New Year's Recipes

Totally a slacker on posting recipes, can be so hard to do as a busy mom. But those who fail to plan, plan to fail so better late than never. I did lots of repeats since I had so many I liked and wanted to eat again.

Swedish Meatballs
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

Lean meatballs seasoned with a hint of allspice and served in a creamy beef gravy. These meatballs seems decadent but they are actually lighter than you think. Serve them as an appetizer with toothpicks or over your favorite noodles.

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 5 meatballs • Old Points: 4 pt • Points+: 5 pt
Calories: 213.5 • Fat: 10 g • Protein: 25.1 g • Carb: 8.5 g • Fiber: 1 g • Sugar: 2 g
Sodium without adding salt: 346 mg
1 tsp olive oil

• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 celery stalk, minced
• 1/4 cup minced parsley
• 1 lb 93% lean beef
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 2 cups reduced sodium beef stock
• 2 oz light cream cheese
  In a large deep saute pan, heat oil on medium heat, add onions and garlic; sauté until onions are translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Add celery and parsley and cook until soft, about 3-4 more minutes. Let cool a few minutes.

In a large bowl combine beef, egg, onion mixture, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and allspice. Mix well and form meatballs with your hands 1/8 cup each (fill 1/4 cup then divide the meat in half).

Add beef stock to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and slowly drop meatballs into the broth. Cover and cook about 20 minutes. Remove the meatballs with a slotted spoon and set aside in a serving dish. Strain the stock, add to blender with cream cheese and pulse until smooth. Return to pan and simmer a few minutes to thicken, then pour over meatballs. Garnish with parsley and serve over noodles or with toothpicks if you want to set these out as an appetizer.
This makes 22 meatballs, nutritional info is based on 5 meatballs with gravy.

Double these for more or make half for less servings.
Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1/4th of nuggets • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 164.9 • Fat: 4.6 g • Protein: 22.1 g • Carb: 7.7 g • Fiber: 0.9 g • Sugar: 0.1 g

• 16 oz (2 large) skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into even bit sized pieces
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 6 tbsp whole wheat Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp panko
• 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
• olive oil spray (I used my Misto)
  Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray.
  Put the olive oil in one bowl and the breadcrumbs, panko and parmesan cheese in another.

Season chicken with salt and pepper, then put in the bowl with the olive oil and mix well so the olive oil evenly coats all of the chicken.

Put a few chunks of chicken at a time into the breadcrumb mixture to coat, then on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the top with olive oil spray then bake 8 - 10 minutes. Turn over then cook another 4 - 5 minutes or until cooked though.

Chicken Salad on Rice Cakes (previously posted)
Turkey, Bacon, Avocado Sandwhiches (previously posted - I think)
Spinach Salad with Chicken

Sweet n' Sour Pork Chops
Taste of Home Comfort Diet Cookbook

6 boneless pork lon chops (4oz. each)
3/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablepoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoon Cornstarch
2 tablespoon cold water

Sprinkle pork chops with pepper. In a large, non stick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook pork over medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Add the water, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce to skillet; stir to loosen browned sugar bits. Bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened for about 2 minutes.

Return chops to the pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes until tender.

My Weekly recipes

Salsa Chicken Salad (from what I didn't make last week)Red Beans and Rice (recipe coming soon)
Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps (previously posted)

Pumpkin Soup (120 calories, serves 5)

2 tsp. stick margarine
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 tsp. dried rubbed sage
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cans (15 oz each) low-salt chicken broth
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cups cubed peeled fresh pumpkin (about 1 pound)
1 cup chopped peeled apple
1/2 cup evaporated skim milk

Melt margarine in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add sage, curry powder, and nutmeg; cook 30 seconds. Stir in flour; cook 30 seconds.
Add broth, tomato paste, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in pumpkin and apple; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until pumpkin is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
Place mixture in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Return mixture to Dutch oven; add milk. Cook until thoroughly heated. Garnish with sage sprigs, if desired.

Antipasto Sandwiches (serves 6, 294 calories)

 cans (6 oz. each) white tuna packed in water, drained
1/4 cup fat free zesty italian salad dressing
1 loaf (12 oz) Italian Bread, split horizontally and toasted
lettuce leaves
2 plum tomatoes, sliced
6 oz. sliced part skim mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp. chopped ripe olives (optional)

Combine tuna and dressing, spread evenly over bottom half of loaf. Divide remaining ingredients over tuna mixture. Top with top half of loaf; slice into 6 portions.


Marvelous Chicken Enchiladas (270 Calories, serves 6)

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into thin strips
4 t. chili powder
2 t. olive oil
2 T. flour
1 1/2 t. ground coriander
1 t. baking cocoa
1 c. fat free milk
1 c. frozen corn, thawed
4 green onions, chopped
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies, drained
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. minced fresh cilantro, divided
6 while wheat tortillas
1/2 c. salsa
1/2 c. tomato sauce
1/2 c. shredded reduced fate cheddar cheese

Sprinkle chicken with chili powder. In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken until no longer pink. Sprinkle with flour, coriander, and cocoa; stir until blended. Gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 mins or until thickened. Add corn, onions, chilies, and salt. Cook and stir 2 mins longer or until heated through. Remove from heat, stir in 1/4 c. cilantro.

Spread 2/3 c. filling down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in a 13x9 dish coated with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine salsa, tomato sauce, and remaining cilantro. Pour over enchiladas. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 25 mins or until heated through.

Week of Jan. 16th, 2011 Recipes

Pesto Chicken (previously posted)
Chinese Fried Rice (previously posted)
Salsa Chicken Salad (no recipe required)


Pizza Joes (serves 6, 329 Calories/serving)
(from Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet Cookbook, page 207)

1 lb. ground lean beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 c. chopped green pepper
1 jar (14 oz) pizza sauce
3 oz. turkey pepperoni (about 50 slices), chopped
1/2 t. dried basil
1/4 t. dried oregano
6 whole wheat hamburger buns
6 T. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Brown the beef, onion, and pepper over medium heat in  a large non-stick skillet. Stir in pizza sauce, pepperoni, and herbs. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for about 10 mins.

Spoon 2/3 c. beef mixture onto each bun; sprinkle with cheese. Place on a baking sheet; broil 3-4 inches from the heat for 1 minute or until cheese is melted. Replace tops. Serve.



Veggie-Cheese Stuffed Shells (2 servings - 3 stuffed shells each. 326 calories)

6 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
2/3 c. reduced fat ricotta cheese
1/2 c. shredded part skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 c. shredded carrot
1/4 c. shredded zucchini
2 T. grated parmesan cheese
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. dried parsley flakes
1/8 t. garlic powder
1/8 t. pepper
3/4 c. meatless spaghetti sauce, divided

Cook pasta accoring to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, 1/4 c. mozzarella, carrot, zucchini, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. Spread 1/4 c. spaghetti sauce in a 3 c. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Drain shells; stuff with cheese mixture. Place in prepared baking dish. Top with remaining  spaghetti sauce. Cover and bake for 350 degrees for 25 mins. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella. Bake 10-15 mins longer or until bubbly.



Roast Beef Wraps

1 low-calorie tortilla or wrap
1/2 c. spinach leaves
2 T. reduced fat cream cheese
2 oz. roast beef lunch meat

On the tortilla, spread cream cheese and top with spinach leaves and lunch meat. Roll.

New Year - New Recipes

Here are my recipes for the upcoming week:

Chicken-Tomato Chili (serves 6, 1 c. servings)

4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)

1/8 cup good olive oil, plus extra for chicken

1/8 cup minced garlic (2 cloves)

2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced

2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or to taste

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for chicken

2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled plum tomatoes in puree, undrained

1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves

4 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on

Freshly ground black pepper

Cook the onions in the oil over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and salt. Cook for 1 minute. Crush the tomatoes by hand or in batches in a food processor fitted with a steel blade (pulse 6 to 8 times). Add to the pot with the basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes, until just cooked. Let cool slightly. Separate the meat from the bones and skin and cut it into 3/4-inch chunks. Add to the chili and simmer, uncovered, for another 20 minutes.

Turkey Burgers (4 servings, 1 patty each)

1 pound ground turkey

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon seasoned bread crumbs

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon finely diced onion

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

3/8 clove garlic, peeled and minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

Dash or two of seasoning salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

Worcestershire to taste

Splash of Soy sauce

In a large bowl, mix ingredients. Form into patties.

Cook the patties in a medium skillet over medium heat, turning once, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). Serve with low calorie bread buns and veggie toppings

183 calories per patty.


Grilled Chicken Tortilla Wraps (no recipe required)

Beef Bulgogi Lettuce Wraps (previously posted)

Southwestern Soup (previously posted)

Cobb Salad (no recipe required)

The Sweet Tooth Monster!

Anyone else having serious issues with their sweet tooth? I am having such a hard time not diving into that left over Halloween candy or picking up a little sweet treat in the grocery store. I am doing a lot better and give myself some credit for eliminating Christmas cookies, but with the holidays coming again I am wondering how to battle this sweet tooth monster. Any suggestions? I feel like my body has gotten so used to eating sugar all the time it's almost like a craving and I feel like I am going through withdrawal without it. Kind of sad to think all these years I have been basically addicted to sugar. Oye, what to do?

Emily's Week 2 Recipes

BLT Macaroni Salad
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 7 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 3 pt • Points Plus: 4 pts
Calories: 149.1 • Fat: 4.3 g • Carb: 26.7 g • Fiber: 4.2 g • Protein: 5.3 g • Sugar: 0 g
Sodium: 146.6 mg (without salt)


Ingredients:

• 8 oz uncooked elbows, low carb or whole grain (brown rice pasta for gf)
• 4 slices 25% reduced fat center cut bacon
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, beefsteak or vine ripe, diced small
• 4 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise (I used Hellman's)
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 2 cups baby spinach  

Directions:

In a large skillet cook bacon on medium-low heat until crispy on both sides.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions.

Chop tomatoes and combine it along with any accumulated juice with mayonnaise and pepper in a medium bowl. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water to cool. Combine pasta with tomatoes and spinach mixing well. Toss in bacon right before serving.

Beef Bulgogi in Lettuce wrap

(232 calories/serving) yields 4 servings

• 1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced
• 5 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Leafy Lettuce
• Cooked rice

 Place the beef in a shallow dish. Combine soy sauce, sugar, green onion, garlic, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and

ground black pepper in a small bowl. Pour over beef. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil the grate. Quickly grill beef on hot grill until slightly charred

and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Serve in a lettuce wrap with a small serving of rice.

Stuffed Pepper Soup
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 6 • Size: 1 1/3 cups soup, 1/2 cup rice • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 261.2 • Fat: 4.8 g • Carb: 37.5 g • Fiber: 4.7 g • Protein: 17.6 g • Sugar: 6 g
Sodium: 606.3 g  (without salt)


Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 lb 95% lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup finely diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 cans (14.5 oz each) cans petite diced tomatoes
• 1 3/4 cups tomato sauce
• 2 cups reduced sodium, fat-free chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
• salt and fresh pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot or dutch oven, brown ground meat on high heat and season with salt. Drain fat if any, reduce heat to medium-low, then add peppers, onions and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes on low heat.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, marjoram and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Serve about 1 1/3 cups of soup in each bowl and top with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice.

Shrimp Creole over Rice

1 Green Pepper, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 T. Olive Oil

1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

1 1/2 c. water

2 c. shrimp, pre-cooked, de-tailed and deveined

1 t. thyme

salt and pepper to taste

In a frying pan, add green peppers, celery and onion with oilve oil. Saute until tender. Add tomato paste and water and cook until a nice sauce thickens.  Add thyme, salt, pepper. Let simmer for 10-15 mins to bring out the flavor. Add shrimp and heat through. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Week 2 Recipes

Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Avocado and Tomato

An open faced sandwich on Ciabatta bread with mashed avocado, sliced tomatoes and grilled chicken. A perfect way to use up leftover chicken.

Avocado is a wonderful healthy option in place of mayonnaise and it adds such great flavor. Yesterday I mentioned how good tasting bread is crucial for me in the sandwich making process, and Ciabatta is another fat free option I love to use. Although it's usually fat free, always double check the labels.

I made this an opened open-faced for the photo, then realized once I started eating it that it's easier to eat if it's closed and it's also more portable for lunch on the run. I'll leave that up to you!


Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Avocado and Tomato
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 1 • Size: 1 sandwich • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 252.9 • Fat: 5.3 g • Protein: 18.2 g • Carb: 32.3 g • Fiber: 2.6 g • Sugar: 0.1 g
Sodium: 374 mg (without salt)

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Ciabatta
• 2 tbsp mashed avocado
• 2 oz grilled chicken breast
• 3 slices ripe tomatoes
• salt and fresh pepper to taste

Directions:

Slice bread open and smear mashed avocado on the bread. Season with salt and pepper. Top with tomatoes, chicken and add additional fresh cracked pepper. Enjoy!!

Grilled Chicken Bruschetta

Juicy tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, red onion, garlic and balsamic can turn plain grilled chicken into a delicious weeknight meal in minutes! Make the Bruschetta the night before or early in the morning and let all the flavors marinate, then when you are ready to eat grill some chicken and you have yourself a quick weeknight meal.

Bruschetta is usually served over bread but there really are no limits, you can serve it over pizza, tossed with pasta or wherever your imagination leads you. To quote my husband, "You could serve this over cardboard and it would be good!" We made this a light and simple, low carb, gluten-free dinner and served as pictured, but if you want the carbs this would also be great over whole wheat pasta or even served with some crusty bread to soak up the juice.

A few things I want to mention, recipes that only require a few ingredients really benefit from the quality of the ingredients you use. Use a good extra olive oil, fresh basil and high-quality aged balsamic; it makes all the difference! I've been using imported Saporoso Balsamic vinegar these past few weeks which is absolutely delicious and I'm giving two away on Skinnybits, click here for a chance to win.

My one year old loves poking her little thumbs through my tomatoes so lately every time I grab a tomato I find a little hole in it in case you're wondering about the hole in the photo below...

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 4 oz chicken + tomatoes • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6

Calories: 236.8 • Fat: 8.5 g • Protein: 32.4 g • Carb: 6.8 g • Fiber: 1.3 g • Sugar: 0.5 g
Sodium: 182.9 mg (without the salt)

Ingredients:

• 3 medium vine ripe tomatoes
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 2 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp extra virgin oil
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• 3 oz part skim mozzarella, diced
• 1.25 lbs (8 thin sliced) chicken cutlets

Directions:

Combine onion, olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper. Set aside a few minutes.

Chop tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Combine with garlic, basil, onion-balsamic combo and additional salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and let it sit at least 10 minutes or as long as overnight. Toss in the cheese when ready to serve.

Season chicken with salt and fresh pepper. Grill the chicken cutlets on your indoor or outdoor grill, top with bruschetta and serve.

Pepper Steak

Strips of beef and peppers are stir fried in a wok to create a delicious main dish, ready in no time!

I love stir fried anything, this pepper steak is always a hit in my house. The key when stir frying is to have all your ingredients chopped and prepped before you start to cook. Once prepped, your meal will be ready in minutes. This is perfect served over white or brown rice.

Pepper Steak
Servings: 4 • Cook Time: 10 minutes • Old Points: 5.5 • Points+: 6
Calories: 235.3 • Fat: 8.9 g • Protein: 35.4 g • Carb: 11.8 g • Fiber: 1.2 g

Ingredients:

• 12 oz top round beef, trimmed to 1/8" fat, prime grade
• 4 tsp plus 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine
• 3 tsp cornstarch
• 5 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, sliced into thin strips
• 1 bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions:
Slice meat into thin slices with the grain. Cut each strip across the grain about 1" long so you have small thin slices. Place in a bowl and add 4 tsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of rice wine, 1 tsp cornstarch and black pepper.

In a small bowl, mix 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp water and 2 tsp cornstarch. Set aside.

Heat the wok on high heat. Swirl in 1 tbsp oil and add the beef spreading evenly in the wok. Cook undisturbed for 20 seconds letting the beef brown. Using a spatula, stir meat, cooking another 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add remaining 2 tsp of oil to wok, add peppers and onions and cook about 2 minutes. Return beef to the wok, add the sauce and red pepper flakes and stir fry about 30 seconds until slightly thickened.

Baked Potato Soup

Everything you love about a baked potato loaded with cheddar, bacon and chives, in the form of a soup!

Baked Potato Soup
Servings: 5 • Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 207.6 • Fat: 7.8 g • Carb: 22.5 g • Fiber: 2.4 g • Protein: 11.9 g

• 2 russet potatoes, washed and dried
• 1 small head of cauliflower, stem removed cut into florets
• 1 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups 1% reduced-fat milk
• salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup light sour cream
• 10 tbsp reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 6 tbsp chopped chives, divided
• 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (you can use turkey bacon if you prefer)

Pierce potatoes with a fork; microwave on high for 5 minutes turn over and microwave another 3 - 5 minutes, until tender. Or if you prefer to use your oven, bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes.

Meanwhile, steam cauliflower with water in a large covered pot until tender. Drain and return to pot. On medium heat, add chicken broth, milk, potatoes and bring to a boil. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Add sour cream, half the chives, salt and pepper and cook on low another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Top each serving with 2 tbsp cheese, remaining chives, and bacon.