Caprese Chicken Pasta

You will love this comfort food "Mac and Cheese" with a twist! 

Serves 10 ( 1 c. = 9 points +)

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 4 c. grape tomatoes
• 2 T. olive oil
• 12 oz. uncooked penne pasta
• 1 T. crushed garlic
• 10 tsp. flour
• 3-1/2 c. skim milk
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1-1/2 c. part-skim shredded mozzarella
• 2/3 c. Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 c. torn basil leaves
• 1/4 c. Panko Japanese bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat broiler to high. Combine tomatoes with 1 T. oil on a jelly roll pan. Broil 3 minutes or until tomatoes begin to break down.

Cook pasta; Drain. Return pasta to pan.
Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 T. oil. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in flour. Add milk, salt, pepper, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a simmer; cook until thickened. Remove pan from heat; stir in cheeses. Add cheese mixture to pasta; toss.Stir in chicken. Stir in tomato mixture and basil. Spoon into a 13 x 9 pan coated with nonstick spray. Sprinkle with Panko and red pepper flakes. Broil 2-4 minutes or until Panko is browned.

Tomato-Ricotta Tart

I love this time of year when garden tomatoes are fresh and so delicious! This recipe was not hard to make, but you will need about an hour or so. This is a great recipe for a meatless meal. I served it with a salad and corn on the cob.

Serves 6 ( 7 points +)

Crust:

• 1-1/4 c. flour
• 2 T. pine nuts, toasted
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 3-4 T. cold water

Filling:

• 3/4 c. part-skim ricotta
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. crushed garlic
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 T. dried basil
• 6 T. part-skim mozzarella, shredded
• 1 lb. heirloom tomatoes, sliced

Preheat oven to 450.
Place flour and next 4 ingredients ( through pepper) in a food processor and process until combined. Combine oil and 3 T. water. With the processor running, add oil mixture slowly through chute and process until dough is crumbly. Add 1 T. extra water if needed.

Sprinkle dough into a 9 inch glass or ceramic pie plate coated with nonstick spray. Press dough onto the bottom and up sides of dish. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven.

Whisk together ricotta, egg, garlic, basil and 4 T. mozzarella. Spread over crust. Arrange tomatoes in a circular pattern over ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 2 T. mozzarella. Bake for 25 minutes or until filling is set. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing and serving. 

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Parsley Orzo

serves 4 ( 1/2 c. = 4 points +)

• 1 c. uncooked orzo pasta
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 T. olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta; drain. Combine pasta with olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper.

Fettuccine with Grape Tomatoes, Zucchini, and Ricotta

A great, fresh-tasting weeknight dinner full of the taste of summer produce!

Serves 4 ( 1-1/2 c. = 8 points +)

• 8 oz. uncooked fettuccine
• 1-1/2 c. grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 medium zucchini, halved length-wise and cut crosswise
• 1 T. olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp. crushed garlic
• 1/2 c. light ricotta
• 1 T. grated Parmesan cheese

Boil pasta; drain.
Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray. Add oil and swirl to coat. Add zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook until crisp-tender. Add tomatoes and garlic and cook until tomatoes soften. 
Place pasta and zucchini mixture in a large bowl and toss to coat. Season pasta with additional salt and pepper as needed. Top with dollops of ricotta and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Spring Vegetable Penne with Lemon Cream Sauce

A quick weeknight dish!

Serves 10 ( about 1-1/2 c. = 9 points +)

• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 Vidalia onion, chopped
• 1 ( 8 oz) package pre-sliced mushrooms
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 T. crushed garlic
• 2 T. flour
• 1 c. fat-free chicken broth
• 1 c. fat-free half and half
• 1-1/2 c. frozen green peas
• 6 T. grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 T. grated lemon rind
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb. uncooked penne pasta
• 1 lb. (1 inch) diagonally cut asparagus

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat. Add onions and mushrooms; saute 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in thyme and garlic. Cook 1 minute. Sprinkle with flour. Cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. 
Stir in broth and half and half; cook until slightly thickened ( 2-3 minutes). Add peas, 4 T. cheese, lemon rind, juice, salt, and pepper. Cook until peas are heated through.

Cook pasta according to package, omitting salt and fat. During the last 3 minutes of cooking, add asparagus to pan; drain. Add pasta mixture to mushroom mixture. Toss to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with remaining 2 T. cheese.

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"

Penne with Roasted Vegetables and Fresh Mozzarella

The thing I love about this recipe is that roasted vegetables taste wonderful and are so easy to make! You can make the vegetables ahead of time and just stir them into the pasta before serving. This fresh-tasting, healthy meal is oh-so-satisfying!

Serves 10 ( generous 1 c. = 8 points +)

• 1 lb. penne pasta
• 3 small zucchini, halved lengthwise, sliced and cut into 2 inch pieces
• 4 medium carrots, sliced thinly, lengthwise into 2 inch pieces ( about 1/2 inch thick)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 2 roasted red bell peppers ( packed in water) diced
• 4 T. olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 oz. mozzarella pearls
• 1/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place zucchini, carrots, onion and tomatoes on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 T. olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Bake 20-30 minutes, turning a couple times during baking. Remove from baking sheet and set aside.

Boil pasta; drain. Place pasta in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in 2 T. olive oil. Gently stir in vegetables and mozzarella pearls. Sprinkle with Parmesan and toss to coat.

Orecchiette with Snap Peas and Tuna

Orecchiette means "little ears" in Italian. These noodles are not only cute, they hold sauce very nicely.
Serve this pasta warm or cold.

serves 8 ( about 1-1/4 c. = 7 points +)

• 1 lb. orecchiette noodles
• 1/2 lb. sugar snap peas, cut in half
• 2 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 T. lemon juice
• 2 T. olive oil
• 2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 can ( 4 oz) tuna packed in water, drained
• salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta according to package directions. Steam the pas for 2 minute or just until the color begins to brighten. If you have a steamer basket that is larger than the diameter of your pasta cooking pot, you can set it directly on top and utilize the steam from the boiling water below.

While pasta is cooking, whisk together lemon zest, juice, olive oil, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Stir in tuna and peas. Drain pasta and stir into tuna mixture.

Barley Risotto with Butternut Squash and Sausage

This dish is a little bit of work, but oh . so . satisfying! My little granddaughter, who is 20 months old, ate 3 bowls of this!
Risotto is a traditional Italian dish using Arborio rice, but I decided to use barley since I had it on hand. The flavor is nutty and hearty. 

serves 8 ( 1 c. = 7 points +)

• 4c. fat-free chicken broth
• 1/4 c. red wine
• 1/2 tsp. tumeric
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 c. diced onion
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1-3/4 c. uncooked barley
• 3 hot turkey Italian sausage links, casings removed
• 2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/3 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

In a medium saucepan, combine 3-1/2 c. wine and tumeric. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to keep warm.

Heat a large saucepot over medium-high heat. Add oil, onion and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent. Stir in barley. Cook for 3 minutes.

Using a 1/2 c. ladle, add broth mixture to barley, stirring occasionally. Allow each addition to be absorbed before adding more broth` 5-7 minutes.

In a large saute pan coated with nonstick spray, add sausage and break apart with a spoon. Cook until no longer pink. Remove sausage and place on a plate lined with paper towel to drain.

Add squash to saute pan. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally 7-10 minutes. Ad remaining 1/2 c. broth to pan. Cover and simmer 10-15 minutes or until squash is tender. 

Add squash and sausage to pan and heat through. Stir in Parmesan cheese before serving.

Angel Food Cake With Strawberry- Balsamic Sauce and Orange Flavored Ricotta

I came up with this dessert recipe for my dad, who has diabetes. It is only 4 points + and is a lovely springtime dessert. You will have leftover strawberry sauce, which can be reserved for a later use.


serves 8 ( 1 slice of cake with 2 T. strawberry sauce and 2 T. ricotta = 4 points +)

Strawberry Sauce:

• 1 lb. frozen strawberries, thawed
• 1/2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 T. Xylitol or another 0 calorie sweetener
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 1T. water

Ricotta Topping:

• 1 c. low-fat ricotta
• 1 T. Xylitol or another 0 calorie sweetener
• 1 T. orange zest

• 1 store bought angel food cake

Place strawberries in a saucepan along with Xylitol and balsamic. Cook until berries are softened. Mash berries. Combine cornstarch with water and add to berry mixture. Cook until thickened. Cool to room temperature.

Using an electric mixer, beat ricotta with Xylitol and orange zest for 3 minutes or until light.

Slice cake, top with berry mixture and ricotta.

Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach Pasta with Chicken

Light and fresh tasting!

serves 4 ( 1 chicken breast half and 1 c. pasta mixture = 10 points +)

• 6 oz. uncooked rainbow rotini
• 2 roasted red peppers ( packed in water), diced
• 3 oz. ( 3/4 c.) fresh mozzarella pearls or fresh mozzarella, diced
• 2 T. olive oil
• 2 tsp. white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. crushed garlic
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 c. fresh spinach
• 4 ( 4 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Stir in spinach and let wilt; Drain.

Meanwhile, whisk together oil, vinegar and garlic; set aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken until juices run clear. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing.

Place diced peppers, pasta mixture and mozzarella in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with olive oil mixture.

Serve pasta topped with chicken.

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.

Spicy Sausage and Vegetable Soup

Easy and perfect for a cool afternoon or evening meal.

serves 12 ( 1-1/3 c. = 4 points +)

• 20 oz/ Jenny O hot turkey Italian sausage links, casings removed
• 2 c. chopped onion
• 2 medium zucchini, halved and sliced
• 2 medium carrots, sliced thinly
• 2 celery ribs, sliced
• 1 T. crushed garlic
• 1 can ( 15 oz.) whole tomatoes, undrained
• 6 c. ( 48 oz) fat-free chicken broth
• 2 ( 15 oz) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add sausage, onions, carrots, celery and zucchini. Cook until meat is no longer pink and onions are translucent. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, broth, beans, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce, heat, cover and simmer 30-45 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Herbed Chicken and Tomatoes Over Fettuccine

You will enjoy this quick weeknight meal. I chose to use spinach fettuccine because of the nice color. I was needing to see something green after this long winter!

serves 6 ( 1 chicken breast half with 2/3 c. pasta = 8 points +)

• 8 oz. fettuccine
• 1-1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. dried Rosemary
• 3 T. flour, divided
• 6 ( 4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 can ( 15 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
• 1-1/2 c. fat-free chicken broth
• 2 T. fat-free half and half

Cook pasta until al dente, drain.
Meanwhile mix seasonings in a small dish. Combine 2 T. flour with 2/3 of spice mixture in another dish.
Coat chicken in seasoned flour. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook until golden and cooked through. Remove and keep warm.
Spray skillet with nonstick spray. Add onion and cook until softened. Add 1 T. flour and stir. Add drained tomatoes, broth and remaining spice mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes or until beginning to thicken. Stir in half and half. Return chicken to skillet and heat through. Serve chicken and sauce over pasta.

Spicy Sausage, Potato and Kale Soup

This soup is very much like the "Zuppa Toscana" soup at "Olive Garden". In my opinion, it is even better! 
The recipe was adapted from the site "thecandidappetite.com". 

Serves 10 ( 1 generous cup = 4 points +)

• 20 oz. Jenny O hot Italian sausage links, casings removed
• 2 c. chopped onion
• 1 T. crushed garlic
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 2 bunches of kale, stemmed and chopped
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 3 c. sliced and halved Yukon Gold potatoes ( slice about 1/4 inch thick)
• 8 c. fat-free chicken broth
• 1/2 c. fat-free half and half

Heat a large heavy pot, such as a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Coat with nonstick spray and dd sausage, breaking apart with spoon. Cook until no longer pink. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Add onion to the pan and cook until onion begins to soften. Add garlic, salt and pepper and cook until onions are tender. Stir in kale and cook until it begins to wilt. Stir in nutmeg. Cook kale until it is completely wilted down ( about 3 more minutes).
Add sliced potatoes and cooked sausage. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until potatoes are tender and soft. Stir in half and half. Serve immediately.

Linguini with a Light Bolognese Sauce

This light sauce comes together in a jiffy! It is also another way to get some vegetables into your children's diets!

serves 8 (  1 c. pasta with sauce and 1 T. Parmesan cheese = 10 points +)

• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 12 oz. ( 3 links) Jenny O hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 ( 15 oz.) can tomato sauce
• 1 ( 6 oz) can tomato paste
• 1 c. water 
• 1 c. white wine
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 16 oz. uncooked linguini
• 8 T. Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery. Cook until onion is translucent. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute. Stir in sausage, breaking apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until sausage is no longer pink. Add tomato sauce, paste, water, wine and spices ( through salt and pepper). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. If sauce thickens too much add just a bit more water.

When nearly ready to serve, boil pasta until al dente. Drain. Serve sauce over pasta. Top each helping with 1 T. grated Parmesan cheese.

adapted from the cookbook "Fast and Fit" by Theresa Guidice

Fettuccine with Butternut Squash Carbonara

Last night I made this pasta dish. My granddaughter, who is 19 months old, absolutely loved it. She kept saying "more"! This is a great way to get some vegetables into those picky eaters! This is also another great weeknight dish as the prep and cooking time are not that long.

Serves 8 ( 1 c. pasta = 7 points +)

• 1/4 lb. reduced-fat bacon, 
• 1 T. finely chopped fresh sage
• 3 c. peeled, diced butternut squash
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 c. fat-free chicken broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• 16 oz. uncooked fettuccine
• 1/4 c. grated, fresh Parmesan cheese

Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, Cook bacon until crisp, stir in sage. Remove bacon and sage with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels; set aside.
Add squash and onion to the pan and cook until onion is translucent. Add broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash is soft and liquid is reduced by about half ( 15-20 minutes). Let cook slightly, then puree in a blender until smooth, Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
Place squash mixture back in skillet.

Cook pasta in a large pot of water until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 c. pasta liquid.
Combine pasta, sauce and 1/4 c. cooking liquid from pasta. Cook over medium heat until hot. Add more liquid as needed until sauce coats pasta. Mix in Parmesan cheese. 
Serve pasta topped with reserved bacon and sage.

Fettuccine with Pumpkin Sauce

Being a lover of all things pumpkin, I knew I had to try this new recipe slightly adapted from "Cooking Light".
The recipe from start to finish took less than 20 minutes. The sauce was creamy and full of flavor. My 15 month old granddaughter even loved it! What a fun way to mix up a pasta recipe during this time of year!

serves 4 ( about 1 c. = 9 points +)

• 8 oz. uncooked fettuccine
• 2 applewood smoked bacon slices, chopped small ( I used thick sliced)
• 2 T. finely chopped fresh sage, divided
• 2 tsp crushed garlic
• 3/4 c. canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp. salt 
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 2 T. heavy cream
• 2 T. chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain over a bowl reserving 3/4 c. cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon; cook 4 minutes or until almost crisp, stirring occasionally. Add 1 T. sage and garlic, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in pumpkin and Parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Add reserved cooking liquid and heavy cream, stirring until smooth. Add pasta and toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining 1 T. sage and parsley.

Grilled Chicken Florentine Alfredo

Yum! Yum! Your taste buds won't believe this is a light recipe!

serves 12 ( about 1 c. = 8 points +)

• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• salt and pepper
• 1 lb. linguini pasta
• 4 c. fresh baby spinach
• 8 oz. low-fat cream cheese, cubed
• 1 c. skim milk
• 1 c. fat-free chicken broth
• 2 tsp. crushed garlic
• 3/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Spray with nonstick spray and grill  or pan fry until juices run clear. Let chicken stand for 5 minutes before cutting into cubes.

In a large saucepot, combine cream cheese, milk, garlic, chicken broth, Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, whisking until smooth. Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.

 Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions, omitting fat. Just before draining, add spinach so that it wilts. Drain pasta and spinach.

Add pasta mixture and chicken to the pot with the sauce. Stir to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Italian Layer Bake

This recipe comes from "Mr. Food". I have adapted it to make it more points friendly. It was still fairly high in points, so I served it along with a nice spinach salad. It was very satisfying.

serves 6 ( 10 points +)

• 1 ( 8 oz) can reduced-fat crescent roll dough
• 4 oz. deli turkey
• 4 oz. lean deli ham
• 4 oz. hard salami
• 4 oz. Sargento ultra thin sliced Provolone cheese
• 1 jar ( 12 oz) roasted red peppers packed in water, drained
• 1 c. egg beaters

Preheat oven to 350. Unroll crescent roll dough without separating triangles. Separate dough into 2 squares along center cut line.

Place 1 square of dough into an 8 inch square baking dish; using your fingertips, press dough to fit bottom of dish.

Layer with half the turkey, ham, salami, Provolone and roasted red peppers. Pour half of the egg beaters over peppers and repeat with remaining meats, cheese and peppers.

Place remaining dough over peppers. Pour remaining egg beaters over dough and cover lightly with foil.

Bake 20 minutes, remove foil and bake an additional 20 minutes or until golden and heated through. Let cool  15 - 20 minutes before cutting and serving.