Chicken Cacciatore

Even though this recipe calls for bone-in thighs, I often use boneless, skinless thighs. Feel free to try it!

serves 8 ( 1 chicken thigh with ½ c. sauce = 5 points + )

3 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs, skinned ( 8 thighs)
salt and pepper
1 T. olive oil, divided
1 onion , chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 assorted colored peppers, chopped
8 oz. fresh mushrooms
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 pint spaghetti sauce

Heat 2 tsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet. Brown chicken for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside. Add remaining teaspoon of oil to the pan. Cook onion and garlic for 2 minutes. Add peppers and mushrooms and cook until veggies are almost tender. Return chicken to pan. Add sauce and stir to coat. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer until chicken is cooked through ( about 20-25 minutes)d


adapted from "Weight Watcher's"

Italian Roasted Potatoes

serves 8 ( 4 points + )

2 lbs. red potatoes, cubed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
½ c. red onion , chopped
¼ c. olive oil
¼ c. parmesan cheese

Toss potatoes with garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Place in a baking dish and bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes or until almost tender. Add parmesan cheese and toss to coat. Bake an additional 10 minutes.

Italian Bread Salad

Being Italian, I love bread!! That means I have to look for ways to lighten some favorite recipes. I hope you like this lightened version as much as I did!

serves 8 ( 1 c. = 3 points + )

• 5 oz. French bread baguette, cubed into 1 inch pieces
• olive oil cooking spray
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 c. chopped red onion
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 2 T. red wine vinegar
• 3 T. olive oil
• ½ tsp. salt
• fresh basil

Place bread cubes on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Toss with garlic and salt.  Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes or until crisp. Set aside.
Mix onion with vinegar and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in green pepper, tomatoes and olive oil.
Fifteen minutes before serving, stir in bread cubes and basil.

Choco-Java Rubbed Sirloin

from "Weight Watcher's Magazine"

shown without sauce

serves 6 ( 5 points + )

• 1-½ T. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1-½ T. chili powder
• 1-½ T. instant coffee
• 1-½ tsp. ground cumin
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 1 ( 1-¾ lb)  boneless sirloin steak 
• 14.5 oz. can fat free beef broth

Preheat oven to 400. Combine, cocoa, chili powder, cumin and ½ tsp. salt. Set aside 2-½ T. for the gravy. Coat both sides of meat with remaining mixture.

Heat a large cast iron pan with cooking spray. When hot, add the steak and brown on both sides. Place pan in the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Remove steak from pan to a cutting board. Cover loosely with foil and let stand for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make gravy, add reserved cocoa mixture to skillet, along with beef broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until mixture reduces to about 1 c. Slice beef into 18 slices. Serve with gravy.

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Scones

adapted from "Cooking Light"

serves 12 ( 5 points + )

• ½ c. dried cranberries
• 3 c. low fat Bisquick baking mix
• 5 T. sugar, divided
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• 2 T. light stick butter, cut into small pieces
• ⅔ c. fat-free half and half
• 2 T. semi-sweet miniature chocolate chips
• 1 large egg, separated
• 1 T. fat-free half and half
• ½ c. powdered sugar
• ½ tsp. vanilla
• 1-2 T. skim milk

Preheat oven to 400 and line a baking sheet with foil.

Combine bisquick,¼ c. sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in ⅔ c. half and half, egg white. cranberries and chocolate chips. Drop dough by ¼ cup-fulls onto baking sheet. Mix egg yolk with 1 T. half and half. Brush scones. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden. Cool. Combine powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Drizzle over scones

Ricotta Nut Torte

This is my very soon-to-be son, Joey. I let him decorate this cake :)

Here is the cake:

serves 16 ( 10 ponts + )

2 cartons reduced fat ricotta cheese

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

⅓ c. chopped pecans, toasted

3 milk chocolate candy bars, grated ( 1.55 oz. each)

Batter:

¼ c. shortening

1-¼ c. sugar

2 eggs

½ c. unsweetened applesauce

1-½ tsp. vanilla

2-½ c. flour

2-½ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1-¼ c. skim milk

1 carton ( 8 oz) reduced fat Cool Whip

whole hazelnuts and shaved chocolate (optional)

Line 3 ( 9") round baking pans with wax paper. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with a small amount of flour.

For filling, in a small bowl, beat ricotta and sugar until smooth; beat in vanilla. Fold in pecans and grated chocolate. Cover and chill.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Add applesauce and vanilla until well blended. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well. Pour into prepared pans and bake at 350 for 15-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks.

Place bottom layer on a serving plate, top with ½ of filling. Repeat with next layer. Place third layer on top. Frost with Cool Whip and decorate with shaved chocolate and hazelnuts if desired. Chill until serving.

adapted from "Healthy Cooking"

Chicken Kiev and Roasted Potato Wedges

shown without potato wedges

from  " Cooking Light"

serves 4 ( 1 chicken breast half and about 1 c. potatoes = 13 points + )
3-½ T. butter, softened and divided
¼ tsp. dill weed
¾ tsp. salt, divided
¼ tsp. pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
4 ( 6 oz. ) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 T. water
2 large egg whites
1 c. Panko bread crumbs
1-½ lbs. baking potatoes, cut into ¼" thick wedges

Combine 2 T. butter, dill, ⅛ tsp. salt, pepper and garlic in a bowl. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Slice chicken breasts lengthwise, cutting to, but not through the other side. Open halves laying chicken flat. Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pound to ¼ " thickness.
Place about 1-½ tsp. butter mixture in the center of each chicken breast. Roll up jelly roll fashion. Tuck in sides and secure with toothpicks.
Mix egg whites with water. Dip chicken in egg whites, then coat in Panko bread crumbs. Place chicken on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 35 minutes or until chicken is done.
Place potatoes on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle potatoes with remainign salt; toss. Bake at 425 for 40 minutes or until tender, turning once. Place potatoes in a bowl. Toss with remaining butter. Serve with chicken.

Texas Pork Chops

adapted from "Taste of Home's Light Meals"

serves 6 ( 7 points + )
¾ c.  bread crumbs
1-2 T. chili powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. garlic powder
1 egg
¼ c. skim milk
6 boneless pork chops ( about 4 oz each)

In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs and spices. In another bowl, combine the egg and milk. Dip chops in egg mixture, then coat in bread crumb mixture. Transfer to a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until meat is cooked through.

Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy

I did not remember to get a picture of this until almost the end… there was only one bite left. It was good!

serves 6 ( 5 points + )
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
¼ c. flour
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. paprika
¼ tsp. pepper
2 T. canola oil
½ c. evaporated fat-free milk
½ c. fat-free chicken broth

Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towels.
In a large ziplock bag, combine flour and seasonings. Add chicken to bag. Shake to coat. Reserve remaining flour mixture.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil. Cook chicken, uncovered over medium heat until browned on both sides. Cover, reduce heat and cook until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.
For gravy, in a small bowl, combine the milk, broth and reserved flour mixture. Add to the skillet. Cook until thickened and bubbly.

Jalepeno Sausage Braid

I made this using what I had around the house.


serves 6 ( 8 points + )

• 2 cans ( 6 oz. each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough
• 2 spicy jalepeno chicken sausages ( such as Amy Lu)
• 6 eggs
• ¼ c. skim milk
• ½ c. reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

Roll biscuit dough into a large rectangle and place on a baking sheet.
Mix eggs with milk, cut sausage in small pieces and stir in with eggs. Heat a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray and add egg/sausage mixture. Cook until eggs are set. Place egg mixture down the center of the biscuit dough rectangle. Sprinkle with cheese. Make slits about 2" wide on each side of the long side of the rectangle. Fold over and twist. Fold ends up on the short side. Bake at 375 until golden. ( about 15 minutes)

Oatmeal Knots

Makes 24 rolls ( each roll = 4 points + )

• 1 c/ regular oats
• ½ c. honey
• 2 T. butter
• 1-½ tsp. salt
• 2 c. boiling water
• 1 package dry yeast
• ⅓ c. warm water
• ¼ c. flaxseed meal
• 3 c. whole wheat flour  ( King Arthur's White Whole Wheat works well )
• 1-½ c. all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 tsp. water
• 1 egg
• 1 T. rolled oats
• 1 T. poppy seeds

( You can also make these rolls using a Kitchen Aid mixer with a dough hook)

Combine first four ingredients in a large bowl, and add 2 c. boiling water, stirring until well blended.
Cool to room temperature.
Dissolve yeast in ⅓ c. warm water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add yeast mixture to oat mixture; stir well. Stir in flaxseed.
Gradually add 3 c. whole wheat flour and 1 c. all-purpose flour to oasts mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic ( 6-8 minutes) adding remaining flour as needed to prevent dough from sticking.
Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray. Turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled ( about 1 hour)
Punch dough down. Cut into 24 pieces. Roll each piece into an 8" rope ( Work with one roll at a time, keeping remaining dough covered so as to prevent drying out.) Tie each rope into a single knot and place on a cookie sheet coated with spray. Repeat with remaining rolls. Cover and let rise until doubled ( about 30 minutes)
Combine 1 tsp. water with egg. Brush over each roll. Sprinkle with oats and poppy seeds. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden.

from "Cooking Light"

Chocolate Cherry Cookies

from "Cooking Light"
Heart-healthy and delicious!

Makes 30 cookies ( each cookie = 3 points + )

⅓ c. all-purpose flour
⅓ c. whole wheat flour ( I use King Arthur's white whole wheat)
1-½ c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
6 T. butter
¾ c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. dried cherries, chopped
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 and spray baking sheets with cooking spray.
Combine flours with next three ingredients ( through salt) in a large mixing bowl.
Melt butter in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add brown sugar, stirring until smooth. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; beat until blended. Add cherries, vanilla and egg; beat until combined. Fold in chocolate. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake for 12 minutes. Cool on pans 3 minutes or until almost firm. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Cauliflower Augratin

serves 12 ( 4 points + )

3 pkgs. ( 16 oz each ) frozen cauliflower
1 large onion, chopped
⅓ c. butter, cubed
⅓ c. flour
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground mustard
¼ tsp. pepper
2 c. skim milk
½ c. grated Parmesan cheese

Topping:
½ c. whole wheat soft bread crumbs
2 T. butter, melted
¼ tsp. paprika

Cook cauliflower in a Dutch oven with a little water; drain.
Place cauliflower in the bottom of a 13 x 9 dish coated with cooking spray.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter. Add onions and cook until tender. Stir in flour, mustard, salt and pepper. Gradually add milk, stirring and cooking until thickened. Remove from heat; add Parmesan cheese. Stir until blended.
Spread cheese mixture over cauliflower.
Mix bread crumbs with butter and paprika. Sprinkle over cheese mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

from "Healthy Cooking"

Potato Smashers

serves 2 ( 5 points + )

6 small red potatoes ( about ¾ lb. )
2 slices Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon ( microwaved )
2 T. fat-free Italian dressing
¼ c. reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese

Microwave potatoes until tender.
With the bottom of a glass, flatten the potatoes. Heat a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray. Add the dressing. Cook potatoes in dressing for 2-3 minutes. Turn potatoes, sprinkle with cheese and bacon. Cover and cook until cheese melts.

adapted from "Healthy Cooking"

Pork and Broccoli Teriyaki Stir-Fry

I experimented with making teriyaki sauce today. It turned out great! Feel free to substitute whatever vegetables you like.


Serves 4 ( ½ c rice + ¼ of pork mixture = 10 points + )

• 1 lb. pork tenderloin, cut into thin strips
• 1 bunch fresh broccoli ( 2-3 c. )
• 1 can ( 15 oz) bean sprouts, drained
• 1 can ( 8 oz) water chestnuts, drained
• 1 can ( 8 oz) baby corn, drained
• 1 T. canola oil

Teriyaki Sauce:

• ½ c. low sodium soy sauce
• ½ c. water
• ½ c. packed brown sugar
• ½ tsp. minced fresh ginger
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• 2 T. cornstarch

For sauce, whisk together all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook, stirring frequently until mixture thickens
( about 10 minutes) . Let sauce stand until it comes to room temperature.


Heat a nonstick wok or large skillet coated with cooking spray. Add ½ T. oil and swirl. Add pork and cook   on med-high heat until meat is no longer pink. Transfer pork to a bowl. Add remaining ½ T. oil to pan. Add all vegetables and cook until broccoli looks like it is beginning to "sweat". Return pork to pan. Stir in teriyaki sauce and heat through.

Bacon, Tomato and Cheese Frittata

A very tasty breakfast!

serves 4 ( 5 points + )

• 3 eggs
• 3 egg whites
• 1 c. skim milk
• pepper to taste
• 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8 slices Oscar Mayer fully cooked bacon ( cooked in microwave for 1 minute, then crumbled)
• 1 c. fat-free shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat broiler.

Heat a 10" oven-proof nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray.

Whisk together, eggs, pepper and milk. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into skillet and cook on medium heat until the bottom is set and firm.  ( 8-10 minutes). Place under broiler for 3 minutes or until top is set. Cut into 4 wedges.

Vegetable Pork Soup

Serves 4 ( 1-⅓ c. = 6 points + )

1 lb. pork tenderloin, cubed
1 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. canola oil
1 can ( 28 oz) diced tomatoes
4 medium carrots, chopped
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 can ( 12 oz) light or non-alcoholic beer
¼ c. quick cooking tapioca
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 T. honey
1 tsp. dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste.

Brown pork in oil. Place pork along with remaining ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 5-6 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.

adapted from " Healthy Cooking"

Spicy Orange Beef with Vegetables

I doubled this recipe for my family.


serves 4 ( 1 c  = 6 points + )
serve over rice if desired

• ¾ lb. sirloin, trimmed and cut into thin strips
• 2 T. cornstarch
• 2 tsp. grated orange rind
• ¼ c. fat free beef broth
• ¼ c. orange juice
• 2 T. reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 T. sugar
• 1 T. chili garlic sauce or ¼- ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 tsp. canola oil
• 1 T. minced fresh ginger
• 1 can ( 15 oz. ) green beans, drained
• 1 carrot, cut into thin strips

Combine beef, 1 T. cornstarch and orange rind in a bowl. Set aside.
Combine remaining 1 T. cornstarch, broth , orange juice, say sauce, sugar and chili garlic sauce or crushed red pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.


Heat a nonstick wok or large skillet. Swirl in 2 tsp. oil, then add beef. Stir fry until cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Add remaining oil and ginger. Stir fry for 1 minute. Add green beans and carrot and cook 3-4 minutes. Add broth mixture and cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Return beef to pan and heat through.

adapted from "Weight Watcher's"

Potato Latkes

serves 6 ( 2 latkes and 2 T. applesauce =  6 points + )

3-½ c. shredded peeled potato
1-¼ c. grated onion
6 T. flour
¼ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 large egg
¼ c. olive oil, divided
¾ c. unsweetened applesauce

Combine potato and onion in a colander. Drain 30 minutes, pressing with the back of a spoon until barely moist. Combine potato mixture, flour and next four ingredients in a large bowl.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 T. oil to pan and swirl to coat. Spoon ¼ c. potato mixture into pan and flatten slightly. Repeat 5 times to form 6 latkes. Cook 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove from pan and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and potato mixture to yield 12 latkes total.
Serve applesauce with latkes.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Steak and Carmelized Onion Sandwiches

serves 4 ( 10 points +)

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 3 onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp. sugar
• ¼ tsp. dried thyme
• 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• ¾ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• 1 lb. flank steak
• 2 T. Dijon mustard or low fat mayo
• 8 slices Italian bread or rye bread
• 1 tomato, cut into 8 slices

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onions, sugar, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally until onions are golden, about 10 minutes. Add vinegar, ¼ tsp. salt and ⅛ tsp. pepper. Cook, stirring constantly until vinegar is evaporated. Remove from heat.
Meanwhile, spray broiler rack with cooking spray. Sprinkle steak with remaining salt and pepper.
Broil for 5 minutes per side or until desired doneness. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut steak agains the grain.
Spread mustard or mayo on bread, then top with steak, onions and tomato.

adapted from " Weight Watcher's" 

Brunch Bake

This is what we had for breakfast on Christmas morning. YUM!


serves 12 ( 5 points + )

• 12 small refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
• 24 oz. egg beaters ( 3 c. )
• 5 oz. Canadian bacon, chopped
• 1 c. reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 c. part-skim mozzarella, shredded

Arrange biscuits in a 13 x 9 pan coated with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over the biscuits. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Chicken Thighs with Sausage

shown here with roasted potatoes on the side.
adapted from "Healthy Cooking"

serves 8 (7 points + )
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
8 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed ( about 3 lbs.)
1 package ( 14 oz) smoked turkey kielbasa
¼ c. ketchup
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 T. hot sauce
1 tsp. each of dried basil, paprika adn thyme
½ tsp. oregano
salt and pepper to taste

In a Dutch oven or large pot, place all ingredients. Stir, cover and cook on medium- low for 2-3 hours or until chicken is tender and vegetables are tender.

Orange Buttermilk Dinner Rolls

These rolls were a perfect accompaniment to my marinated pork tenderloin . Enjoy!

Makes 13 rolls ( 4 points +)

• 1-¼ c. warm buttermilk
• 2 T. sugar
• 1 T. honey
• 1 package dry yeast
• 3 T. butter, melted and divided
• 4 tsp. grated orange rind
• 1 tsp. salt
• 3 c. flour

Combine first three ingredients in a large bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkle yeast over mixture and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in 2 T. butter, orange rind and salt. Add flour to yeast mixture and beat on low speed until soft and elastic ( about 5 minutes.) dough will be sticky.
Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled ( about 1 hour). Punch dough down and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Cut into 13 sections. Roll dough into balls by pushing against the surface with the palm of your hand. PLace dough on baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush with remaining melted butter. Cover and let rise until doubled. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly.

"Cooking Light"

Chocolate Hazelnut Thumbprints

A rich, chocolatey cookie…hard to eat just one!

Makes 28 cookies ( 3 points + each)

1 c. flour
1 c. powdered sugar
⅓ c. unsweetened cocoa
¼ tsp. salt
½ c. butter, softened
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp. instant espresso ( optional)
½ tsp. vanilla
⅓ c. finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
⅓ c. chocolate hazelnut spread ( such as Nutella)

Whisk together first four ingredients.
Place butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until fluffy. Add egg yolks and espresso and vanilla. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat until just combined. Turn onto wax paper and knead until dough sticks together. Form dough into 28 balls and roll in hazelnuts. Place on cookie sheets coated with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper. Make a small indentation in the center of each cookie with your thumb. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire racks. Fill each indentation with about ½ tsp. Nutella.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Potato and Swiss Frittata

adapted from "Weight Watcher's Comfort Food" cookbook.

serves 4 ( 7 points +)

• 4 large eggs
• 4 egg whites
• ½ c. lowfat milk
• ¼ c. shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 3 small red potatoes, thinly sliced
• salt and pepper
• 1 T. butter

Preheat broiler.
Whisk eggs, egg whites, milk, cheese and parsley together; set aside.
Spray a 10 inch oven -proof skillet with cooking spray. Add potatoes and cook until tender and lightly browned. Remove from pan.
Add butter to pan and melt. Return potatoes to pan. Pour in egg mixture; reduce heat to medium-low and cook, undisturbed, until the bottom of the frittata is firm, 8-10 minutes.
Place skillet under the broiler and broil until frittata is set in the center 2-3 minutes. Cut into 4 wedges.

Kung Pao Chicken with Coconut Jasmine Rice

This Kung Pao Chicken packs a little punch, but it goes perfectly with this coconut jasmine rice!

Kung Pao Chicken: serves 4 ( 1 c  = 7 points +)

• 2 T. dark sesame oil
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
•  1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" pieces
• ¾ c. water
• 3 T. low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp. bottled minced ginger
• 1-1 ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 large red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 c. snow peas or canned green beans
• 2 T. chopped dry roasted peanuts

Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute onion until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Remove from pan. Add chicken to pan and cook until no longer pink; remove from pan.
Combine water and next five ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Add peppers and snow peas to pan and cook until crisp tender. Return chicken and onions to pan. Stir in sauce. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Sprinkle with nuts. Serve with rice.

Coconut Jasmine Rice: seves 4 ( 5 points +)

• 1 c. uncooked jasmine rice
• 1-¼ c. water
• ½ c. light coconut milk
• ¼ tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

adapted from "Cooking Light"

Beef Tenderloin with Port Plum Reduction

An awesome dish for the holiday season!


serves 8 (6 points + )

• 1-¾ lb. beef tenderloin
• salt and pepper
• 1-½ c. thinly sliced shallots
• 1 T. butter
• 1-½ c. fat free chicken broth
• 1 c. ruby port or red wine
• ½ c. plum jelly or red currant jelly
• 2 T. balsamic vinegar
• ½ tsp. each dried thyme and rosemary

Lightly coat beef with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450.
Spray a large, heavy nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Brown beef on all sides. Place beef on broiler pan or in a roasting pan on a rack. Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or until desired doneness ( meat thermometer registers 130 degrees). Let stand 15 minutes.
Return skillet to heat. Add butter and shallots, scraping to loosen browned bits. Cook 1 minute. Stir in broth, wine, vinegar, jelly, thyme and rosemary; bring to a boil and cook until reduced to about 1-½ c. ( about 20 minutes) Season with salt as desired.
Cut beef crosswise into 16 slices. Serve with sauce. adapted from "Cooking Light"

Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies

A nice treat for the holidays!


Makes 16 ( 6 points + )

Cheesecake batter:
1 ( 8 oz.) block reduced fat cream cheese
⅓ c. sugar
¼ tsp. peppermint extract
1 large egg
1 egg white
1 T. flour

Brownie Batter:
1 c. flour
½ c. unsweetened cocoa
½ tsp. salt
1-½ c. packed brown sugar
¼ c. canola oil
¼ c. lowfat buttermilk
2 tsp. vanilla
2 egg whites
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9" square baking pan with cooking spray.

To prepare cheesecake batter, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar and peppermint extract. Beat well. Add 1 egg and 1 egg white; beat well. Add 1 T. flour, beating until just blended.

To prepare brownie batter, measure 1 c. flour into a bowl. Add cocoa and salt, whisking until mixed.
Combine brown sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, 2 egg whites and 1 egg in a large bowl. Beat until blended. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, beating until just blended. Reserve ½ c. brownie batter.
Spread remaining batter in prepared pan. Pour cheesecake filling over the top, spreading to the edges. Dot cheesecake batter with reserved brownie batter. Swirl the top two layers together using the tip of a knife. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes or until top is set. Cool completely on a wire rack.

From "Cooking Light"

Easy Arroz con Pollo

otherwise known as chicken with rice. This dish was adapted from "Taste of Home"


serves 6 ( 6 points +)


1-¾ c. uncooked instant rice
24 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can ( 14.5 oz) fat free chicken broth
1 c. salsa
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 medium green pepper, chopped
½ c. shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese


Spray a 13 x 9 pan with cooking spray. Spread rice over the bottom of the pan. Slice raw chicken into strips and place over rice. In a large bowl, stir together the broth, salsa, tomato sauce and green pepper. Pour over chicken. Cover and bake at 350 for 55 minutes or until rice is tender and chicken juices run clear. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and bake 5 minutes longer.

Sausage, Tomato and Spinach Fettuccini

adapted from "Cooking Light"
serves 4 ( 1-⅓ c. = 9 points + )

1 ( 9 oz) package refrigerated fettuccini
1 T. olive oil
6 oz. Italian turkey sausage, casings removed (I like the hot Italian turkey sausage)
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 pint grape tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
3 c. baby spinach
2 oz. shaved Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and reserve ⅔ c. of the cooking liquid.
While pasta cooks, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Remove casings from sausage and break sausage into bite sized pieces. Cook until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add tomatoes. Cover and cook until tomatoes are tender ( about 4-5 minutes) Mash tomatoes with the back of a spoon. Add salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat. Add reserved cooking liquid, pasta, and spinach. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with shaved Parmesan cheese.

Parmesan and Sage Crusted Pork Chops

adapted from "Cooking Light"

serves 4 ( 7 points +)

1-¼ oz. white bread
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried sage
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ c. flour
2 egg whites
4 ( 4 oz) boneless pork chops
1-½ T. canola oil

Place bread in food processor and process until coarse crumbs form. Combine bread with cheese, sage, salt and pepper in a shallow dish.
Place flour in another dish and egg whites ( beaten) in another dish.
Heat a nonstick skillet with the oil.
Dredge pork chops in flour, then coat in egg whites, then coat in bread crumb mixture. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until done.

Vegetable Beef Stew

The combination of the butternut squash, carrots and apricots makes this stew recipe awesome! I adapted this recipe from a "Taste of Home" cookbook.


Serves 4 ( 1-½ c. = 7 points +)

• ¾ lb. lean beef stew meat, cut into ½ inch cubes
• 2 tsp. canola oil
• 1 can ( 14.5 oz) beef broth
• 1 can ( 14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes
• 1-½ c. cubed, peeled butternut squash
• 6 dried apricots halves, chopped
• ½ c. chopped carrot
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 T. cornstarch
• ¼ c. water

In a nonstick skillet, cook beef in oil until no longer pink. Place beef along with remaining ingredients through salt and pepper in a slow cooker. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or until beef and veggies are tender.
Mix cornstarch with water. Stir into beef mixture. Cover and cook until gravy is thickened ( about 30 minutes).

Macadamia Butter Cookies

This recipe was adapted from "Cooking Light". I have added some white chocolate chips, which makes these cookies outstanding.  These would be fun to make for Christmas. You will not believe that these cookies do not have butter in them. The macadamia nuts are ground to make the "butter". I am using the new Weight Watcher's point system called "points plus".

Makes 30 ( each cookie is 3 points plus)

⅔ c. macadamia nuts
½ c. sugar
½ c. packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1-¼ c. flour
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg
½ c. dried sweetened cranberries
½ c. white chocolate chips
1 T. sugar

Preheat oven to 375 and spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray.

Place nuts in a food processor and process until smooth. Combine macadamia butter, ½ c. sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl. Mix well. Add egg and vanilla, mixing well. Combine flour with baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Add to macadamia mixture. Stir in cranberries and chips. Refrigerate and chill for 15-30 minutes. Form dough into 30 balls. Place 1 T. sugar into a bowl. Lightly press each ball into sugar. Place balls, sugar side up on baking sheets. Gently press the top of each cookie in a criss-cross pattern with a fork.
Bake for 9 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

Dinner Rolls

This recipe comes from "Cooking Light"

Makes 16 rolls ( 4 points +)

• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 package dry yeast
• 1 ( 12 oz) can evaporated fat-free milk, warmed
• 4 c. flour, divided
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cornmeal
• 2 T. butter, melted
• poppy seeds ( optional)

Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm evaporated milk. Let stand 5 minutes.
Add 3 c. flour and egg to milk mixture, stirring until smooth. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
Add about ¾ c. more flour and salt. Stir until stiff dough forms. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6-8 minutes or until smooth and elastic, using remaining flour as necessary to prevent dough from sticking.
Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray. Turn to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 40 minutes or until doubled in size. Punch down and divide dough into 16 equal sections. Shape each piece into desired form.
Place shaped dough portions onto cookie sheets lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Cover lightly with a towel or plastic and let rise until doubled. ( about 20 minutes)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush rolls with melted butter and sprinkle with poppy seeds if desired. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate baking sheets and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned on top and hollow sounding when tapped on bottom. Place on wire racks. Serve warm or cool completely.

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.