White Beans- Southern Style

This recipe will take a few hours to make, but the flavor is wonderful with ham and cornbread!

(1/2 c. = 2 points)

2 c. dry white beans ( Great Northern or Navy)
water
4 slices center cut bacon or a ham bone
salt and pepper to taste.

Place beans in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil for 10-15 minutes. Drain. Refill pot with cold water to cover beans by 1". Add bacon or ham bone. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on low until beans are tender and can be mashed easily with a fork. If your water runs low, add more. This recipe is another one that is even better the second day!

Apple Pie Smoothie

I came up with a new recipe using the Vanilla Smoothie mix from "Weight Watcher's". It tasted just like apple pie! You get one fruit serving and one dairy serving for only 2 points!

serves 1 ( 2 points)

1 small apple, cored and cut into wedges. Leave skin on

1 vanilla smoothie mix

1 c. water

several ice cubes

1/2 tsp. cinnamon or to taste

Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add apple wedges. Cook, stirring often. Cover and steam until softened.

Place apples and remaining ingredients in a blender. Puree until smooth.

Black Bean , Cucumber, Avocado Salad

I love anything with black beans or anything that resembles salsa. When I saw this recipe from www.skinnytaste.com I knew I had to try it. I did increase the amount of onion and cilantro since I love both of those ingredients. We had this with Steak Quesedillas.

serves 10 ( makes 5 c. 1/2 c. = 2 points)

• 1 cucumber, seeded and chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 2 avocados, peeled and chopped
• 1 can ( 15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 c. red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• juice of two limes
• salt and pepper to taste

Carefully stir together all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chunk Cookies

from "Cooking Light" magazine

Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chunk Cookies: makes 25 ( 2 points)

1 c. flaked sweetened coconut, toasted
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 c. packed brown sugar
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
2 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Arrange coconut in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes or until lightly toasted, turning once. Set aside to cool.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
Place sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat on medium speed. Beat in vanilla and egg. Add flour mixture, beating until just combined. Stir in toasted coconut and chocolate.
Drop by level tablespoonful onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes or until bottoms of cookies just begin to brown. Remove from cookie sheets to wire racks to cool completely.

Asparagus Risotto

Asparagus Risotto: serves 8-10 or 16-20 ( 1 c = 4 points or 1/2 c. = 2 points)

1 lb. asparagus, cut into 1" pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 c. Arborio rice
1 c. white cooking wine
4 c. FF chicken broth
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 T. grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp. sage
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot sprayed with cooking spray, cook onion, garlic and rice for 4 minutes. Add wine and broth. Increase heat to high and bring to a good boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 10-15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Add asparagus and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in cheese, lemon peel, sage, salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Pico de Gallo with Avocado

I love making pico de gallo in the summer with fresh veggies from the garden. I added avocado to this batch for the added color and healthy fat. If you would like this recipe to be zero points, omit the avocado.

serves 4 ( 2 points)

3-4 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1 medium avocado, peeled and diced

1/4 c. fresh cilantro, chopped

juice from 1 lime

salt to taste

Lemon Snowflake Cookies

This year, I decided to grow some herbs. I grew lemon balm because it smells so good. However, after it started growing I wondered what to do with it! I found this recipe for Lemon Snowflake Cookies that uses lemon balm in the icing!

This recipe is adapted from a Gooseberry Patch cookbook called "For Bees & Me". It is a neat book with all kinds of recipes for how to use up that summer produce and herbs.

If you would like some lemon balm, let me know!

Lemon Snowflakes: makes 48 cookies ( 2 points each)

1 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. cornstarch

1-1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. pecans, finely chopped

Icing:

1 c. powdered sugar

2 T. light stick butter, melted

3-4 lemon balm leaves, finely chopped

fresh lemon juice to achieve desired consistency

Beat butter and sugar until well mixed. Sift together the flour and cornstarch. Gradually add to the butter mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Shape dough into 48 small balls. Scatter finely chopped pecans on a sheet of waxed paper. Drop each ball of dough on nuts and flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in flour. Place nut side up on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 13 minutes. Cool completely.

For icing, whisk all ingredients together to achieve spreading consistency.

Swirl on top of each cookie. Let set before serving.

Fiesta Salad

from Taste of Home's "Healthy Cooking"

Fiesta Salad was a nice accompaniment to chicken tacos.

Fiesta Salad: serves 4 ( 2 points)

2-1/4 c. torn Romaine lettuce
3/4 c. frozen corn, thawed
1/3 c. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tomato, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1/3 c. salsa
2 T. FF sour cream
2 T. light Ranch dressing

In a salad bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour over salad and toss to coat.

Chocolate Truffle-Top Sugar Cookies

Chocolate Truffle-Top Sugar Cookies: serves 24 ( 2 points)

1 c. flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 c. butter, softened ( 1/2 stick)
2/3 c. sugar
1 egg white
1-1/4 tsp. vanilla, divided
1 c. powdered sugar, sifted
1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1-2 T. skim milk
1 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Whisk flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the sugar, beating until well blended. ADd the egg white and 1 tsp. vanilla, beating well. add the flour mixture, stirring until well blended.
Turn dough onto wax paper; shape into a 6" log. Wrap log in wax paper and freeze for 2-3 hours or until very firm.
Preheat oven to 350 and spray 2 cookie sheets with nonstick spray. Cut log into twenty-four 1/4" slices. Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
Whisk powdered sugar and cocoa in a bowl. Add the remaining 1/4 tsp. vanilla and milk to make spreading consistency. Whisk until smooth.
Frost cookies to within 1/4" of edges.
Place bittersweet chocolate in a separate heavy duty ziplock baggie. Microwave for 1 minute. Knead the bag until chocolate is smooth. Snip a tiny hole in the corner of bag and drizzle chocolate over cookies so that they resemble truffles.

Anthony's Guacamole

Anthony's guacamole: serves 4 ( 2 points)

1 avocado, peeled and pitted
2 T. red onion, finely chopped
1 T. fresh lime juice
hot pepper sauce
2 T. fresh cilantro
1/2 jalepeno pepper, seeded and chopped
salt to taste

Mash the avocado until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until blended.

Chili Spiced Thick Oven Fries

Chili Spiced Thick Oven Fries: serves 4 ( 2 points)

3 large ( 8 oz) russet potatoes ( I used Yukon gold)
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 and spray a large baking sheet with cookie sheet.
Halve potatoes lengthwise and cut each half into 4 slices. Place on baking sheet, drizzle with oil and toss to coat.
Bake 15 minutes, turn and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until tender on the inside and crisp on the outside.
In a large bowl, combine the spices. Add potatoes and toss to coat.

Berry and Yogurt Phyllo Nest

from Taste of Home's "Healthy Cooking"

Berry and Yogurt Phyllo Nests: serves 6 ( 1 = 2 points or 2 = 3 points)

6 sheets phyllo dough

butter flavored cooking spray

2-1/2 tsp. sugar, divided

1/3 c. nonfat vanilla yogurt- such as Dannon Light and Fit

1 tsp. grated orange peel

1 tsp. orange juice

1/2 c. sliced strawberries

1/2 c. raspberries

1/2 c. blueberries

Place one sheet of phyllo on a work surface. Spray with cooking spray. Top with another sheet and spray with cooking spray. Cut into 6 squares.Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray and place one square ( 2 layer of phyllo) in each muffin cup. Repeat procedure with the next two sheets of phyllo, but when you put them in the muffin cups, turn so that the tips are alternated. Repeat with remaining 2 sheets of phyllo. You should end up with 3 squares of 2 layers each of phyllo in each muffin cup. Sprinkle each cup with 1/4 tsp. sugar and spray with cooking spray.Bake at 375 for 6-8 minutes or until golden. Cool completely.

Stir together yogurt, orange peel, orange juice and remaining 1 tsp. sugar. Spoon evenly into cups and top with berries.

Venezuelan Black Beans

adapted from "Cooking Light" magazine

Venezuelan Black Beans: serves 6 ( 2/3 c = 2 points)

1 T. canola oil

1 c. chopped onion

3/4 c. finely chopped sweet red bell pepper

1/2 tsp. brown sugar

1-1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 tsp. cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1 c. water

2 ( 15 oz.) cans black beans, undrained

1 tsp. white wine vinegar

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven. Add onion and bell pepper. Cook 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in brown sugar, garlic, salt, pepper and cumin. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 c. water and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring, frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in vinegar. Serve over rice if desired.

Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a recipe from the "Backyard Entertaining" cookbook.

makes 72 ( 2 points)

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 c. flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2/3 c. quick cooking oats

1/2 c. flaked coconut

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Coating:

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tsp. shortening

Heat oven to 375 and spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. Place sheets of foil on countertops for cooling cookies.

For cookies, beat butter with sugars, vanilla and eggs.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.

Drop by small spoonfuls onto baking sheets and bake 9-11 minutes or until light brown. Do not overbake. Cool on cookie sheets for 2 minutes. Remove to foil to cool completely.

Melt remaining chocolate chips with shortening in a small saucepan. Place a dab of chocolate in the center of each cookie or drizzle chocolate over each cookie.

BLT Bread Salad

BLT Bread Salad: serves 4 ( 2 points)

3 c. cubed French bread

1 T. water

1 T. white vinegar

1 T. FF Miracle Whip

1-1/4 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. olive oil

2 c. torn lettuce ( I use more)

2 large tomatoes, diced

2 T. reduced fat bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 T. green onion,

Place sliced bread cubes on cookie sheet. Spray with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden.

For dressing, whisk together next 5 ingredients.

In a large salad bowl, combine remaining ingredients with bread. Drizzle with dressing. Toss to coat.

Layered Mediterranean Salad

from "Weight Watcher's" magazine

Layered Mediterranean Salad: serves 6 (2 points)

Dressing:
1 c. Weight Watcher's plain nonfat yogurt
1 T. green onion, chopped
1/2 c. English cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 tsp. fresh minced garlic
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
pepper to taste

Salad:
1 c. sweet red pepper, cut in strips
5 c. chopped Romaine lettuce
1 c. Garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. red onion, sliced
1 c. English cucumber, peeled, seeded, cut in half and then sliced
1 c. grape tomatoes, halved

Garnish:
1 oz. Feta reduced fat cheese, crumbled
8 Kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
pepper to taste

Make dressing by combining all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate. Allow ingredients to set for at least 30 minutes.

Layer salad ingredients in a large glass serving bowl. Kist before serving add the dressing. Garnish with feta, olives and black pepper.

Peanut Butter Bon Bons

A recipe from my Mother-in-law. She makes these every year for Christmas

Peanut Butter Bon Bons: Makes 72 ( 2 points)

2 c. reduced fat peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
3 c. Rice Krispies

Blend peanut butter and butter until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar. Add Rice Krispies and mix by hand. Mixture will be kind of dry. You have to squish it to make it stick together.
Place on cookie sheets lined with wax paper and freeze for at least one hour.

Melt:
1 c. chocolate chips
8 oz. Hershey's Dark Chocolate Bars
1/2 bar parafin wax.

Insert a toothpick into frozen balls. Dip in melted chocolate. Place on wax paper to harden. Store in the refrigerator.

We made ours a bit bigger so we did not get 72.

Vegetable Barley

This is an awesome recipe from Taste of Home's "Healthy Cooking"

Vegetable Barley: serves 4 ( 3/4 c = 2 points)

2-2/3 c. water

1/2 c. barley

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. fresh snow peas

1 small sweet red pepper, chopped

1 T. canola oil

4 green onions, thinly sliced

2 T. lemon juice

1 tsp. grated lemon peel

salt to taste

In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Stir in barley and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 40-50 minutes or until tender and water is absorbed.In a nonstick skillet, saute the peas, onion and pepper in oil for 4-5 minutes. Stir vegetables into the barley mixture with lemon juice, lemon peel and salt to taste.

Cinnamon Spiced Bananas

from Taste of Home's "Healthy Cooking"

Cinnamon Spiced Bananas: serves 6 ( 2 points)

3 large bananas, sliced
1 T. brown sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 T. butter
Breyers FF creamy vanilla ice-cream

Place bananas in a microwave safe bowl. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. Drizzle with vanilla. Dot with butter. Cover with a paper towel. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes or until sugar is melted, stirring once. Divide between 6 small dishes evenly. Top each with 1/2 c. Breyer's FF creamy ice-cream.

Banana Fritters

This recipe comes from Gina's WW recipes at www.skinnytaste.com

Banana Fritters: serves 6 ( 4 = 2 points)

3 medium very rip bananas

2 T. sugar

2 large eggs, scrambled

3 T. flour

1/2 tsp. vanilla

butter flavored cooking spray

cinnamon

1 tsp. powdered sugar

Mash bananas. Add sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla. Heat a large skillet on low flame. Spray with butter flavored cooking spray. Pour about 1 T. batter for each fritter. Cook until bubbles form and edges look dry. Flip and cook on the other side. When ready to serve, place 4 on a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon