please encourage your friends and family to try us out. If they don't adore the rich, creamy flavor of The Laughing Cow® — with 35 calories per light cheese wedge — they can get their money back through 2/29/12*! Check out thelaughingcow.com for details.

*If you are not satisfied, visit TheLaughingCow.com for instructions on how to get a refund up to $4.99, excluding tax and discounts. Offer ends 2/29/12. Limit one (1) refund per household, subject to state restrictions. Valid in USA. Void where prohibited. Full details on Web site. ©2012 Bel Brands USA.

Slimmed Down Winter Comfort Food

Everyone enjoys comfort food, especially during the cold winter months. But with New Year's fresh on the mind, the urge to indulge may be sacrificed. Fear no more; The Laughing Cow® Cheese Wedges and Mini Babybel® Cheeses are great swaps to slim down classic comfort foods. Need a hearty-yet-skinny breakfast to start your winter morning? Try these Mini Italian Breakfast Casseroles. Or, perhaps you'd enjoy a cheesy soup to warm you up in the evening. How about our Souped-Up Broccoli & Cheese?

Mini Italian Breakfast Casseroles

Ingredients (makes two servings):

3 whole eggs
3 tablespoons milk
1 dash pepper
1 dash salt
1 piece grated Mini Babybel® Cheese (Original or your favorite flavor)
4 slices prosciutto OR 2 thin slices ham (about 2 ounces)
1 cup baby spinach, chopped
1 tablespoon parmesan

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F.

Whisk eggs, milk, pepper, salt, and grated Mini Babybel® Cheese in medium bowl until blended.

Line two greased 7-ounce ramekins with Prosciutto, pressing against bottoms and sides.

Divide chopped baby spinach between the two ramekins.

Pour and divide egg mixture among ramekins and top with parmesan. Place ramekins in baking pan.

Bake in center of 350°F oven until egg is just set — about 20 minutes.

Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes.

*Please note that ovens and times may vary so keep an eye out to prevent over-cooking.

Recipe submitted on thelaughingcow.com by rogueandme

PER SERVING: 209 calories, 13g fat, 600mg sodium, 3g carbs, 0g fiber, 2g sugar, 20g protein

Souped-Up Broccoli & Cheese

Ingredients (makes four servings):

1 teaspoon olive oil
3 tablespoons diced yellow onion
2 teaspoons flour
1/4 cups white wine
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup frozen spring peas, thawed and drained
6 wedges The Laughing Cow® Light Swiss Original Cheese
1 teaspoon each kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Add olive oil to a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.

Add onion; sauté until soft and translucent (do not brown), about 2 minutes.

Add flour; continue to stir for an additional minute.

Add white wine and stir to combine while scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Whisk in vegetable broth and allow liquid to come to a simmer. Add broccoli and cook until just tender, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer to a food processor or blender; add spring peas and cheese. Purée until smooth.

Add salt and pepper and taste; adjust seasonings as needed. Serve hot or cold.

Recipe developed by Soigné Culinary Artistry

PER SERVING: 142 calories, 4g fat, 1040mg sodium, 14g carbs, 4g fiber, 6g sugar, 8g protein

Thanks to All You Savvy Snackers

This past December, we launched a Smart Snacking quiz on Facebook. More than 1,900 of our Facebook community members tested their snacking IQs and entered to win a grand prize trip to Los Angeles to meet Lisa Lillien, aka Hungry Girl and a $1 off coupon. Congratulations to Deena Costley, who visited Hungry Girl in LA on December 20th and got firsthand tips on how to shop the supermarket, aisle by aisle. Thanks to our Facebook community for your participation and keep snacking smart!

Until Next Time...

Catch up on happy living, smart snacking and other cheesy updates all month long on our blog at thelaughingcow.com. If you haven't already done so, please invite your friends to join us at thelaughingcow.com for recipes, cheese chat, videos and other tasty topics! You can also find us on Twitter @TheLaughingCow and on our Facebook page. There will be chances to win cheesy treats and other prizes throughout the year on The Laughing Cow blog, Twitter and Facebook—make sure you're connected with us!