Hamburger Soup

This recipe was adapted from "Healthy Cooking"

Serves 10 ( 1-½ c. = 5 points +)

• 1 lb. lean ground beef ( 95% lean)
• 2  c. chopped celery
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 4 c. hot water
• 2 medium potatoes, cubed
• 2 c. frozen corn
• 1-½ c. uncooked small pasta shells
• 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 4 c. tomato juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Brown beef with celery and onion until meat is no longer pink. Drain. Add garlic, water, potatoes, corn and pasta. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes or until pasta is done. Add remaining ingredients and heat through.

Spicy Chicken Sandwiches with Cilantro Lime Mayo

This recipe was adapted from "Cooking Light".  It has a nice little bite to it which is balanced nicely with the cilantro lime mayo. Plan ahead because the chicken will need time to marinate.

Serves 8 ( 6 points +) add additional points for bun

Mayo:
½ c. fat-free mayo or Miracle Whip
¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro
1 T. fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced

Chicken:

⅓ c. egg beaters
3 T. hot sauce such as Tabasco
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. salt
4 ( 8 oz) chicken breasts, cut in half horizontally to make 8 ( 4 oz) chicken cutlets
2 T. olive oil
4-½ oz. ( about 6 c. ) baked tortilla chips, crushed

Remaining ingredients:
8 buns
lettuce leaves
red onion slices
tomato slices

To prepare chicken, combine egg beaters, hot sauce, oregano and salt in a large ziplock bag. Add chicken cutlets, seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

Crush tortilla chips. Remove chicken from bag and press into tortilla chip crumbs. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray. Add 1 T. oil. Cook 4 cutlets at one time until browned and cooked through. Repeat with remaining cutlets and oil.
Serve on buns with cilantro lime mayo and desired toppings.

Crepes

A nice change of pace for breakfast. We stuffed these with fried apples and strawberry jam today. They are easy to make and the filling possibilities are almost endless. You can even use these for a luncheon, filling them with chicken salad or some other yummy option.


Makes 10-12 ( 2 points + each. Add points for fillings of your choice)

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1-½ c. skim milk
• 1 c. flour
• 1 T. canola oil

Whisk all ingredients together. Heat a 6-8" nonstick skillet and coat with cooking spray. Add a scant ¼ c. batter and swirl pan to coat. Cook until lightly browned on one side. Flip and cook until other side is browned.

Beef Barley Soup

This recipe from "Cooking Light" is very hearty and filling! You can have the full serving size of 2 cups for 10 points + or have 1 cup for lunch for just 5 points.
I served this along with a salad and walnut bread.


Serves 4 ( 2 c. = 10 points +)

• ¾ lb. boneless chuck roast, trimmed and cut into ½ inch pieces
• 1-½ c. thinly sliced carrot
• 1-½ c. thinly sliced celery
• ⅔ c. chopped onion
• 8 oz. package sliced mushrooms
• 4 c. fat free beef broth
• 1 bay leaf
• ⅔ c. uncooked pearl barley
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Brown beef. Remove beef from pan. Add carrot, celery, onion and mushrooms. Cook until tender. Add beef, broth and bay leaf. Cook for 30 minutes. Add barley. Cover and cook 1 hour or until barley is tender. Stir in salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf.

Breakfast Sausage

This recipe is very simple and tastes great! You can have two patties for only 2 points! It comes from "Taste of Home"


serves 8 ( 2 patties = 4 points +)

• 2 lbs. lean ground turkey
• 1-½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. dried sage
• 1 tsp. pepper
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients by hand. Form into 16 patties. Cook in a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray for 4-6 minutes per side or until meat is no longer pink.

Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffins

Baking ahead for Thanksgiving. I thought these would be fun to serve along with dinner rolls.


Cream Cheese Cranberry Muffins: makes 24 (4 points +)

• 1/2 c. light butter, softened
• ½ c. unsweetened applesauce
• 8 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
• 1-1/2 c. sugar
• 1-½ tsp. vanilla
• 1 c. egg beaters
• 2 c. flour
• 1-½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 c. fresh cranberries
• ½ c. chopped pecans

Beat butter, applesauce and cream cheese until blended. Add sugar and vanilla. Add egg beaters.
Combine dry ingredients and add to creamed ingredients. Fold in cranberries and pecans.
Fill sprayed or paper lined muffin cups ¾ full. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Sloppy Joes

serves 8 ( 4 points +) ( add additional points for bun)

• 1-½ lbs. extra lean ground beef
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-½ c. ketchup
• 2 tsp. yellow mustard

Brown ground beef until no longer pink; drain. Return to pan, add remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Cream of Chicken Wild Rice Soup

serves 10 ( 1 c. = 5 points +)

1 large onion, chopped

1 large carrot, shredded

1 celery rib, chopped

¼ c. light butter

½ c. flour

8 c. fat free chicken broth

3 c. cooked wild rice

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked and cubed

salt and pepper to taste

1 c. (2%) evaporated milk

In a large pot, saute carrot, onion and celery in butter until tender. Stir in flour. Gradually add broth. Stir in the rice, chicken, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened. Stir in evaporated milk. Cook an additional 3-5 minutes.

Barbeque Meatballs

These meatballs are very good!
serves 12 ( 4 meatballs = 5 points +)

• 1 egg
• 5 oz. fat-free evaporated milk
• 1 c. quick cooking oats
• ½ c. chopped onion
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 1-½ lbs. extra lean ground beef ( 95% lean)

Mix ingredients and form into 48 balls. Place on baking dishes coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 18-20 minutes


Sauce:

• 1 c. ketchup
• ¾ c. packed brown sugar
• 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
• garlic powder and chili powder to taste

Bring sauce ingredients to a boil. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Spoon sauce over meatballs and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Another good one adapted from "Cooking Light"

serves 12 (6 points +)
Topping:
⅓ c. packed brown sugar
2 T. light butter
6 oz. fresh cranberries

Cake:
1-½ c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. sugar
½ c. light butter, softened
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. skim milk
2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9" round cake pan with cooking spray.
Heat brown sugar and 2 T. butter in a small saucepan. Cook until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Pour sugar mixture into cake pan and tilt to coat the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle evenly with cranberries.
To prepare cake, mix flour, baking powder and salt  in a small bowl.

Place sugar and butter in a large bowl. Beat until light and fluffy. add egg yolks, beating well. Beat in vanilla. Fold flour mixture into sugar mixture, alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Beat egg whites with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Spoon batter over cranberries, spreading evenly. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Loosen cake from sides of pan and invert onto a serving dish. Serve warm.

Mixed Peppercorn Beef Tenderloin with Shallot Port Reduction

This recipe is awesome! I have adapted it from "Cooking Light"
I served this with Sweet Potato Butternut Gratin. I think you will love both recipes!


serves 8 ( 3 oz. beef with 2 T.  reduction sauce = 6 points +)

• 1 ( 2 lb. beef tenderloin)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1-½ T. mixed cracked peppercorns

Reduction:

• 2 c. port or other red wine ( I just used red cooking wine)
• 1-½ c. fat free beef broth
• ¼ c. finely chopped shallots
• ⅛ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. each parsley and thyme
• 1-½  T. flour
• 3 T. water
• 1 T. butter
• ½ tsp. balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 450 and spray a roasting pan with cooking spray.


To prepare beef, sprinkle with salt and peppercorns, pressing firmly to adhere.
Place beef in roasting pan and bake, uncovered for 33 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 135 degrees or to desired doneness. Remove and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. If meat is not done, place the slices back in the oven for 5-10 minutes. They will cook quickly.


To prepare reduction, combine the wine with the broth, shallots, salt, parsley and thyme. Bring to a boil and cook until reduced to about 1-¼ c.
Mix flour with water. Stir into reduction. Cook until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and balsamic vinegar. Serve with meat.

No Knead Herb Bread

My soon to be son, Joey

Makes 2 loaves ( 12 slices per loaf. Each slice is 2 points +)

• 4 c. flour
• 1 pkg. yeast
• 2 c. warm water
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. each parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme

Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water. Add remaining ingredients and beat well.  Cover and allow dough to rise in mixing bowl until doubled in size. Stir down and divide into two bread pans. Cover and let rise again. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until it sounds hollow when thumped on top and is browned.

Taco Soup

serves 12 ( 3 points + )

Easy and Good!

1 ( 14 oz) can fat free chicken broth

1 ( 16 oz) can fat free refried beans

1 ( 16 oz) can black beans, undrained

1 ( 15 oz) can great northern beans, undrained

1 ( 15 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained

2 cans diced tomatoes with green chilies or seasoned with Mexican spices

Stir all together in a large pot. Simmer for 30 minutes.