Tomato and Feta Frittata

Warmed feta…need I say more?!

Source: Weight Watchers
Serves: 4- 3 points plus

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1 small shallot (or small onion)
2 large Eggs
4 egg whites (or egg substitute)
¼ tsp salt- to taste
¼ tsp pepper- to taste
1 ½ cup grape tomatoes- cut in half if large
½ cup feta cheese
2 Tbs bread crumb, dried, plain, Panko variety if possible

· Coat a large ovenproof skillet with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Saute onion about 5 minutes or until tender.
· In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, egg whites, salt and pepper; stir in tomatoes and cooked onion.
· In same skillet that onion was cooked, spray again with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Pour egg mixture into pan; cook until almost set, loosening edges of frittata. Sprinkle cheese and bread crumbs on top.
· Place skillet under broiler; broil until cooked through and bread crumbs brown. This only takes about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Watch carefully so frittata will not burn.

Notes- I prepared this for two servings. Omitted the real eggs and used ½ cup of egg substitute. I didn’t have grape tomatoes so I just sliced up a regular tomato and drained them. It was great for a weekend breakfast!!

Olive and Tomato Dip

Looking for something to take to a picnic or perhaps a food day at work? Well, look no further because this olive tomato dip comes together in a matter of minutes and is delicious with the summer ripe tomatoes. Enjoy!!

Source: Weight Watchers

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped tomato
6 large green olives, chopped
2 Tbl onion
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and serve with veggies or light crackers.

So simple!

Summer Slaw

Looking for a light summer salad to serve along-side something that has enough flavor to hold it’s own? Then this salad is the perfect pairing.

Source: Weight Watchers weekly reader
Serves: 6- 1 points plus

Ingredients:
4 cups shredded Napa cabbage
1 ½ cups peeled and shredded jicama
1 cup shredded radishes
2 Tbs fresh lime juice
2 Tbs rice vinegar
1 tsp dark sesame oil
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt

Toss the cabbage, jicama and radishes in a salad bowl.

Add other ingredients and toss to coat.

*To slice the jicama and radishes, pass them through the large holes of a box grater. If making this in advance, store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days omitting the salt; add just before serving.

I thought the cumin was a bit strong so next time I’ll probably only use ¼ tsp.

Vegetable and Chicken Skillet

The flavor of this dish was amazing for the little amount of ingredients it required! Definitely a repeat at my house.

Source: adapted from Taste of Home

Serves: 2- 8 points plus

Ingredients:
8 oz chicken breast- cut into cubes
1 med. yellow squash- chopped
1 med. onion- chopped
1 med. carrot- chopped
2 tsp butter
3 cups fresh baby spinach- roughly chopped
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
water for rice

Cook rice according to directions.

In a large skillet, saute the chicken, squash, onion and carrot in butter for 5-6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. If there is an abundance of liquid after cooking the chicken, drain off. Add the spinach, garlic, dash of salt, thyme and pepper; cook 2 minutes longer.

Stir in cooked rice and serve warm!

*The picture doesn't do this meal justice...but if you're looking for a way to get in your veggies this is the meal for you!

Grilled Lettuce

Yep...that's correct! Grilled lettuce. I heard about this at a Weight Watchers meeting so when I had a few girls over for a small supper club I decided to give it a try. I'm happy to report...at the end of the night, there was no leftover lettuce left on any plates!

Simply take a head of romaine lettuce and cut it down the middle. Give it a quick rinse and a splash of almond or grape seed oil (these hold up to the heat of the grill much better than olive oil). Once grill is warmed....place the lettuce cut side down and grill for just a few minutes. Five or so.

Slice it up, hit it with a little cracked black pepper and some sea salt and bam! A nice and tasty salad with none of that creamy salad dressing to hide the flavor. I also mixed in some feta crumbles and some fresh heirloom tomatoes. Delicious and I'll definitely be having this one again.

Enjoy!

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

I was recently faced with the task of bringing an appetizer to a friend's home. One would think...."What's so hard about that?!" Well, I normally wouldn't either but when that hostess happens to be vegetarian, lactose intolerant and gluten free.....I started to panic just a little.

Normally I would whip up something with cream cheese, sour cream or sausage, but I obviously couldn't do that in this situation. So my wheels started turning and I came up with this great alternative that happens to be very health friendly, vegetarian, gluten free, lactose intolerant AND delicious!

Ingredients:
1 can black beans (drained)
1 can white corn (drained)
1 can yellow corn (drained)
1 red bell pepper, sliced and chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1/4 tsp garlic salt
juice of 1 lime

Mix all and serve with corn chips (for gluten free) or tortilla chips if no preference!

Enjoy

Steamed Artichoke

This evening, at my weight watchers meeting, it was all about trying new vegetables or preparing your favorites in a different way. My all time favorite vegetable has to be the Artichoke. I've been eating them since I was a little girl and still indulge in this sometime overwhelming food.

Artichokes are rich in fiber, iron, vitamin B6, vitamin C and a whole host of other great "stuff". Not to forget extremely low in calories and virtually fat free.

My favorite way to prepare them is simply steaming them. I like to cut the top off and steam in salted water for about 20 minutes. When you can pull the leaves apart, the artichoke is ready! Some people like to dip the leaves in some garlic butter but it is also very tasty plain.

Watch this you tube video for pointers on how to eat them and avoid the "choke".

Couscous Salad

Need a different side item to go with your normal chicken breast dinner? Tired of a mixed green salad? Try this fancied up couscous salad. It is better when it’s fresh…so don’t wait too long before you dig in!

Source: Weight Watchers- weekly reader Ingredients: serves 4, 5 points plus

1/2 tsp salt, divided

1/2 cup quick cooking whole-wheat couscous

15 oz canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained

2 med. Scallions, trimmed and chopped

1 cup cooked, chopped broccoli

¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional

¼ tsp cumin seeds

1/3 cup canned tomato juice

1 Tbs white wine vinegar

1 tsp olive oil

Combine ¾ cup water and ¼ tsp salt in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in couscous and reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set couscous aside, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover pan, fluff couscous with fork and spoon into a serving bowl. Let cool to room temp.

When cool: add beans, scallions and broccoli; toss gently but well.

In a small bowl, combine red pepper, cumin, remaining ¼ tsp salt and tomato juice; stir well. Stir in vinegar and oil and pour over salad; toss gently but well.

Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Notes: I didn’t have cumin seeds so I just used ground cumin; I thought it was just as good. I also added some shredded carrots and shredded cabbage. Yummy

Chicken and Napa Cabbage Salad

There are a few ingredients that always seem to catch my eye. If you’ve been reading my blog for long, you probably know I prefer anything with blueberries, pumpkin and fresh ginger. But another one I haven’t written too much about is Asian sesame oil. It’s amazing the flavor this oil adds to any dish…especially if you want a more ethnic taste. It just takes a little bit….so only add it by the tsp!

Source: Weight Watchers Momentum Cookbook

Ingredients: entire recipe is 8 points plus
2 Tbl lime juice
2 tsp Asian (dark) sesame oil (2 points plus)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
5 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage
6 oz. shredded cooked chicken breast (6 points plus)
1 cup matchstick-cut carrots
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced

To make the dressing, whisk together the lime juice, sesame oil, salt and pepper in a serving bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients to the dressing and toss to coat.

Note: With two teaspoons of oil, I almost thought it overpowered the freshness of the lime. Next time I think I’ll try one tsp and then add more if needed.

This is a fresh salad that can be enjoyed by two or as many as four. Just depends if you want it as your meal or a small side salad.

Asparagus and Mushrooms

Anytime I find something with a few simple no cal ingredients I jump on the chance to make it. Asparagus and mushrooms…with a little ethnic flare….delicious!

Source: Taste of Home, Diet Comfort Food Cookbook
Ingredients: Serves 4

1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tsp ground ginger
2 Tbl canola oil
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp pepper

In a large skillet, sauté asparagus and ginger in oil for 2-3 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Add the mushrooms, salt, sugar and pepper. Cook and stir 2-3 minutes longer or until mushrooms are tender.

*I used: fresh ginger, a “bunch” of asparagus that you buy in the store, one container of sliced mushrooms and only 2 tsp canola oil.
*Next time: I might try sesame oil to bump the ethnic flavor.

Great!!!

Orzo and Broccoli Risotto

Ingredients: Serves 2
1 can reduced sodium vegetable broth (or chicken)
1 cup water
1 tsp olive oil
¼ cup coarsely shredded carrot
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup orzo
½ (10 oz) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and patted dry
2 Tbl fat free half and half
3 Tbl freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring the broth and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat and keep at a simmer.

2. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrot and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until the carrot is bright orange and garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the orzo and cook, stirring until it is lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.

3. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add ½ cup of the broth mixture and stir until absorbed. Continue to add the broth mixture, ½ cup at a time, stirring until it is absorbed before adding more. Cook until the pasta is just slightly firm, adding the broccoli when you add the last addition of broth.

4. Stir in the half-and-half; heat 1 minute. Stir in the cheese. Spoon into shallow bowls and serve at once.

*The first time I made this, the last of the liquid, I thought was never going to absorb so I didn’t use it all. It kind of turned out hard. So the second time I made it, I didn’t rush it and added all of the liquid to the orzo and it turned out much better. Enjoy!

SUNDAY SLOWCOOKER: Baked Potatoes

The slow cooker/crock pot has to be one of the most versatile cooking utensils. I put this thing to work at least once a week and it continues to amaze me. I had NEVER thought of putting potatoes in the crock pot to turn them into baked potatoes....but one food day discussion at work, it was decided we would try it.

So the night before our food day, I packed my crock pot full of potatoes wrapped in foil. No butter needed.....just a little washing and some sea salt. Turned them on before I went to bed and let them cook on low all night. I kept them on low for about 10 hours and then to warm until it was lunch time.

The result: the softest baked potato ever! No hard spots in some places...no constant squeezing to make sure they're done....the easiest baked potato I've ever prepared.

Leftover morning omelet

I always seem to find myself left with a ¼ of an onion….a handful of mushrooms….maybe some sort of greens (spinach or collard)…and if I’m lucky some ham or turkey. When it’s time to clean out the fridge, I turn all of these ingredients into a wonderful satisfying and healthy breakfast omelet. So take your leftovers, whatever they may be, and make your own concoction! Serve some fruit alongside and you’ll be set deep into the morning hours.

Ingredients:
Let your fridge do the talking!!

But I used:
Chopped onion
Sliced mushrooms
3 slices of Canadian bacon
Handful of collard greens
½ cup egg beaters

Sauté all the ingredients except the egg beaters. When they have reached your desired doneness, add the egg beaters. Freshly grated white sharp cheese would be a nice addition but my fridge didn’t have any of that.

My healthy breakfast turned out to be only two points plus!

Other things you might not think of throwing in there…. Tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli, sliced turkey…just think of an omelet bar at a hotel.
Delicious!

Leek and Potato Soup

This versatile soup is good as a side dish, a warm creamy appetizer at a party or even as a main course.

Serves: 2-3 for main dish
Ingredients:
10 oz potato, peeled and chopped, about 2 cups
2 cups sliced leeks, about 2 leeks if using the green parts
3 cups water
¾ tsp salt
Pepper to taste
3 Tbl heavy whipping cream

Bring leeks, potatoes, water and salt to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until tender. To finish the soup, puree the soup through a food processor or blender and add cream. You can serve right from the blender or put back in the soup pot.

I tried to just use a potato masher but the blender is the way to go to get a thick creamy stick to your ribs soup.

*Note: If you don’t mind a green tint to your soup, feel free to use the stalks of the leeks. I also used a can of chicken broth in place of 14 oz of the water.

Broccoli Bacon Quiches

A breakfast quiche normally includes tons of cheese, eggs, milk and a flakey crust. This slimmed down version still has the cheese, eggs and milk but you’ll never miss the crust. The rest of the ingredients meld together nicely for a wonderful, filling and delicious meal that is sure to please your spouse or a crowd.

Source: Taste of Home Comfort Food diet cookbook
Serves: 2

Ingredients:
½ cup fresh or frozen broccoli florets, thawed and drained
½ cup reduced fat Swiss cheese
1 bacon strip, cooked and crumbled
½ cup egg substitute
½ cup half-and-half cream
1/8 tsp salt
Dash garlic powder (just a few sprinkles)
Dash lemon-pepper seasoning

Divide the broccoli, cheese and bacon between two 5-in. pie plates coated with cooking spray. In a small bowl, whisk the egg substitute, cream, salt, garlic powder and lemon-pepper. Pour over bacon mixture.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

*I didn’t have two 5 inch pie plates so I just used a regular 9 inch and cooked it for 30 minutes.
*Substituted the Swiss cheese for some shredded some Parmesan. I also didn’t have any lemon pepper so I sprinkled a little Mrs. Dashs’ seasoning in there.
*Next time I’ll double the broccoli and maybe add some other stuff like chopped onions, bell peppers, mushrooms. The sky is endless with this one!! Canadian bacon would also be a good addition. And I’ll probably slim down on the ½ and ½ and see what happens.
*You could easily serve this to more than two people but I would suggest bulking up on the ingredients to make it go a little further. Feel free to serve with a side of toast, grapes or some oranges.

SUNDAY Slow Cooked Soup: Beans and Greens

Nothing says cold winter day better than a pot of beans cooking all afternoon. And when I say, all afternoon, I don't mean standing over the stove baby sitting them. This wonderful soup is a low maintenance meal that you will cook again and again. It may sound tough and labor intensive, but give it a chance. I enjoy cooking throughout the day and warming up at the end of the night with a hot bowl of soup and nice glass of vino.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup dried Great Northern white beans

1 med. onion, chopped

1/2 bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 lb turkey sausage (kind of like kielbasa)

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups water

1 bunch of greens, stems removed and chopped....feel free to experiment with this one...but my preference is collard greens

to taste: salt, pepper and red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Place the beans in your soup pot with enough water to cover them. Covered, bring to a boil and then turn off heat. Let the beans stand at least one hour.

2. Drain the beans and set aside. In the same soup pot, add the onion, bell pepper and sausage. Cook until the vegetables and sausage are slightly browned, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the beans, chicken broth and water to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours.

4. Add the greens, salt and pepper. Stir well and continue cooking over low heat, covered, until the greens are tender. Another 30-45 minutes.

*I normally start step one when I get up and just leave them in the warm water until I'm ready to start the remainder of the steps.

*The greens may seem like a lot but they really cook down. If this is your first time using them, feel free to use less. We just found ourselves really enjoying them so every time I make this I end up adding more and more.

*There are recipes out there using canned beans that don't take near as long...but I just find this slow cooked meal really self-gratifying, extra yummy and relaxing. Plus, no sodium in dried beans like there can be in the canned ones.

Roast Chicken Breast

What a beautiful dish! This white meat has never been so juicy and you'll have enough left over for lunch the next day. I hope you enjoy it just as much as I did.

Source: Weight Watchers
Ingredients: Serves 2 with 2 servings of chicken left over

2 Tbl whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 Tbl chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 tsp dried
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1 skinless bone-in chicken breast
4 small potatoes, cut into chunks
2 carrots, cut into chunks
1/2 lb fresh asparagus

1. Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
2. Combine the mustard, tarragon, garlic, oil, honey and salt in a med bowl. Add the chicken; toss well to coat.
3. Place the chicken, breast side up, in the center of the baking dish. Add the potatoes and carrots to the mustard mixture and toss to coat. Arrange the potatoes and carrots around the chicken. Roast 25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, trim and discard the tough ends of the asparagus; cut into 2 inch lengths. Add to potatoes and carrots in a baking pan; stirring to coat asparagus. Roast until chicken is cooked and vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes longer.
5. Cut the chicken breast in two. Wrap and refrigerate half for up to 3 days for later use. Thinly slice the remaining half chicken breast from the bone and serve with vegetables.

*I could only find bone-in skin on chicken breast. So I just removed skin before cooking.

Grilled Veggies

Have you ever gotten into a slump with dinner? Ever cooked a chicken breast or grilled a pork chop and didn't know what to do with it? My motto....add vegetables! Every once in a while I get tired of green beans, spinach or even asparagus (notice I did not list corn or potatoes....very starchy) and I want to enjoy the summer vegetables. So while the grill is heated up, toss your favorite vegetables on there!

Squash

Onions

Zucchini

Bell peppers

Mushrooms

Tomato

Chunk all vegetables. Pour just a little olive oil on them to help from sticking to the grill, sprinkle 1-2 t dried parsley, 1-2 t dried oregano and drizzle some balsamic vinegar and toss to coat. Put in a grill basket and cook along side your favorite meat. Stir them up when you turn your meat and viola! A wonderful side that is sure to impress the mother-in-law.

Chicken Stir Fry

Ingredients: 2 servings
1 chicken breast
1/2 bag frozen mixed vegetables....whatever mixture you like.
Teriyaki marinade
1/2 brown rice

*marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes. I would suggest to go ahead and cut the chicken before putting it in the marinade.

1. Cook rice according to directions.
2. Cook chicken until almost done in skillet. Pour in veggies and cover with lid until veggies are cooked through. You can add more marinade or a little teriyaki sauce to give some more liquid and flavor to the veggies.

Serve with rice and possibly an egg roll!

*I've also added water chestnuts, mushrooms, onions, yellow squash and zucchini to bulk up on the veggies.

"Foil Packs"

Turkey Foil Packs...a staple at our house

Ingredients: for one pack

1/4 lb turkey

1/2 chunked onion

1 cup chunked butternut squash

mushrooms

Directions: place the ground turkey patty on the foil. Top with squash, onions, mushrooms and sprinkle with seasoned salt. Fold in three of the four sides and add 2 Tbl of water. Close in fourth side and put on med heat grill for 20-25 min.

Feel free to make this your own with different veggies. I had some yellow squash from the farmer's market and added it to the pack above. My brother in law loves sliced potatoes in his. If you use potato or rice, add more water.

The great debate of ground turkey vs. ground beef. We always use 93/7 ground turkey and have never used ground beef in the foil packs. We just like the taste but it is also MUCH cheaper than ground beef. While I was at Wal-Mart today....I took a look at the beef so I could inform you of the real difference. Here's how the two sized up against each other:

93/7 beef- 170 cals, 8 g fat, $3.18 per lb., 4 points if you counting

93/7 turkey- 160 cals, 8 g fat, $2.12 per lb., again...4 points

new find I had never seen....96/4 beef- 130 cals, 4 g fat, $3.78 per lb., 3 points

I'm interested to see this new beef in cooking action so I might give it a try next time we are having burgers. But if you have never tried ground turkey, give it a shot....you never know, you may like it.

Butternut Squash: My good friend Lindsey introduced me to this wonderful vegetable and I cook with it all year long. Technically, it's a winter squash so it carries 1 pt per cup but you can find it year round. They are a little tough to handle. I suggest using a vegetable peeler to peel the skin. Then use a large sharp knife to cut the squash into circles...from there, cut it into chunks. There are seeds at the very end much like a pumpkin seed. Just use a spoon to scrape them out. Again, if you've never had it...give it a shot!

Remember...."not a crumb left" on my table