Western Omelet Wrap

Breakfast- For me, it’s a necessity. Not an option. A must. I am a morning person so I always have something for breakfast before I rush out the door. This is not to say I don’t hit the snooze button like the rest of the world, but I always have enough time to grab some grub before starting the work day.

So on weekend mornings I like to take a little more time in the kitchen and prepare something I normally wouldn’t do on a weekday. Recently, I have been on a “clean out the kitchen and refrigerator and only buy necessities” kick….so as I glanced in the fridge I saw: some black beans left over from homemade nachos this past week, one tortilla, a bell pepper I was going to use for dinner this week, half an onion, and egg beaters. And of course the staples of the fridge….salsa, jalapenos, sour cream and shredded cheese.

So here goes the “Western Omelet Wrap”

Feel free to alter the amounts dependant on the number of people that will be eating with you but this recipe does not require exacts. It’s a preference thing…so I’m not even going to bother.

Enjoy your concoction of your leftover fridge items!

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!!

Tuscan Chicken

There is just something about the smell of freshly cut garlic that makes the entire house smell wonderful. As soon as I cut into the garlic for this chicken dish, I knew it was bound to be a success.

This recipe suggests pounding out the chicken. If you’ve never done this to chicken…you will be thoroughly surprised and pleased that you did. It makes the entire piece the same thickness ensuring equal cooking time throughout.

Source: Taste of Home

Ingredients: for 2

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
¼ tsp rubbed sage
¼ tsp dried thyme
1 Tbs olive oil

Flatten chicken with flat side of mallet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook and stir the garlic, rosemary, sage and thyme in oil for about 1 minute. Add chicken; cook for 5-7 minutes on each side or until chicken juices run clear.
Voila!

Fresh Horseradish Sauce

Looking to show off in the kitchen or just make yourself feel pretty fancy? Then whip up some fresh horseradish sauce for your next steak.

Horseradish is a root we often seen already prepared in cocktail sauce or in another creamy sauce, but we hardly ever see it in its original dirt-ridden state. Our local Wal-Mart has started carrying this interesting root so I decided to find a recipe and give it a shot.

This thing took a lot of washing, then I had to peel it like a carrot. Run it through the micro plane or small holes on your box grater and mix it with your favorite ingredients.

Here is what I did:
½ cup low fat sour cream
2 Tbs (or more) grated fresh horseradish
1 Tbl balsamic vinegar
Sprinkle of salt
Sprinkle of lemon juice
Couple grinds of fresh pepper

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!

Peach Salsa with turkey burgers

Sometimes I amaze myself with creations and this time I definitely was pleased. The sweetness of the peach and the strong flavor of the cilantro did a wonderful job adding texture and taste to the turkey burgers.

I challange everyone to spice up their normal grilled burger with a little fresh fruit this summer! You won't be disappointed.

Source: Adapted from Weight Watchers weekly reader
Serves: 2

Salsa:
2 large peaches, diced
1 small jalapeno pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro

Mix all ingredients and set aside.
Cook burgers and top with salsa! Recipe was orginally written for salmon burgers...so feel free to make adjustments to what you're having for dinner.

Enjoy

Grilled Peaches with Almonds and Honey

What a beautiful, easy and healthy dessert that can be thrown together in no time.

Source: Weight Watchers weekly reader
Serves: 4- 2 points plus

Ingredients:
4 firm but ripe large peaches, cut in half, pits removed
2 Tbls sliced almonds, chopped
2 tsp honey

Coat a grill or a grill pan with cooking spray. Preheat to medium heat. Spray cut side of peaches with a little bit of cooking spray.

Place peach halves on grill, skin sides down, and cook until skin starts to split, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, carefully flip peaches and cook, until grill marks appear, about 2 minutes more.

Remove peaches from grill and place on a serving plate; top each peach with 3/4 tsp of almonds and drizzle each with 1/4 tsp of honey.

*I just sprinkled a palm full of almonds and drizzled honey over the peaches instead of trying to measure...just be careful and don't over compensate! Enjoy

Salmon Pasta with Poppy and Dill

Adapted from Rachel Ray
Serves: 2 large servings

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked pasta
7 oz salmon
1 Tbl olive oil
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 Tbl poppy seeds
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup dill, chopped

While you're cooking the pasta, season the salmon with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over med-high heat. Add the salmon and cook until just done, about 6 minutes. Let cool. If salmon has skin, remove skin. Flake salmon into small pieces.

In the same skillet, heat 1 Tbl olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook 3 minutes. Stir in the poppy seeds for 1 minute, then pour in the wine and cook until slightly reduced, 1 minute. Stir in the cream, lower the heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Toss the pasta with the salmon, sauce and dill. Season with salt and pepper and enjoy!

4th of July revamped

Before you pack the cooler and head off to the lake or the family picnic….really think about how you can have a wonderful holiday weekend with delicious healthy foods and not the normal fat and calorie ridden repeats.

Here are some ideas to get those brain juices flowing!

*Fresh fruit bowl- cut up a bunch of your favorite fruits and put them in a bowl all together. I know I am much more likely to enjoy fruit if it’s already cut up and ready to go. My favorites to put together are: grapes, cantaloupe, strawberries and pineapple. If you want to put a dip out try this greek yogurt fruit dip.

*We all like something salty and crunchy, so instead of a bag of potato chips, try veggie straws. A serving size is 38 straws!! For a total of 3 points plus. A pretty good alternative if you ask me.

*Black bean salsa: this is very easy to put together and you can feel comfortable knowing it doesn’t have any dairy that will spoil if left in the heat. To save on even more calories, don’t serve it with chips! It’s just as good right off the fork.

*Start up the grill!! Rather than sauce laden barbeque brisket or a bucket of fried chicken try turkey bratwursts, 97% fat free Hebrew National hot dogs, or even some grilled turkey burgers! Lots of alternatives to make this holiday different than a week night meal.

*Crystal light lemonade- Instead of the regular Country Time Lemonade that is full of sugar, make a big batch of Crystal Light. Very refreshing in this heat and very low in calories.

Most importantly: have a wonderful holiday weekend, enjoy the people that you’re with and stay safe!

Fruit Kebabs with Yogurt Dip

It's summer and fresh always seems to be the go-to rather than a hot soup or casserole. So for this poolside bbq I attended, a fresh side item seemed appropriate.

The dip comes together with just the stir of a spoon and the fruit....who doesn't like a nice collection of fresh sweet fruit. Enjoy!

Dip:
2 cups plain low-fat Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup honey (and then I added just a tad more)

Mix together yogurt and honey and then chill.

Serve with an assortment of fruit. Options are: grapes, pineapple cubes, melon balls (cataloupe, honeydew or a combination) and strawberries.

Super easy, very pretty and sure to be a crowd pleaser!

Spinach Stuffed Salmon

It's amazing the added flavor that 1 Tbl of walnuts adds to this delicious dish. Enjoy!

Serves 2:

1/2 tsp olive oil
2 oz fresh spinach leaves
1 tsp grated lemon zest (optional)
1/8 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers, rinsed and drained if bottled
1/8 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
1 Tbl chopped walnuts
2 salmon fillets (about 4 oz each)
1 Tbl Dijon mustard
1 Tbl plain dry bread crumbs
1/4 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over med. heat. Cook the spinach and lemon zest for 2 minutes or until the spinach is wilted, stirring constantly. Transfer to a med. bowl. Stir in the bell peppers, basil and walnuts. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Lightly spray the foil with cooking spray.

Cut a lengthwise slit in the side of each fillet to make a pocket for the stuffing. Be careful not to cut through to the other side. Carefully stuff half the spinach mixture into each fillet. Transfer to baking sheet. With a pastry brush (or your finger), spread the mustard over the fish.

In a small bowl, stir together the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle over the fish.

Bake for 12-13 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork and the filling is warmed through.

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

Orange-Glazed Chicken

This recipe is very easy to put together and so yummy! Enjoy

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Teriyaki Sauce
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 Tbl vegetable oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken, sliced into strips
1 can (8 oz) bamboo shoots, drained
1 med. red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 Tbl corn starch
1 Tbl water
1/2 cup cashews (opt)

1. Stir together teriyaki sauce, marmalade and ginger in small bowl until well blended; set aside.

2. Heat oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Cook and stir chicken about 4 minutes or until no longer pink. Stir in bamboo shoots and peppers.

3. Add prepared sauce to skillet. Stir together cornstarch and water until smooth; add to skillet. Cook until heated through and sauce thickens. Top with cashews and some sliced green onions.

If you wanted to stretch this meal you could easily add rice to go along side...but I didn't think it was a necessity.

Jalapeno and Cheddar stuffed Burgers

For those of you that know me you will probably read that title and be surprised I actually WILLINGLY added Jalapeno's to a food creation of mine...but I did! And my mouth didn't burn off and I actually enjoyed it. So like I've said before, "Give it a try. You never know, you might like it!"

Ingredients: for 2 burgers
8 oz of lean ground turkey or beef
1 oz reduced fat cheddar cheese (I like Cabot)
sliced jalapenos from the jar
burger condiments you enjoy

Divide the meat into 4- 2 oz patties. On top of two patties, layer the sliced japs and cheese. Then enclose the japs and cheese with the other 2 oz patties.

Grill until your desired doneness and enjoy!

*Note- Cabot has a reduced fat cheddar that is two points plus for 1 oz. They also mark their packages with 1 oz sections so it's really easy to make sure you're getting the correct portion. Points for these burgers are going to vary depending on your meat choice...but it will range between 4-5 points plus per burger.

SUNDAY SLOWCOOKER: Banana-Lemon Pudding Cake

It's always fun to find a quick and easy recipe to put together for dessert! I prepared this one while dinner was cooking and was able to enjoy it after dinner was gone and my stomach rested. Enjoy!

Ingredients: serves 6
3 eggs, separated
One 6 oz container plain fat-free yogurt
Grated peel and juice of 1 large lemon
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 ripe bananas, sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
Whipped cream (optional)

1. Grease the inside of a 3-4 qt slower cooker (I used cooking spray). In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with a handheld mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. In another large bowl, beat together the egg yolks, yogurt, lemon peel and lemon juice on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sugar, flour and salt and beat on med. speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Working in 2-3 batches, gently fold in the beaten egg whites.

2. Scatter three-quarters of the banana slices on the bottom of the slow cooker, then pour in the batter. Cover and cook on high until the cake is puffed, the top is set and the edges are browned, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove the slow cooker insert, still covered, and cool for about 20 minutes.

3. Spoon the pudding into bowls and top with the whipped cream, if using, and the remaining banana slices.

This was a really interesting dessert. The lemon added a nice bite of freshness! I didn't use the whipped cream...wanted to save on calories.

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".

Stuffed Peppers

Even better leftover!

Source: Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook
Ingredients: Serves 4, 5 points plus

1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbl tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 tsp minced fresh basil
4 green, red or yellow bell peppers, tops cut off and seeded
1/2 cup tomato puree or tomato sauce.

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Mix together beef, rice, onion, peas, Parmesan, tomato paste, garlic, thyme and basil in large bowl; spoon evenly into bell peppers. Stand peppers in shallow baking dish. Pour tomato puree over peppers; add enough water to baking dish to come partway up sides of peppers.

3. Cover baking dish with foil and bake, basting peppers occasionally with tomato liquid, 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until peppers and rice are tender and filling is cooked through, about 20 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Notes: I replaced the fresh herbs with a few sprinkles of Italian Seasoning. I did not do the basting while cooking and they turned out just fine. When I make rice for other dishes, I often make extra and freeze it so it can be ready for meals like this. Just defrost and use!