Hey mommy what's for dinner?

Chicken in Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce

2014-11-18T20:24:00.001-08:00

So today was a draining day...just a lot going on and it was mentally draining...but I still worked out with P90 and made a really good dinner.

Speaking of dinner, my recipe tonight was thanks to Clean Eating Magazine...Chicken in Roasted Cashew Cream Sauce. Something great about a simple clean meal. You have to prepare for this one since you have to soak the cashews overnight to become soft. This has been on my menu for a few weeks but never got cooked since I kept forgetting to soak them.

Chicken in Roasted Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce
Serves 5
21 Day Fix Containers: 1R, 1G, 1B

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup raw unsalted cashews (6B)

Olive oil cooking spray

1 head garlic (whole) plus 2 cloves garlic, minced, divided

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp olive oil, divided (1 1/2 tsp)

5 5-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5R)

Pinch sea salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 large shallot, finely chopped

5 cups broccoli florets (5G)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place cashews in a bowl and cover with cold water. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut a 10-inch square of foil and mist with cooking spray. Slice 1⁄4-inch from top of head of garlic. Place cut side up on foil and wrap tightly. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour. Set aside to cool. (Or there's my cheater way since I HATE peeling whole cloves of garlic, I buy them already done and put them in my foil).

When garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze cloves out of peel into a blender; discard peels (or dump them like I did since they were already peeled). Drain cashews and add to blender along with lemon juice and 1 cup cold water. Begin blending on low speed, gradually increasing to high, until mixture is smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

In a large nonstick skillet on medium-high, heat 1 tsp oil. Season chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Cook, turning halfway, until browned on both sides and cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from skillet to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Heat remaining 1/2 tsp oil in skillet. Add shallot and broccoli (I quickly steamed my broccoli 1st, man I love steamer bags) and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until shallot is browned and softened. Add remaining minced garlic and sauté for 1 more minute. Remove to plate with chicken.

Add cashew mixture to same skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until warmed through and slightly thickened, about 1 minute (mine thickened a lot and I had to add more water to it). Serve over chicken and broccoli. Season with additional pepper.

Nutritional info according to MFP:
Calories: 345
Fat: 18
Carbs: 11
Fiber: 2
Protein: 35

VERDICT: Well 1 of my 3 kids liked the sauce and hubby and I like it. I will make it again...it really did do a nice job and add a good flavor. I was concerned but it worked. Make sure you have a good blender so it's not gritty, I have a vitamix and it worked perfect.

Baked Meatball Parmigiana~21 Day Fix Friendly

2014-11-18T15:10:00.001-08:00

Baked Meatball Parmigiana

Okay who doesn't like a little italian food...I LOVE it but it isn't always diet friendly.

So tonight's dinner is a treat...Meatballs (sure you may not be able to see those yummy meatballs in that sauce but they are there)! I even made a double batch of this and froze it for a friend who is having surgery soon so her family will have a yummy meal and she won't have to worry about it.

Baked Meatball Parmesan
Serves 9
21 day fix containers: 1R, 1B, 1/2P

1 lb extra lean ground beef (4R)
1 lb extra lean ground pork (4R)
4 cloves of garlic
chopped parsley
1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (I make my own) (2Y)
3/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese (3B)
2 eggs (1R)
sea salt & pepper to taste
5 cups organic marinara sauce (5P)
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese (6B)

Heat oven to 400
In a large mixing bowl mix meats, parsley, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese & eggs. Form into 2 oz meatballs (I got 18 out of the mix) and place in your baking dish (I used a 9x13 glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray). Bake for 20 minutes.

Lower heat to 375

Pour your marinara sauce over the meatballs and add your mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake for another 20 minutes.

Uncover and continue baking for another 20 minutes until the cheese is nice and melted and bubbly (you can also broil for a few if you want).

Serve with a side of pasta (or in my case zoodles) and a nice salad...my family loved garlic bread also.

Verdict: AMAZING!!! who says italian food can't be diet friendly

Enjoy your family time and make an extra batch for the freezer for when you don't want to cook again

2014-11-11T19:32:00.000-08:00

Steak with Red Wine Reduction Sauce

Serves 4
21 DF Containers: 1R, 1tsp, 1/4Y

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil (3tsp)

2 (8-ounce) top sirloin steaks, trimmed (4R)

3/8 teaspoon sea salt, divided

3/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

3 tablespoons minced shallots

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1/2 cup full-bodied red wine (I used a red blend) (1Y treat)

1/2 cup unsalted beef stock

1 1/2 teaspoons organic butter (1 1/2tsp)

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Sprinkle steaks evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add steaks to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired temp (we like a nice medium rare and remember it will still cook while it rests). Remove steaks from pan. Let stand 5 minutes.

2. Reduce heat to medium-high. Add shallots and thyme to pan; sauté 1 minute or until lightly browned. Add wine; cook 2 1/2 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates. Add stock; cook 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half and mixture is slightly thickened. Remove pan from heat. Add remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, butter, and mustard; stir with a whisk.

3. Cut steak across the grain into thin slices; serve with sauce.

I served this with potatoes that I seasoned with a little olive oil and garlic herb and roasted and also some roasted asparagus. This came out perfect and tasted so yummy. Make sure to trim your steaks of all visible fat to keep it healthy. My family ate this up as usual when I serve steak and potatoes (we will do it a few times a month but that's it usually)...never any leftovers at this house.

Balsamic Fig Pork Tenderloin

2014-11-08T16:24:00.002-08:00

Balsamic Fig Pork Tenderloin

So tonight's dinner is complements of Skinnytaste.com and saying that I really didn't have to do any changing of the recipe except for how many it served.

Fig Balsamic Pork Tenderloin
Servings: 8
21 Day Fix Containers: 1R

Ingredients:

2 1/4 lb pork tenderloins (9R)
sea salt, to taste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Trader Joe's fig butter
parsley for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375

Season the pork with salt and garlic powder and put on a baking sheet.

Mix the balsamic vinegar and the fig butter in a bowl. Nicely brush the pork with all the mixture.

Roast in the oven for about 25 - 30 minutes or until the internal temp is 145.

Let it rest for 10 - 15 minutes before slicing (don't want to lose any of that wonderful juices now do you...)

Sprinkle with parsley if desired

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole

2014-11-06T07:28:00.001-08:00

Unstuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole

Serves 6
21 Day Fix Containers: 1 1/2R, 1Y, 1/2G, 1/2P, 1/2B

Ingredients

1 lbs. extra lean ground beef (4R)
1.25 lb of lean ground turkey (5R)
Sea salt and pepper
1 cup whole grain brown rice, uncooked (6Y)
4 cups roughly chopped cabbage (4G)
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce (1P)
2 cups of water
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained (1.5P)
1 cup shredded cheese of choice (4B)

Instructions

Season and brown ground beef and turkey. Drain off any grease you may have (I usually rinse under warm water to get all the fat off).
Add rice, cabbage, tomato sauce, 2 cups of water and diced tomatoes with all the juices. Stir.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and cover to simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes or until rice is done and cabbage is soft (please do not lift lid before 20 minutes is up or else you let all the steam out and the rice needs it to cook properly)
Once cooked, top with cheese and cover with lid to melt a few minutes.

The Verdict: everyone but my daughter liked this, it was filling, large portions and hey only 1 pot to clean up...If you want more of a cheesy yummy goodness and want to use a full B container then up the cheese to 1 1/2 cups...SCORE

Chicken & Asparagus Lemon Stir Fry

2014-11-02T15:52:00.000-08:00

So tonight for dinner is Chicken & Asparagus Lemon Stir Fry. I have adapted this to make it more 21 Day Fix friendly from Skinnytaste.com. With a few simple changes in ingredients this has become a fix friendly meal that everyone will love.

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Chicken & Asparagus Lemon Stir Fry
Serves 6
Fix containers (1R, 1/2G, 1/2tsp)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes (6R)
Sea Salt, to taste
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or Tamar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1 tbsp olive oil, divided (3tsp)
30 asparagus spears, cut into 2-inch pieces (3G)
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
fresh black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Season chopped up chicken with salt. In a small bowl combine chicken broth & soy sauce. In another small bowl combine cornstarch and water and mix well.

Heat a large wok or pan to medium high heat, add 1 tsp of olive oil, saute asparagus until tender crisp. Add in the garlic and ginger and saute until golden brown. Set aside.

In the same pan, increase the heat to high and add in the remaining olive oil. Add in chicken and cook until it's golden brown and cooked all the way through. Set aside.

Add the soy sauce mixture; bring to a boil and cook about 1-1/2 minutes. Add lemon juice and cornstarch mixture (you will have to stir this in the small bowl again to mix up the cornstarch again) and stir well, when it simmers return the chicken and asparagus to the wok and mix well, remove from heat and serve.

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This really was an easy meal to cook and came together fast (and if you are a busy mom like me you need fast meals). I served this simple stir fry with some brown rice & a salad on the side.

Verdict: everyone loved it and asked for me to make it again...SCORE!

So if anyone is interested in a simple way to portion control and lose weight without counting calories, points or anything else leave a message...I would love to tell you about an amazing program I am doing called 21 Day Fix by Beachbody.com...it has helped me lose 3lbs and 8% body fat in 1 month!

Malibu Chicken Bundles

2012-03-07T21:59:00.003-08:00

So tonight for dinner was another good recipe from the Comfort Food Diet Cookbook with a few of my own modifications...The family loved this so much we forgot to take a photo so I "borrowed" the photo from the Taste of Home's website where I am also noting the original recipe. So here is my altered version of this recipe.

Malibu Chicken Bundles
Serves 5

5 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
5 tbsp Dijon mustard, divided (original recipe called for honey dijon)
5 thin slices deli ham
5 slices part skim mozzarella cheese (original recipe called for swiss)
1/2 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, well drained
1/2 cups panko (Japanese) bread crumbs (original called for 1.5 cups)
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (original didn't call for this)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
SAUCE:
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/4 cup fat free sour cream (original called for low fat)
1/8 teaspoon dried tarragon

Flatten chicken breasts to 1/4-in. thickness (or do what I do and just buy thin cut breasts). Spread 1 tablespoon mustard over each; layer with ham, cheese and pineapple. Fold chicken over pineapple; secure with toothpicks. Brush bundles with remaining mustard.

In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Roll bundles in bread crumb mixture; place in an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170°. Discard toothpicks.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Serve with chicken.

VERDICT: Very refreshing and elegant...you can even serve this to dinner guest and they would love it. I will be making this again. I served this with roasted yukon gold potatoes and asparagus cup on and tossed with olive oil & lots of seasoning!

Calories: 330
Fat: 9
Carbs: 18
Fiber: 2
Protein: 40
WW Points Plus: 8

NOTE: the original recipe had higher stats. This is based off on the ingredients I used and the substitutes I used.

Turkey Burgers with Feta & Pesto

2012-03-07T11:03:00.000-08:00

So a few months ago I was having the girls over for dinner...I decided to make burgers for everyone and they were a hit...I pulled the recipe out of my binder last week and forgot how yummy they were...I didn't even get a photo in because they were gone so fast.

Turkey Burgers with Pesto & Feta
Serves 6
WW points 8

1 1/2 lb lean ground turkey
2 tbsp pesto
1/2 cup reduced fat feta
1/2 cup italian bread crumbs

Mix all the ingredients in and grill (or bake). These burgers make about 5 oz patties and they are so flavorful and moist.

VERDICT: what can I say, they were gone in a flash and a nice change from normal burgers. I made a pesto mayo to go with it (mix mayo and pesto) and served with burger fixings.

Enjoy

Fun with Cinnamon Rolls

2012-03-04T08:34:00.001-08:00

So thanks to Pintrest.com I saw this idea and wanted to try it...so much fun, easy and the kids loved it.

You take a thing of ready to bake cinnamon rolls (I love the Trader Joe's all natural ones), some cooking spray and your waffle iron. Spray your waffle iron and place your cinnamon rolls on the hot griddle and press down and cook...

Ta da!!! Cinnamon Roll Waffles...yummy

Drizzle with icing and enjoy!

Oh and here's something I did for valentine's day (also thanks to pintrest) with the same cinnamon rolls...

unroll half of them and roll back up in a pinwheel style and pinch the bottoms to shape like a heart...

there you have it...heart shaped cinnamon rolls perfect for Valentine's day!

Sticky Sesame Chicken & Fried Brown Rice

2012-02-26T18:45:00.000-08:00

There is nothing better than sweet yummy chicken (or as my daughter called it tonight sweet, yummy sticky chicken). I served it with a homemade fried rice and roasted asparagus...This whole meal was a total of 11 points.

Sticky Sesame Chicken
Serves 5

2 lbs chicken tenderloins (or chicken breast)
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce (I used soy vay)
1/4 cup bbq sauce (I used Trader Joe's)
2.5 tbsp honey
sesame seeds

1) Preheat oven to 375 and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (saves on cleanup).
2) Place chicken in a bowl. Add teriyaki sauce, bbq sauce & honey and mix well.
3) Place chicken tenderloins on baking sheet with tongs.
4) Bake for 25 minutes.
5) Remove from oven and turn over...baste with more sauce if you like and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
6) Bake an additional 10 minutes or until chicken is done!

Calories: 232
Fat: 1
Carbs: 18
Fiber: 0
Protein: 36
WW Points Plus: 5

Fried Rice
Serves 6 (1/2 cup each)

3 cups cooked brown rice
3/4 tsp salt (may want to omit if you are using regular soy sauce)
3/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp ground ginger
2 cups frozen mixed veggies
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
4 eggs, beaten

1) Heat a large pan that is sprayed with cooking spray
2) Add eggs and scramble
3) add in veggies & seasoning and sautee for about 5 minutes
4) add in rice and soy sauce and cook until heated through

Calories: 182
Fat: 4
Carbs: 28
Fiber: 2
Protein: 8
WW Points Plus: 5

VERDICT: the 1st words out of the kids mouths was "oh boy fried rice"! They loved it and I served it with some roasted asparagus that I just tossed with some olive oil and Morton's Seasoning Salt and threw them in on another rack with the chicken...I want to try the check next time with either chicken legs or drumettes...and lots of napkins

Beef & Cabbage Casserole~7 PP+

2012-02-20T19:49:00.000-08:00

So tonight we had my version of deconstructed cabbage rolls...Beef & Cabbage Casserole and it's only a total of 7 points. This was really good and my kids loved it and there is enough for lunch tomorrow for hubby & I...can you say bonus!

Beef, Rice & Cabbage Casserole
Serves 8

1 lb extra lean ground beef
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, diced
3 minced garlic cloves
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp regular paprika
S&P to taste
1 large head of cabbage, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 large can tomato sauce
2 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups 2% mozzarella cheese

preheat oven to 350 and spray a baking dish with cooking spray.

saute onions & ground beef until cooked. Spoon into a bowl and place aside. In same pan add 1 tsp olive oil and heat, add in garlic and saute a few minutes. Add in thyme & paprika and cook a few minutes longer. Add in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce & beef mixture. Simmer until slightly thickened. Put meat mixture in the bowl again and set aside.

Rinse out pan and place back on stove. Add in remaining olive oil and then cabbage and S&P. Saute cabbage until wilted.

In sprayed baking dish put cabbage on the bottom, add 2 cups of of rice then the meat mixture on top of that. Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes.

Uncover and add cheese and cook until cheese is melted.

Calories: 257
Fat: 10
Carbs: 19
Fiber: 2
Protein: 23
WW PP+ 7

Verdict: Yummy and big servings with enough left over for lunch. Also if you only use 1 cup of cheese it drops the points to 6 and if you hold out the cheese all around it brings it down to 5 points
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Chicken & Mushroom in a White Wine Sauce

2012-02-15T19:16:00.000-08:00

So tonight's dinner was one that everyone loved, cleaned their plate and asked for more...that sounds like a seal of approval to me!

Chicken & Mushroom in

a White Wine Sauce
Serves 5

1 1/2 lbs chicken breast (cut into strips)
3 tsp butter
3 tsp olive oil
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced (or is you are like me just a scoop)
12 oz sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp white wine
1/2 cup organic fat free chicken broth
S&P
Chopped fresh parsley (I actually use the freeze dried stuff)

Season Chicken to your own liking...heat a large pan and add in 1/2 of the butter and 1/2 of the olive oil. Add sliced chicken breast and cook until no longer pink. Transfer to a plate and keep warm.

Add remaining butter and olive oil to pan and add garlic. Cook a few minutes till the garlic is cooked. Add in mushrooms & S&P and cook for about 5 minutes. Add in white wine & chicken broth and simmer until the mushrooms are cooked and broth is reduced.

Add back in chicken and heat a few more minutes...sprinkle with parsley and serve while hot.

Calories: 180
Fat: 7
Carbs: 1
Fiber: 0
Protein: 28
Weight Watchers Points Plus: 4

VERDICT: like I said everyone loved the chicken and even asked for 2nds...I will be doing this again. I served this with high fiber butter noodles & steamed broccoli & cauliflower for a dinner that was worth a total of 7 points...can't beat that now can you.
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Shrimp & Asparagus in a Garlic Herb Cream Sauce

2012-02-13T20:49:00.000-08:00

I love shrimp & asparagus and if it comes with a creamy sauce...Oh Baby!!!

Tonight for dinner was sweet shrimp, crisp asparagus & pasta in a garlic herb cream sauce...YUMMY! My family loves shrimp and since it's low in calories I usually add more than the original recipe calls for so adjust as you wish...

Shrimp & Asparagus with Pasta
in a Garlic Cream Sauce
Serves 6

12 oz thin spaghetti (I used Ronzoni's Garden Pasta)
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp Garlic Herb Alouette (try to find light)
2 lbs shrimp, peeled & cleaned
3 cups asparagus, lightly steamed (I used a steamer bag)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup fresh basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water. Drain pasta and stir in Alouette then stir in basil, S&P

When pasta is cooking heat oil in a large skillet and add garlic, sautee for about 1 minutes but don't let garlic burn. Add in shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes. Add in broth and asparagus and heat for a few minutes and then turn off till pasta is ready.

Combine the shrimp mixture & pasta mixture and serve.

Serves 6
WW points plus: 10
Calories: 406
Fat: 10
Carbs: 41
Fiber: 4
Protein: 41

VERDICT: this was really good and your points may change is you use whole wheat/high fiber pasta and light alouette (I couldn't find it).
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Slow Cooker Tuesday: Shredded Korean Beef Tacos

2012-02-07T19:40:00.000-08:00

So there is nothing I love more than a walking into my house after work to a wonderful smelling home!!! Today was no exception...it's Crock Pot Tuesday and today we went for Taco Tuesday...

Korean Beef Tacos
Serves 10+

3-4 lb chuck roast (trimmed of all visible fat)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
lots of garlic
1/2 onion, diced
fresh ginger root
2 tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil

In a large crockpot cover it with a Reynolds Crock Pot Liner (makes for super easy clean up) and place your roast in it. Add the remaining ingredients on top and cook on low for about 8 to 10 hours depending on your cooker.

Shred the beef with 2 forks and serve with fixings..I used flour tortillas & cabbage

VERDICT: everyone was asking for me to make this again but it won't be an every day thing as it's high in points for me. It's sweet and stands along on it's own without the need for extra fixings...

Nutritional info (based on my ingredients)Calories: 430
Fat: 14
Carbs: 2
Protein: 61
Fiber: 0
Weight Watcher's PP: 9 (not including your fixings)

Simple & Point Friendly Pizza

2012-02-01T20:01:00.000-08:00

So do you love pizza but hate how many points just 1 slice is. Does everyone in your house want a different type of pizza, someone doesn't like mushrooms, someone wants plain cheese, someone wants vegetarian...well the solution in our house is Tortilla Pizzas...it's not only fast and easy it's point friendly and flexible.

Here are some of our favorite stuff to put on tortilla pizzas...

Flat Out Wraps (3 points)
Smart & Delicious Low Carb Tortillas (2 points)

Olives
Mushrooms
Boar's Head Pepperoni (1oz = 4 points)
Trader Joe's Pizza Sauce (1/4 cup = 1 point)
Artichoke Hearts (free) (these were marinated ones that were 1/3 cup = 3 points)
Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese (1/4 cup = 3 points)

So as you can see you can get what you want and stay low in points. On my pizza I had a Smart & Delicious tortilla, 1/4 cup pizza sauce, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, olives, mushrooms, 1/2 a servings of artichoke hearts & 1/2 oz of pepperoni all for a total of 10 points and 1 pizza filled me up.

The tortilla turns out very similar to the skinny crust pizza that is out there and you get a lot more food and not feeling guilty if you eat the whole thing and everyone is happy in the house. So next time you want pizza but don't want all the points try a tortilla pizza and experiment with all the stuff you can put on it but just remember to count your points.
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Vegetable Soup- 5 points

2012-02-01T19:32:00.000-08:00

So what do you do when you have a lot of veggies and the weather is turning cold...you make vegetable soup...this was a quick throw together and very filling and yummy!

Vegetable Soup
Serves 6 large servings
5 WW points plus

1/4 cup olive oil
3+ crushed garlic cloves
9oz of diced zucchini (about 3)
8oz diced carrots (about 3)
8oz diced leeks (about 1)
6oz diced celery (about 2)
6oz green beans cut in bite size pieces
4 cups organic vegetable broth
1 large can crushed tomatoes
S&P
3oz whole wheat macarroni

In a large pot add olive oil, garlic, zucchini, carrots, leeks & celery and cook for about 15 minutes.

Add in broth, tomatoes & zucchini and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add in the pasta and the S&P to taste and let sit for 10 minutes.

This is so good and you can add what you want or what you have on hand. It's yummy and filling.
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Asian Vegetable Pasta & Snow Peas w/ Mushrooms

2012-01-29T19:21:00.000-08:00

So tonight you get 2 recipes...Oh yummy...for dinner was Asian Vegetable Pasta (found the recipe in the Comfort Food Diet cookbook, not sure why it's called asian but I think it's more thai to me), grilled chicken tenderloins & snow peas & mushrooms (a recipe I found a while ago on allrecipes.com). The kids loved it and it was a large servings. Lots of veggies and nothing like a peanut noodles...YUMMY!!!

Asian Vegetable Pasta
Serves 5

Ingredients:8 oz high fiber pasta (I love Trader Joe's high fiber pasta)
1 lb fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
3/4 cup julienned carrots (I used my mandolin slicer and got my finger, be careful)
1/3 cup reduced fat peanut butter
3 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
3 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar

Directions:
In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 4 minutes, add asparagus; cook for 2 minutes. Stir in carrots; cook for 1 minute or until pasta is tender. Drain and keep warm.

In a small saucepan, combine the peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour over pasta mixture; toss to coat.

Nutritional Information:Calories: 313
Fat: 9
Carbs: 47
Protein: 12
Fiber: 6
WW Points Plus: 8
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Snow Peas w/Mushrooms
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 TBSP sesame seeds

2 Tsp sesame oil9 oz snow peas
10 oz fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 tsp teriyaki sauce

Directions:
In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the sesame seeds about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Heat oil in the skillet over medium high heat. Stir in snow peas and mushrooms, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until tender.

Transfer snow peas and mushrooms to a medium bowl. Toss with sesame seeds and teriyaki sauce, and serve warm.

Nutritional Info:
Calories: 93
Fat: 3
Carbs: 11
Protein: 5
Fiber: 3
WW Points Plus: 2

Verdict~ Okay what kid doesn't like peanut butter and pasta. This was so good and the snow peas side dish is a recipe I found a while ago and my family just loves it and it makes ordinary veggies much more interesting.

NOTE: I have a spreadsheet I have created to calculate my nutritional informaion based on the ingredients I use and so far it has matched up points wise with my e-Tools.
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It's Crockpot Tuesday...Beef & Spinach Pasta 8 points

2012-01-24T19:43:00.000-08:00

Okay so life is about to get really crazy for me. Today I started school again (accounting major) and I told my husband I have dubbed Tuesday to be crockpot day for a while. You see I now get off work at 4:00 (I leave work in the middle of the day to go to class and then go back to work) and by the time I get all the 3 from school/after school care and get home it's almost 5:00 and my son has to be at boy scouts by 7:00 so dinner has to be done by 6:00 at the latest (don't forget about homework and what not). So to make my life easier I am going to be using my crockpot at least once a week now...So here is what we did today...

Beef & Spinach Noodle Bake (in the crockpot)
Serves 9

1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef (I used 7%)
1 diced up onion
1 clove of garlic (I used a lot more since we like garlic)
1 15oz can of tomato sauce (next time I will use 2 cans)
1 can petite diced tomatoes (you can use regular diced, I like petite)
1 tbsp italian seasoning
S&P
10 oz frozen spinach, defrosted
16 oz shape pasta of choice (I used the Trader Joe's High Fiber penne I had in the pantry)
1/3 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cup 2% shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
In the morning cook your ground beef with your onions and garlic. Put the mixture in your crockpot (don't forget your Reynolds Slow Cooker Liner they are a lifesaver and my friend and save me lots of scrubbing, no this is not a paid advertisement LOL) with your tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and seasonings. Cook on low for 6 hours (I use my x-mas light timer for my crockpot as I am usually gone for more than 6 hours and I don't want to overcook).

45 minutes prior to dinner cook your pasta (or if you are me cook it in the morning, drain and keep it in the pot until you are ready to add it and then just re-run it under water to separate).

30 minutes prior to dinner being done add in your drained spinach (remember to squeeze it dry really well, a old rag does wonders with this step) pasta and cheese. Cook for 30 minutes more and serve hot.

VERDICT: Now i have never done this in the slow cooker, it is a basic throw together I have done in the oven but I like it this way...next time I will change a few things...1) I will add another can of tomato sauce as it was a little bit dry with all that pasta and adding a can of sauce bumps it only up from 7.4 to 7.7 and 2) I will maybe decrease the pasta to 12oz or so...these were really big servings but my family is not complaining.

Calories: 372
Fat: 10
Fiber: 6
Weight Watchers Momentum Points: 7.5 (or 8 if you round)

Dreaming of Lemon Chicken...

2012-01-23T21:00:00.000-08:00

So I love lemon chicken but I hate that when you order it from a Chinese restaurant it's deep fried and loaded with greasy calories and I usually end up with a total stomach ache because I ate all that plus fried rice.

So here's a good sub for that greasy craving.

Stir Fry Lemon Chicken
Serves 6

2 lbs chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
3 cups snow peas
1 cup bell peppers, sliced
1 bundle of green onions, diced
3/4 cup fat free reduced sodium chicken broth
2 lemons
4 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp pepper

zest lemon and save 1 tsp for later (I used a little more)
juice lemons, mix in broth, soy sauce, pepper & cornstarch, mix and set aside
spray a large skillet with cooking spray and sautee chicken until done. Transfer to a plate
respray skillet, add in bell peppers & sliced carrots and saute for about 5 minutes (I usually add a little bit of water to steam/saute)
add snow peas, green onions, zest and garlic and saute a few more minutes until you can smell that lovely sell.
re-mix the sauce and add into the veggies until sauce thickens.
add chicken and rewarm and cook until done. Serve with rice

VERDICT: this was good, my family loved it and it had a nice little tang to it. There is quite a bit of prep for this but once it's all done putting it all together is easy. I served this with rice that I added a bunch of herbs to and a little bit of butter in my rice cooker and roasted asparagus (add extra points of course)...

Calories: 214
Fat: 2
Fiber: 3
Momentum Points: 4

Chicken & Spinach Roll Up Parmesan Style

2012-01-19T07:04:00.000-08:00

So my family loves chicken parmesan and they love stuffed chicken breasts so what do you get when you put them together...yummy goodness.

Chicken & Spinach Roll Ups
Parmesan Style
Serves 9

9 chicken cutlets, pounded thin
salt & pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 eggs or egg beaters
10 oz frozen spinach, squeezed dry
1/2 cup fat free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup part skim mozzarella cheese
Olive Oil spray (I use my Misto)
1 small jar of pasta sauce
4 slices of mozzarella cheese

Heat oven to 450 and lightly spray a baking dish. Wash, dry and season chicken cutlets with cooking spray.

In one dish beat the eggs. In another dish mix the bread crumbs and the parmesan cheese and set aside.

In a bowl mix the spinach, ricotta & mozzarella cheese.

Stuff each chicken breast with about 2 tbsp of spinach mixture, roll up and dip in egg then in the breadcrumb mixture. Place in baking dish seam side down.

Repeat with remaining chicken.

Spray the chicken with olive oil and bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes top with spaghetti sauce and bake for another 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Top with cheese and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Calories: 269
Fat: 7
Fiber: 1.5
Weight Watchers Momentum Points: 6

VERDICT: so yummy and everyone loved it. I even have lunch for tomorrow for hubby and myself. I served this with a side of pasta and sauteed green beans.

TIP: to really get your spinach squeezed dry wrap it in a old towel or rag and squeeze it out...no more lost spinach.

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Loaded Baked Potato Soup

2012-01-17T20:35:00.000-08:00

Today was the 1st real cold day we have had this winter...this morning it was 24 degrees outside and when my husband got home tonight it was a whopping 34 degrees. So how do you deal with it...warm soup...

So tonight it's yummy loaded baked potato soup with salad and bread...

Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Serves 6
1 1/2 cups per serving

2 lbs baked potatoes, cooked, peeled & roughly chopped
1 medium head of cauliflower
2 cups of fat free chicken broth
2 cups of milk (we used 1%)
salt & pepper (next time I will add more)
1 tbsp of xanthan gum
1 cup fat free sour cream, divided
6 tbsp of shredded cheddar cheese
6 tbsp chopped chives or green onions
3 slices of cooked & crumbled bacon

In a large pot with a steamer basket cook the cauliflower until soft. Drain cauliflower and put it back in the pot.

Add in the potatoes and chicken broth. Mash until smooth.

Add in milk, s&p, sour cream & xanthan gum (this thickens it up).

Blend until smooth and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Ladle into a bowl and top with cheese, bacon, chives sour cream.

VERDICT: the whole family loved this and the kids didn't even know there was cauliflower in there...I served this with a green salad & parmesan herb rolls from Trader Joe's

Momentum Points: 5
Calories: 277
Fat: 5
Fiber: 5
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Abundant Harvest Delivery...

2012-01-17T20:07:00.000-08:00

Ohhh look at all my yummy organic fruits & veggies I got delivered today from Abundant Harvest...

In this weeks delivery we had butternut squash, lettuce, spinach, red potatoes, turnips, apples, pomegranates, rainbow chard, spinach, dill, herbs de provence and I added on baby carrots!

All this wonderful organic stuff for under $25 for this box...you must check it out if you are a local!

Revamped WW friendly Coffee Creamer...Vanilla Toffee

2012-01-17T19:56:00.000-08:00

I love creamer in my coffee and for some reason to me sugar and cream just don't do it, I also don't like how many points it can add to my daily allowance.

I originally posted this recipe on my blog last year (click here for original post) but after a little bit of messing around today I came up with this yummy revamp. So here it is...Weight Watcher's friendly vanilla toffee creamer.

1/2 cup Fat Free Half & Half
1/2 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

3 tsp Pure Vanilla
1 dropper of Liquid Stevia (I did toffee flavor)
2 tbsp Honey
1/2 tsp Xanthan Gum

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend to a smooth consistency. Place the creamer in a container and put it in the fridge.

The combo of the half & half and xanthan gum make it nice and creamy in your coffee for more than half of the points of the store bought creamers.

Makes about 8 servings of 2 tbsp each
Calories: 28
Fat: .2
Fiber: .1
Momentum Points per serving: .6

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Dinner Tonight...Quick, Easy & Full of Flavor!!!

2012-01-09T21:18:00.000-08:00

So tonight's dinner was really flavorful and super easy...broiled chicken breast, rice & corn

Super easy...

Chicken breast sprinkled with a packet of Ranch and Mrs. Dash Garlic Herb Seasoning (5 points depending on size of the breast)

Rice cooked in a packet of herb seasoning (found this in my local health food store) and some butter (3 points per 1/2 cup)

Frozen Corn with Mrs. Dash (1 point)

Overall I was so surprised this was quick and easy and the chicken was so juicy. My kids ate it all up and even asked for more! With my rice I put it in my rice cooker before I went to the gym (didn't turn it on) and then when I got home I turned on the broiler, turned of the rice cooker and seasoned my chicken. By the time the rice was done the chicken was juicy and ready. The corn was frozen so I just popped it into the microwave...

VERDICT: I love super easy meals and this was one of them!!! My entire dinner was about 9 points.

Thai Anyone?

2012-01-07T20:37:00.000-08:00

So I was craving Pad Thai but most of all I was craving the peanut sauce but going out to dinner anywhere with my family is not exactly healthy or easy on the pocket book so I found this recipe and decided to try it. Peanut noodles have never tasted so good and boy did it hit the spot.

Peanut Noodles

3/4 lb spaghetti or linguine (I used TJ's High Fiber Spaghetti)
2 cups broccoli florets (I used frozen)
2 cups fresh sugar snap peas
1/2 cup reduced fat creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water + 1 Tablespoon
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp lime zest
1 green onion, diced
3/4 inch fresh ginger (I actually have a jar of this in my fridge)
2 tbsp brown sugar, lightly packed
1/8 to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts

Directions:
Cook pasta in until al dente, add in broccoli & peas until done (I actually removed my veggies when done so not to over cook). Drain and set aside.

Toast peanuts until fragrant, around 3 minutes. Set aside.

Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, scallion, ginger, sugar, and red pepper flakes in a blender. Puree until smooth. Taste for seasoning. Adjust accordingly.

In a large serving bowl, mix pasta with 3/4 cup peanut sauce, stirring thoroughly to combine. Top with veggies and pour remaining sauce over everything. Serve with roasted peanuts on top.

Serves 6 (1 cup pasta & veggies)
Weight Watchers Momentum Points: 9

VERDICT: Yep this hit the spot...You can add anything you want to this. Grilled chicken would be wonderful and I think I will cut back on the peanuts next time to save some points and I don't think the brown sugar did much for it (forgot to add it 1st)

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