Berries and Cream Tart

This is a fresh and light-tasting summer dessert packed with produce of the season. The crust is easy to make, but will require chilling time before baking. The crust is like a shortbread or cookie crust.

Serves 8 ( 6 points +)

Crust:

• 1/2 c. butter ( 1 stick), softened
• 1 c. flour
• 2 T. powdered sugar

Filling:

• 1 box sugar-free instant vanilla pudding
• 1-1/2 c. skim milk
• 1 c. Cool Whip Free

Topping:

• 2 c. blueberries
• halved strawberries

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, butter and powdered sugar until well mixed and formed into a dough. Form into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375. Press dough into the bottom and up sides of a tart or pie pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely.

Mix pudding with milk until thickened. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread filling in cooled crust.

Line halved strawberries around the outside edge of filling and place blueberries in the center. Use a few remaining berries in the center if desired.

Farro, Cherry, and Pecan Salad

I made this hearty, healthy salad for the 4th of July. I really enjoyed it! If you cannot find farro at your grocery store, you can substitute wheat berries or barley. Cook according to package directions.

serves 8 ( 2/3 c. = 6 points +)

• 5 c .water
• 1-1/2 c. uncooked farro
• 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
• 2 c. cherries, halved and pitted
• 1 c. sliced celery
• 1/2 c. chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/4 c. fresh, flat-leaf parsley
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1 T. Dijon mustard
• 1 T. honey
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 3 T. olive oil

Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add farro and 1/4 tsp. salt and cook 15 minutes or until al dente; drain and cool at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Combine farro, cherries, celery, pecans, and parsley in a large bowl.
Combine lemon juice, mustard, honey, pepper, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and olive oil in another bowl. Pour over farro mixture and toss to coat.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Individual Blueberry Upside-Down Cakes

This is another great dessert idea for the 4th of July or any summertime event. I originally tried this with cherry upside- down cakes and it was also very good. The blueberry cakes are a bit easier since you do not have to prep the berries.

Blueberry Upside- Down Cakes: makes 4 (6 points+)

• 3 T. packed light brown sugar
• 2 c. blueberries
• 2/3 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 2 T. light stick butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/3 c. lowfat buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 4 ramekins with cooking spray.

Sprinkle about 2-1/4 tsp. of brown sugar into each ramekin. Top each cup with equal amounts of blueberries.

Combine the remaining ingredients until mixed. Spoon evenly into ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes. Loosen edge of each cake with a small knife and invert onto serving plates. Serve with lowfat vanilla ice-cream if desired.

Lemon-Almond Souffles

Serves 6 ( 6 points +)

• 1/2 c. + 2 T. sugar, divided
• 2 egg yolks
• 3/4 c. low-fat buttermilk
• 1 T. grated lemon rind
• 1/3 c. fresh lemon juice
• 2 T. butter, melted
• 1/4 c. flour
• 6 egg whites
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/4 c. sliced almonds

Place a baking sheet in the oven. Preheat oven to 425.
Lightly coat 6 ( 8 oz.) ramekins with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with 2 T. sugar, tilting dishes to coat sided completely.

Combine 1/4 c. sugar and egg yolks in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until thick and pale ( about 2 minutes). Add 3/4 c. buttermilk and next 4 ingredients ( through flour); beat at medium speed until just blended.

Combine egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1.4 c. sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time until medium peaks form.

Gently stir 1/4 of egg whites into lemon mixture; gently fold in remaining egg whites.
Gently spoon into ramekins. Sharply tap dishes 2-3 times on counter to level. Sprinkle evenly with almonds.

Place dishes on preheated baking sheet and return to oven. Immediately reduced oven temperature to 350. Bake for 20 minutes or until puffy and lightly browned. Serve immediately.

"Cooking Light"

Oven-Roasted Sausage and Vegetables

This is probably one of the easiest meals I have made. It was so good that people had trouble stopping at one helping! I saw a similar recipe on Pinterest, but decided to add zucchini and also to measure out the ingredients so as to get an accurate points value. I hope you like it!

serves 12 ( about 1 c. = 6 points +)

• 13 oz. Hillshire farm turkey smoked sausage
• 2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 2 bell peppers, sliced
• 2 c. onion, sliced
• 4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, chopped ( leave skins on)
• 3 T. olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Spray a large jelly-roll pan with nonstick spray. Place sausage and veggies on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir twice during baking time.

Grilled Asian Flank Steak with Mango Salad

The marinade for the this steak is outstanding! I also like the fact that you only need to marinate the steak for 15-30 minutes! The salad was the perfect accompaniment to this "Thai" style meal.

serves 8 ( 3 oz. steak with salad = 6 points +)

Marinade:

• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 T. crushed ginger
• 1 T. crushed garlic
• 1 T. oyster sauce or fish sauce
• 1 T. low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 ( 2 lb. ) flank steak

Salad:

• 3 T. lime juice
• 2 T. water
• 1 T. reduced-fat peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 6 c. shredded Romaine lettuce
• 2 c. shredded cabbage
• 1/2 c. chopped cilantro
• 1/4 c. sliced green onions
• 1 mango, peeled and diced

Preheat grill to medium-high heat

Combine marinade ingredients in a large ziplock bag. Add steak and turn to coat. Marinate 15-30 minutes.
Remove steak from marinade. Place on grill. Drizzle with any remaining marinade from the bag. Grill 5 minutes on each side or until desired doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain.

For salad, combine lime juice, water, peanut butter and crushed red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Add Romaine, cabbage, cilantro and green onions. Toss to coat. Add mango and toss gently.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Chicken Scaloppine with Peperonata

This recipe is very easy and fairly quick to make. The pepper mixture can even be made ahead of time.

serves 8 ( 6 points +)

• 2 T. olive oil
• 1 large red bell pepper
• 1 large yellow bell pepper
• 2 c. vertically sliced onion
• 1 T. crushed garlic
• 1 c. halved grape tomatoes
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• salt
• 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 8 ( 4 oz. ) cutlets
• pepper
• 6 T. flour
• 3 T. butter

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat. Add peppers; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add onion and garlic; cook 10 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook until tomatoes wilt. Remove from heat, stir in basil, vinegar and 1/4 tsp. salt.  Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Place chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour; shake off excess. 

Working in 2 batches, melt half of the butter in the skillet that was used for pepper mixture. Place half of the chicken in the skillet and cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until done. Repeat with remaining butter and chicken. 

Serve chicken with peperonata mixture.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Pork Loin Chops with Strawberry Red Wine Sauce

serves 4 ( 6 points +)

• 1/2 c. diced onion
• 4 tsp. crushed garlic, divided
• 1/3 c. red wine
• 2 T. strawberry jam
• 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
• 1 T. grated lemon rind
• 4 ( 4 oz) boneless pork loin chops
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Coat with nonstick spray. Add onion and 1 tsp. garlic. Cook until onion is tender. Add wine; cook until liquid almost evaporates. Add jam; cook 1 minute. Add vinegar and cook until reduced to about 1/2 c. 

Coat a large nonstick skillet with spray. Combien 1 T. garlic and 1 T. lemon rind. Press over both sides of pork chops. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add pork to pan; cook 3 minutes per side or until done. Remove from pan. Let stand 5 minutes. Serve with strawberry sauce.

Italian-Style Breakfast Sandwich

Fresh and filling, this sandwich is sure to satisfy!

serves 1 ( 6 points +)

• 1/4 c. thinly sliced zucchini
• 1/4 c. grape tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 egg. beaten
• 2 T. part-skim shredded mozzarella
• 1 multi-grain sandwich thin, toasted

Heat a nonstick skillet and coat with cooking spray. Add zucchini and tomatoes and cook until zucchini is tender and tomatoes pop when gently pressed with the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from pan and place on bottom of toasted sandwich thin.
Spray pan if needed. Add egg and cook. Top with cheese. Place egg over vegetables and top with remaining half of thin.

Chicken and Stuffing Casserole

A good comfort food classic!

serves 6  ( 6 points +)

• 1-1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thinly
• 1 can Campbell's Healthy Request cream of mushroom soup
• 1/3 c. fat-free sour cream
• 1 box Stove Top chicken flavored stuffing
• 2 c. hot water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with nonstick spray. place chicken strips in the bottom of the dish. Combine soup with sour cream and spread over chicken. 
Mix stuffing with 2 c. boiling water. Spread stuffing over soup mixture. Bake, uncovered 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and casserole looks hot and bubbly.

Seared Steak with Red Wine, Onions and Mushrooms

This recipe was delicious and could easily rival any restaurant! My camera is acting up and so this picture is not the best quality. I will have to make this recipe again and get a better picture.

serves 6 ( 6 points +)

• 1-1/2 lbs. lean sirloin or strip steak
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 T. canola oil
• 1 c. sliced onion
• 8 oz. sliced, fresh mushrooms
• 1 tsp. chopped, fresh rosemary
• 2 tsp. flour
• 3/4 c. red wine
• 1 T. butter

Heat a large cast iron or heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat. Sprinkle steak with salt and pepper. Cook, browning on both sides, until desired doneness. Remove steak from pan.
Spray pan with nonstick spray if needed. Add onions, mushrooms and rosemary. Cook until tender. Stir in 2 tsp. flour. Stir in red wine and cook until thickened ( about 1 minute). Stir in butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Slice steak thinly against the grain. Serve onion mixture over steak.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Chicken Fajita Casserole

Easy, fairly quick and a good way to get some extra veggies into your diet.

serves 8 ( 6 points +)

• 3 c. cooked boneless skinless chicken breast, shredded
• 1 can ( 16 oz) fat-free refried beans
• 1 can ( 15 oz) tomato sauce
• 1 package fajita seasoning mix
• 1 bag ( 16 oz) frozen stir-fry bell peppers and onions, thawed and drained
• 8 ( 6 inch) La Tortilla Factory whole wheat tortillas or another low carb tortilla
• 2 c. shredded, low-fat cheddar

Preheat oven to 375 and spray a 13 x 9 inch glass baking pan with nonstick spray.
In a medium bowl, mix refried beans, tomato sauce and fajita seasoning. Stir in chicken.

Spread about 1/2 c. bean mixture over the bottom of baking dish. Top with 4 tortillas, overlapping as necessary. Top with half the remaining bean mixture, half of the stir-fry vegetables and 1 c. cheese. Repeat layers with remaining tortillas, bean mixture, stir-fry vegetables and cheese.

Cover baking dish with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover and bake and additional 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

adapted from "Betty Crocker"

Apple Kuchen

Kuchen is the German word for cake. This kuchen is slightly dense with cream cheese and buttermilk in the batter. It is a moist and tender cake topped with sliced apples and an apricot glaze. This is perfect as a breakfast item or for dessert. 

serves 15 ( 6 points +)

• 3 medium apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1 c. sugar, divided
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
• 1-1/2 c. flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 c. butter, softened, divided
• 3 oz. reduced fat cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2/3 c. low-fat buttermilk
• 1/2 c. chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1/4 c. apricot preserves
• 2 tsp. orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a metal 13 x 9 inch pan with nonstick spray.
Combine apples and lemon juice; toss. Add 1/4 c. sugar, cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp. salt. Toss to combine.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1/4 tsp. salt and baking powder.
Place remaining 3/4 c. sugar, 6 T. butter and cream cheese in a bowl. Beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating well. Add vanilla.
Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until just combined. Stir in walnuts.
Spread batter into prepared pan. Top with apples. Melt remaining 2 T. butter; brush over apples. Bake 35-45 minutes or until set.
Combine preserves and orange juice; microwave 30 seconds or until melted. Brush over apples; cool. Cut into 15 squares.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Hungarian Goulash

I have not made a Hungarian Goulash recipe in years, but after being in Europe last year and tasting the authentic thing, I wanted to try to duplicate it. I tested this out on my German father, whose grandmother was a chef in Europe. He loved it. I hope you do too!

serves 8 ( 6 points +) add extra points for noodles

• 2 T. canola oil, divided
• 2 c. sliced onion
• 2-1/4 lb. lean sirloin, cubed
• 2 T. Hungarian sweet paprika
• 2 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 tsp. crushed garlic
• 1 ( 28 oz) can whole tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 c. red wine
• 8 T. fat-free sour cream
• egg noodles ( optional)

Heat 1 T. oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan. Add onion and cook until tender. Remove onion. 
Place beef in a bowl with salt, pepper and paprika. Toss to coat.
Add remaining 1 T. oil to pot. Add beef and brown. Stir in tomatoes, garlic and wine. Return onions to pot. Cover and simmer on low for 2- 2 1/2 hours or until meat is very tender and sauce has cooked down a bit. Serve over noodles if desired and top with 1 T. sour cream.

Red Bean, Chicken, and Sweet Potato Stew

Here's a great crock pot meal. I even threw the chicken in frozen for extra ease in prep work. The flavor of this stew was amazing! I think you will like it!

serves 8 ( about 1-1/2 scant cups = 6 points +)

• 2 ( 15 oz. cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 4 c. peeled, cubed sweet potato
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 ( 14.5 oz) cans fat-free chicken broth
• 2 large green peppers, chopped
• 1 ( 15 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 2 ( 4 oz.) cans diced green chilies
• 1 T. Cajun seasoning
• 2 tsp. crushed garlic
• 1/4 c. reduced-fat, creamy peanut butter
• chopped, fresh cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot, except peanut butter and cilantro. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or on high for 5-6 hours or until veggies are tender and chicken is easy to shred. Shred chicken. 
Remove 1 c. hot liquid from crock pot. Whisk in peanut butter. Return mixture to pot; stir.

Top each serving with cilantro.

Cheesy Butternut Squash Cavatappi

You will love this dish and it's low points value! Another bonus is that your kids will not even know there is squash in this dish. It is a nice way to sneak in a healthy vegetable and makes the cheese sauce extra creamy!

Serves 8 ( 6 points +)

• 3 c. peeled, cubed butternut squash
• 8 oz. dried cavatappi 
• 2 T. light butter, divided
• 1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1 c. skim milk
• 6 oz. reduced-fat Velveeta ( made with 2% milk), cubed
• 4 slices fully cooked bacon ( Oscar Mayer), cooked and crumbled
• 1/2 c. Panko Japanese bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375. Lightly coat an 11 x 7 inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

Place squash in a large pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender; drain and mash. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add cavatappi and cook until al dente; drain.

In a large nonstick skillet coated with spray, melt 1 T. light butter. Add onion and cook until tender. Stir in milk and Velveeta. Cook until Velveeta is melted. Stir in squash. Carefully stir in cavatappi.

Transfer mixture to prepared baking dish. Top with cooked, crumbled bacon. Combine Panko with remaining 1 T. melted butter. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Bake until bubbly and top is lightly browned. ( about 15-20 minutes)

The Mother Of All Brownies

Here you go... the mother of all brownies! This recipe comes from my friend, Heather, and is absolutely delicious. It is quick and easy to make and it is a chocolate lovers dream-come-true! I cut these in 24 pieces and they are 6 points + each, but they are worth every point. If you do not want to use that many points, cut them into 48. Make sure you are feeding a crowd with these, because you will want to eat more than one! These would be great for a potluck, bake sale, Christmas gift...

Makes 24 ( 6 points +)

• 1/2 c. butter
• 3 c. chocolate chips, divided
• 1-1/2 c. sugar
• 1-1/3 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Spray a 13 x 9 pan with nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 350. 
In a medium pot, melt butter with 2 c. chocolate chips ( that's one 12 oz. bag) over low heat. Remove from heat and add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, eggs and vanilla. When smooth, stir in the remaining 1 c. chocolate chips. Spread in prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges start to crackle a bit. Don't over bake or they will get dry- and no one likes a dry brownie!. Let cool before attempting to cut. 

Black Forest Parfaits

serves 4 ( 6 points +)

• 2 c. frozen, pitted, unsweetened cherries
• 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
• 2 c. Edy's slow churned vanilla ice-cream
• 14 Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers, crushed

Place cherries in a large bowl and mix with cornstarch. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Mash to desired consistency.
Place half of the wafer crumbs in the bottom of parfait glasses. Top with half of the cherry mixture, then 1/2 c. vanilla ice-cream. Top with remaining cherries and wafer crumbs.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Beef Tenderloin with a Cherry Red Wine Sauce

Here is another dish ( one among many) that I tried out for our fourth of July celebration this year. Cherries are in season right now and the color made this dish very festive. It was full of flavor and was enjoyed by all. I think this would be great for any holiday meal.

serves 12 ( 6 points +)

• 3-1/4 lb. beef tenderloin, trimmed
• salt and pepper
• 2 T. olive oil
• 1/2 c. finely chopped red onion
• 2 c. cherries, halved and pitted
• 1-1/2 c. red wine
• 2 T. butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Cut beef into thirds. Heat oil in a large cast iron or oven-proof skillet. Sear on one side. Turn beef and place pan in an oven heated to 425. Cook until meat registers 135 degrees for medium rare. ( about 30-40 minutes). Remove beef from pan and let stand 10 minutes. Slice thinly.

Meanwhile, heat the skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender. Add cherries and cook 1 minute. Add red wine and cook until mixture begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in butter. Serve cherry sauce with beef.

Cheesy Chicken, Tomato and Artichoke Bake

Perfect with a side of pasta or a nice salad.

serves 8 ( 6 points +)

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves ( 4 oz. each)
• 1 can  ( 13.75 oz) artichoke hearts ( not packed in oil), drained
• 6-7 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 T. olive oil
• 2 T. flour
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 T. crushed garlic
• 2 c. shredded, part-skim mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375
Combine artichoke hearts, tomatoes, salt, pepper, garlic, olive oil and flour. Spread in the bottom of a 13 x 9 glass baking dish. Top with chicken seasoned with salt and pepper.
Bake until chicken is nearly done ( about 25 minutes). Top with cheese and place under a broiler for a few minutes ( watch carefully so as not to burn). Otherwise place back in the oven until cheese melts.

Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with a slotted spoon.