Wicked Yummy

Lightened Up Three Cheese Bacon and Veggie Quiche

2012-05-29T10:10:00.000-04:00

Servings: 6

Serving Size: 1 slice

WW Points+: 3 Calories: 129.8 Total Fat: 5.4 g

This crust-less Quiche is full of flavor and protein but light on Points+ and Calories. Whole eggs and egg whites are combined with three different cheeses, plenty of spinach, fresh veggies and herbs, and lean bacon. It is perfect for breakfast or brunch and one slice is very filling. I lightened this version up by skipping the crust, using egg whites, and using fat free and reduced fat cheeses.

This quiche can be on your breakfast table in about 40 minutes as it only takes 25 minutes to bake. It reheats well so be sure to store the leftovers for later!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Cooking Spray
2 large Eggs
3 Large Egg Whites
10 oz Frozen Spinach, thawed and drained of all liquid
1/2 cup Yellow Onions, diced
1 large Bell Pepper, diced
6 slices Lean Center Cut Bacon, cooked (I used Oscar Mayer Fully Cooked Bacon)
1/2 cup (2 oz) Sargento Reduced Fat Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup Fat Free Ricotta Cheese
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp Fat Free Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
1 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
1 tsp Dried Basil
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray and set aside.

Spray a small skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Saute chopped Onions and Peppers until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Add Eggs and Egg Whites to a large mixing bowl and scramble lightly. Crumble cooked Bacon slices and add to the bowl. Add drained Spinach, Ricotta Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan Cheese, Parsley, Dried Basil, Salt and Pepper. Add in the cooked Onions and Peppers.

Mix all ingredients together and pour into the prepared pie plate. Smooth into an even layer.

Sprinkle the remaining 1 tbsp of Parmesan Cheese over the top. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until the center is set. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

Slice into 6 even pieces and serve with fresh fruit or whole wheat toast.

Enjoy!

Love, Monica

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Tex-Mex Turkey and Black Bean Burger

2012-05-25T11:30:00.000-04:00

Servings: 8

Serving Size: 1 Burger with 1/4 cup Corn and Avocado Salsa

WW Points+: 6 Calories: 204.2 Total Fat: 11.7 g

Ground turkey is combined with mashed black beans, salsa, herbs, and spices then topped with pepper jack cheese and my simple Corn and Avocado Salsa to create a juicy Tex-Mex style burger. At only 6 Points+ and barely over 200 calories, this burger will be perfect for any weekend cookouts.

I did not account for the roll in my nutrition facts and Points+ simply because the rolls I used are kind of hard to find. When my local grocery store has them, I buy the Country Kitchen Light Wheat Hamburger Rolls. They are only 2 Points+ per roll, which is less than even the sandwich thins that I otherwise use. Using this Country Kitchen brand roll, the nutrition facts are as follows:

WW Points+: 8 Calories: 284.2 Total Fat: 12.7

I used to be able to find these anywhere, but not so much anymore. If I couldn't find those, Stop and Shop sometimes has their own store brand light hamburger rolls. However, if you can't find either of these, you can use regular hamburger rolls (which are usually around 4 Points+), sandwich thins, pitas, or even regular bread. Just be sure to account for the extra calories and Points+ if you are tracking.

I also opted for cheese on this burger because cheeseburgers are infinitely better than hamburgers :) I used Sargento's Reduced Fat Pepper Jack Slices. They added another element of flavor and spice to this burger. But you could certainly use a reduced fat American or Cheddar (just keep it to 1 Point+ per slice).

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1.3 pounds 93% Lean Ground Turkey
1 can Black Beans, 15 oz
3 tbsp fresh Cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp Salsa
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
8 slices Reduced Fat Pepper Jack Cheese (I used Sargento)
8 Light Wheat Hamburger Buns (optional)

Corn and Avocado Salsa

1/2 medium Avocado, diced
1 cup Grape Tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup Corn Kernels
1 small Jalapeno, seeds and veins removed, finely chopped
2 tbsp Red Onion, minced
2 tbsp fresh Cilantro, chopped
Juice of half a Lime
Salt and Pepper to taste

Prepare the Corn and Avocado Salsa according to the directions found here. Store in the refrigerator until the burgers are ready.

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Spray with nonstick spray.

Drain and rinse the Black Beans. Add them to a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork.

Add Ground Turkey, Cilantro, Salsa, Cumin, Chili Powder, Garlic Powder, Salt, and Black Pepper. Mix well with your hands. Divide the mixture in half in the bowl and form each half into 4 patties. You will have 8 patties total.

Cook the burgers on the grill, about 4-5 minutes per side. When nearly done, add 1 slice of the Reduced Fat Pepper Jack Cheese to each patty. Let melt.

Remove from grill and place each patty onto a hamburger bun of your choice.

Top with the Corn and Avocado Salsa. You can also add any other condiments of your choice, just remember to account for any extra Points+. I added fat free sour cream to mine.

Serve hot with some tortilla chips and a little extra Corn and Avocado Salsa for extra Points+.

Enjoy!
Love, Monica

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Corn and Avocado Salsa

2012-05-24T11:00:00.000-04:00

Servings: 8

Serving Size: 1/4 cup

WW Points+: 1 Calories: 34.2 Total Fat: 2.3 g

This fresh tasting Corn and Avocado Salsa is very simple to make and is great as a snack or as a garnish for a meal. Fresh avocados, grape tomatoes, corn, red onions, and jalapenos are tossed with lime juice and cilantro to create a light and delicious chunky salsa.

Be sure to use avocados that are still firm--avocados that are too ripe will be too mushy for this salsa. I opted to use just lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper as a dressing to keep it light and simple and allow for the flavors of the vegetables to really stand out.

I actually used this as a topping for my Tex-Mex Turkey and Black Bean Burgers (recipe to come tomorrow!) but this is perfect as a dip with tortilla chips. You could also use this to top a salad or to put over grilled chicken. You can double or triple this for a party or cookout.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 medium Avocado, diced
1 cup Grape Tomatoes, quartered
1/4 cup Corn Kernels
1 small Jalapeno, seeds and veins removed, finely chopped
2 tbsp Red Onion, minced
2 tbsp fresh Cilantro, chopped
Juice of half a Lime
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, add Tomatoes, Red Onions, Jalapenos, and Cilantro.

Add Corn Kernels and diced Avocado. Squeeze the lime juice over the avocado and sprinkle with Salt and Pepper.

Gently toss all ingredients together and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve with tortilla chips or as a garnish for Mexican inspired dishes.

Enjoy!
Love, Monica

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Prosciutto Caprese Panini

2012-05-23T10:37:00.000-04:00

Servings: 1
Serving Size: 1 Panini
WW Points+: 7 Calories: 259.4 Total Fat: 8.1 g

I personally don't think that there is anything better than melty cheese and crusty bread. I would take that over a sweet any day. So, naturally, Panini are the perfect sandwiches for me...or a simple grilled cheese (yum!) This Panini basically combines a Caprese salad with thinly sliced prosciutto and whole wheat ciabatta. I was actually just planning on making a Caprese panini, but when I saw the prosciutto at the store, I figured it would be a nice addition. (If you would like to keep this vegetarian, omit the prosciutto and the nutrition values are:
WW Points+: 6 Calories: 229.4 Total Fat: 6.6 g.
Pulling out the "extra" bread after the ciabatta is sliced in half cuts out 2 Points+. I like doing this because it prevents there from being way to much bread for the sandwich and also lets you add more good stuff inside.

I do not have a panini press so I grilled the sandwich on a grill pan and put a small pan on top of it and weighed it down with a heavy canister. If you have a heavy pan, like a cast iron skillet, that would probably be enough to press the panini down. Then, I flipped the sandwich halfway through cooking and grilled the other side. This can also be done in a regular skillet.

I actually didn't get to eat this because I made it for my boyfriend (I'm so nice), but I did have a bite and it was really good and he loved it. It is definitely enough for lunch but if you are having this for dinner you can serve it with soup or a salad.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 oz Wheat Ciabatta (I used Chabaso Bakery Wheat Ciabatta Baguette), 2 oz after extra bread is removed
1 oz Part Skim Mozzarella, sliced thinly
1/2 oz thinly sliced Prosciutto
2 thin Tomato Slices
3 Basil Leaves
Salt and Black Pepper
Cooking Spray

Preheat a panini press, grill pan, or skillet to medium-low heat.

Slice the 3 oz piece of Wheat Ciabatta in half. Remove 1 oz of "extra" bread.

Place half of the thinly sliced Mozzarella onto the bottom half of the panini.

Place the two Tomato slices on top of the cheese.

Next, add Prosciutto, Basil, and the other half of the Mozzarella. Sprinkle with Salt and Black Pepper and top with the other half of the ciabatta.

Spray the panini press, grill pan, or skillet with cooking spray. Add the sandwich and cook until the cheese has melted and the bread is crispy and golden. If using a grill pan or skillet, place a heavy pan on top of the sandwich to press it down. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until the cheese is melted and the bread is crispy and golden.

Slice in half and enjoy!
Love, Monica

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Turkey Sandwich on Ciabatta with Roasted Red Pepper Mayo

2012-05-21T10:00:00.000-04:00

Servings: 1

Serving Size: 1 Sandwich

WW Points+: 8 Calories: 221.1 Total Fat: 2.4 g

Here is a super easy sandwich that packs a lot of flavor. I love sandwiches on crusty bread but usually have them in lettuce wraps, whole wheat wraps, or thin light bread because the Points+ in a good crusty bread are a little ridiculous. But, when I went to the store the other day, I saw these new Ciabatta Sandwich Rolls from Chabaso Bakery and bought them without even looking at the Points+. When I got home, I calculated it and found out that one roll was 8 Points+. Dumb.

However, while I do like crusty bread for sandwiches, this usually means that the bread to sandwich ratio is a little off. I usually pull out some of the insides of the roll anyways so that the sandwich isn't all bread. This roll was originally 3.6 oz. I sliced off the rounded sides (only a little slice) and pulled out the insides of the bread and when I weighed it again, it was 2.6 oz. Perfect! This alone cut out 2 Points+ and made my whole sandwich only 8 Points+ total.

I used Hillshire Farm Lower Sodium Ultra Thin Honey Roasted Turkey Breast for this sandwich, but any turkey breast will do. The Roasted Red Pepper Mayo was quick and simple to make and adds a lot of flavor. I had this for lunch last week and it was so good and super filling!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 Ciabatta Sandwich Roll (I used Chabaso Bakery's Classic Ciabatta Sandwich Rolls), extra bread removed--total weight 2.6 oz
2 oz Lower Sodium Turkey Breast (I used Hillshire Farms Lower Sodium Ultra Thin Honey Roasted Turkey Breast)
2 Tomato Slices
Lettuce, any kind

For the Roasted Red Pepper Mayo:

1 tbsp Hellman's Low Fat Mayo
2 tsp Roasted Red Peppers in Water, finely chopped
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Slice the Ciabatta roll in half, but not completely so the two halves still stay together. Pull out some of the bread from inside the roll. Total weight after removing the insides should be around 2.6 oz.

In a small bowl, combine Mayo, chopped Roasted Red Peppers, minced Garlic, Salt, and Black Pepper.

Spread the Roasted Red Pepper Mayo onto the top and bottom halves of the roll.

Add the Turkey Breast, Tomato slices, and Lettuce.

Slice in half and enjoy!
Love, Monica

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Low Fat Piña Colada

2012-05-18T10:25:00.000-04:00

Servings: 4

Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups

WW Points+: 2 Calories: 88.5 Total Fat: 4.3 g

I love Piña Coladas but they usually have a lot of Points+ and fat in them. Piña Colada recipes call for coconut cream (which is very high in Points+) and pineapple juice. For my version, I decided to use Thai Kitchen Lite Coconut Milk, Coconut Extract, Agave Nectar, and a little bit of Splenda to make up for not using coconut cream. Because the coconut milk is a lot thinner than the coconut cream, I used fresh pineapple to give the drink a thicker consistency.The results were a very fresh tasting coconutty drink that is perfect for summer. I don't think coconutty is a real word but it should be.

This recipe does not call for rum...but really, what's a Piña Colada without rum? If you do decide to add it in, the nutrition facts would be as follows:

WW Points+: 6 Calories: 187.8 Total Fat: 4.3

Even the smallest amount of alcohol can add a lot of points so just be careful if you're tracking. This drink is perfect to have outside on a warm day or even by the beach. I drank mine outside on the deck while watching Harvey get tangled up in his run...he's so smart.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups (about 9 oz) Fresh Pineapple, chopped
1 cup Thai Kitchen Lite Coconut Milk
1 tbsp Agave Nectar (or Honey)
2 tsp Splenda
1/2- 1 tsp Coconut Extract (optional--taste before adding as this makes it super coconutty)
6 oz Clear Rum (~~optional~~ see second set of nutrition facts)
Crushed Ice (enough to fill 4 glasses)

In a blender, add Ice, Chopped Pineapple, Coconut Milk, Splenda, and Agave. If using, also add Coconut Extract and Rum. Blend until smooth.

Pour into tall glasses, garnish with a pineapple wedge and enjoy!

Love, Monica

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Lightened Up Chicken Piccata

2012-05-16T10:45:00.000-04:00

Servings: 8
Serving Size: 1 Chicken Breast, 3/4 cup pasta, 2 tbsp sauce
WW Points+: 8 Calories: 288.2 Total Fat: 3.7 g

Without Pasta:
WW Points+: 4 Calories: 139.1 Total Fat: 2.9 g

Thin chicken breasts are seasoned and sprinkled with flour, browned in a pan and topped with capers and a lemon butter sauce. I served this classic Italian dish over pasta but I also gave the nutritional information and Points+ without it. The sauce is tangy, bright, and strong and the capers add a nice salty flavor.

This is a quick and easy weeknight meal. The chicken cooks up in about 15 minutes and the sauce only takes minutes. I lightened it up by coating the chicken in less flour and cooking it with a vegetable cooking spray rather than oil or butter. I also used less butter in the sauce but added a little bit of flour to give it the same consistency.

If you are planning on having leftovers, just store the sauce, pasta, and chicken in separate containers. This way, the pasta won't get mushy and the chicken won't take on too much of the lemon flavor and be overwhelming. When stored separately, this dish heats up nicely and is perfect for lunch or dinner the next day.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Cooking Spray
32 oz Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast--Four 8 oz breasts sliced in half
13.25 oz Whole Grain Pasta (I used Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Thin Spaghetti)
3 tbsp White Whole Wheat Flour, divided
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Black Pepper
2 tbsp Light Butter, divided (I used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light)
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/3 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
3/4 cup Fat Free Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth
2 oz White Wine
1/4 cup Capers, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup Parsley, chopped

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook Pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, if Chicken Breasts are slightly thick, place each one between parchment paper and pound until thin.

Season both sides of the Chicken Breasts with Salt and Black Pepper. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp of White Whole Wheat Flour (save the remaining tbsp for the sauce) and rub the flour and seasonings into the chicken.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray.

Add Chicken Breasts to the pan (I cooked mine in 2 batches of 4 each) and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness. When done, remove from pan and keep warm under aluminum foil.

To the same skillet, add 1/2 tbsp Light Butter and let it melt and bubble over medium heat.

Add Garlic and saute for about 2 minutes, scraping up the bits left on the pan by the chicken. In a cup or bowl, stir together the remaining 1 tbsp of White Whole wheat Flour and Chicken Broth, mixing until no clumps remain. Add this Flour/Broth mix to the skillet. Add the Lemon Juice and White Wine to the skillet as well. Bring to a slight boil and whisk until it reduces slightly and thickens. Add capers and whisk in the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp of Light Butter.

Add 3/4 of a cup of pasta to each plate, top with 1 piece of chicken and spoon 2 tbsp of the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with fresh Parsley. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Love, Monica

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Healthy Stuffed Peppers

2012-05-15T10:40:00.000-04:00

Servings: 4

Serving Size: 2 Stuffed Peppers

WW Points+: 5 Calories: 230.3 Total Fat: 9.7 g

Sweet bell peppers are stuffed with lean ground turkey, onions, spices, fresh baby spinach, and topped with shredded cheese then baked until the peppers are tender and the cheese is bubbly. This is a great way to use some left over ground turkey. This recipe calls for 8 oz of cooked, lean ground turkey but if you don't happen to have any on hand, just cook up 10-12 oz of raw ground turkey to use here.

Stuffed peppers are usually stuffed with meat and rice. I wanted to keep the points+ low and decided to omit the rice. I made up for it with fresh spinach, onions, and cheese. I also added a little fat free sour cream to give the filling a creamy texture and a little added flavor. They came out really good and very filling! A serving is 2 stuffed pepper halves which is perfect for dinner. I brought 1 half to work for lunch the next day and had it with a small salad.

Use whatever color peppers you have on hand. I happened to have red, orange, and yellow so it made for a nice bright meal.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 medium Bell Peppers, any color, halved
8 oz 93% Lean Ground Turkey, cooked
1 tbsp Light Butter (I used I Can't Believe it's Not Butter Light)
1 small Onion, diced
1 small Tomato, diced
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 1/4 cup Fat Free Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth, divided
1/4 cup Fat Free Sour Cream
1/2 tsp Dried Basil
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Dried Parsley
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
3 cups Fresh Spinach, chopped
3/4 cup Sargento Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Italian Blend Shredded Cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Slice Bell Peppers in half, remove seeds, and place in a large baking dish.

In a large skillet, melt Light Butter over medium-high heat. Saute Onions until translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add Minced Garlic and saute for another 2 minutes.

Next, add chopped Tomato, Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Salt, and Black Pepper.

Cook for a few minutes, until the tomatoes begin to break down.

To the skillet, add Cooked Ground Turkey, Fat Free Sour Cream, and 1/4 cup Chicken Broth. Stir well and let bubble until the liquid is reduced by about half. Taste and, if needed, add a little more Salt and Pepper. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Chop Spinach and add to the mixing bowl. Add 1/4 cup Shredded Cheese and stir to combine. Fill each Pepper half with about 1/3 of a cup of the stuffing mixture. Pour the remaining cup of Chicken Broth in the bottom of the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.

Remove foil, top peppers with the remaining 1/2 cup of shredded cheese and return to the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until peppers are tender and the cheese has browned slightly.

If you like crispier cheese, broil for 1-2 minutes after baking. Serve with a side salad or over mixed greens.

Enjoy!

Love, Monica

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20 Lightened Up Recipes for Mother's Day

2012-05-10T11:00:00.000-04:00

Mother's Day is this Sunday! I hope you didn't forget! This is a pretty busy weekend for my family because we have my sister's graduation from Umass Amherst tomorrow, plus her birthday and Mother's Day on Sunday. Lot's of gift giving and family time for us. To make planning a little easier, I have picked out 20 recipes that are very fitting for a Mother's Day breakfast, brunch, or dinner.

Enjoy!

1. Breakfast Burrito

Perfect for breakfast for mom. Egg whites, veggies, cheese, and bacon at only 4 Points+ per burrito.

2. Light French Toast with Cinnamon Honey Butter

This breakfast item is lightened up with egg whites and light wheat bread. Pair it with the sweet cinnamon butter and top with light syrup. Only 6 Points+ per serving.

3. Healthy Baked Hash Browns

Add these to your breakfast brunch menu or serve along side the Breakfast Burritos. Two of these are only 3 Points+.

4. Healthy Whole Wheat Biscuits

Large, fluffy biscuits are lightened up with whole wheat flour and fat free Greek yogurt. These cook up in about 15 minutes and are perfect when topped with butter, jelly, or honey. Serve these as a side dish for breakfast or as dinner biscuits. Only 3 Points+ per biscuit.

5. Lightened Up Turkey Maple Breakfast Sausage

Wow your family with this homemade side dish. Lean ground turkey is seasoned with savory spices and sweet maple syrup. Perfect with scrambled eggs and my Whole Wheat Biscuits. Only 4 Points+ for 2 sausage patties.

6. Mini Bacon and Veggie Frittatas

Super easy to make and loaded with bacon, veggies, and cheese. Great for a buffet brunch at only 3 Points+ for 2 frittatas.

7. Low Fat Cream Cheese Swirls with Brown Sugar Glaze

Light cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla are swirled into a light dough and topped with almonds and a sweet brown sugar glaze. These are great as a breakfast pastry or a dessert. Perfect for your brunch buffet at only 4 Points+ per serving.

8. Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie

A perfectly sweet drink for mom, and one of my most popular recipes! Serve this with breakfast or as a sweet treat during the day. At only 0.2 grams of fat and 2 Points+ per smoothie, this beverage won't make anyone feel guilty.

9. Baked Crab Cakes with Cilantro Lime Remoulade

These healthy crab cakes are baked in the oven, not fried in oil, so the Points+ and fat are significantly lower than the fried versions. Add these to your brunch or dinner menu. Two crab cakes plus the citrus-y Remoulade is only 5 Points+.

10. Oven Roasted Garlic Parmesan Asparagus

Another one of my most popular recipes, and a perfect side dish for meat or fish. Thin asparagus spears are coated in garlic powder and Parmesan cheese and baked until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Only 1 Point + and 1.4 g of fat per serving.

11. Summer Vegetable Tian

Fresh vegetables, crispy potatoes, and fresh herbs are all topped with grated Pecorino Romano cheese. These is a great side dish for fish or meat and is pretty enough for mom on Mother's Day. Only 3 Points+ and 2.2 grams of fat per serving.

12. Lemon Basil Grilled Swordfish

Break out the grills or grill pans for this one! Swordfish steaks are marinated in a light citrus dressing then grilled to perfection. Wow mom with this fancy Points+ friendly dish. Only 4 Points+ per serving!

13. Chocolate Fudge Mousse with Graham Cracker Crust

A chocolatey dessert that is perfectly decadent for mom, but still Points+ friendly. A light graham cracker crust filled with chocolate fudge mousse and topped with chocolate chips and toffee pieces. It only has 3 Points+ per serving so you can indulge without feeling guilty.

14. Light Red Velvet Cupcakes with Whipped Cheesecake Frosting

Red velvet cake mix and diet soda are combined to make a light and fluffy diet-friendly cupcake. These are topped with a frosting made from cool whip and pudding mix. Add these to your dessert table for only 3 Points+ per cupcake.

15. Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

My favorite! Toasted coconut macaroons dipped in rich chocolate. Delicious and only 2 Points+ each.

16. Light Coconut Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Glaze

Delicious cupcakes packed with coconut and topped with a cream cheese glaze and toasted coconut flakes. I originally posted these as my Valentine's Day cupcakes, but they are pink and pretty and perfect for Mom. Only 4 Points+ per cupcake.

17. Fat Free Strawberry Milkshake

WickedYummy's most popular recipe. A strawberry milkshake with 0 fat, only 166 calories, and 4 Points+ per serving. Fresh berries and frozen yogurt make this drink possible. Whip one up for mom on Sunday!

18. Lightened Up Key Lime Pie

You may not think of key lime pie when deciding on desserts for Mother's Day, but my mom loves key lime pie. I'll be bringing this to her house on Sunday. Only 6 Points+ and 2.7 grams of fat per slice but still full of that tangy key lime flavor and sweetness.

19. Fruit Spring Rolls with Sweet Ricotta Dip

This is a fun dish to make with mom. Kids can help too by picking their favorite fruit combinations and rolling them up in the rice paper. Serve with the sweet honey ricotta dip as a fun dessert or for a fresh breakfast. 2 rolls have 4 Points+ and nearly 0 fat.

20. Strawberry Angel Food Cake with Whipped Cheesecake Frosting

A perfectly Springy cake for mom on Mother's Day. Fluffy angel food cake is stuffed and topped with homemade strawberry sauce, fresh strawberries, and a light cheesecake flavored cool whip frosting. This dessert is fresh and light and won't weight you down. Only 6 Points+ per (large) slice and nearly fat free!

Whether you're a mom or will be catering to one, keep it healthy and special with these easy Points+ friendly meals.

Happy Mother's Day!

Love, Monica

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Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken

2012-05-09T11:32:00.000-04:00

Servings: 4

Serving Size: 6 oz, 1 whole Chicken Breast

WW Points+: 5 Calories: 175.7 Total Fat: 2.4 g

Chicken breast is sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper and garlic powder then brushed with lemon juice and lemon zest to create a fresh and bright tasting meal that is perfect for warmer weather. This chicken can be served over a salad or with a side dish of potatoes or rice. I chose to serve mine with my Lemon Roasted Peewee Potatoes for a very citrus-y meal. Plus it was Cinco De Mayo weekend, so we had a few of these Jose Cuervo Light Margaritas as well. Not the best, but certainly good considering the low calories.

This is a pretty quick meal to throw together. I only marinated the chicken for a short time but the lemon flavor really stood out. If you want a stronger flavor, I would marinate it for at least an hour. I sliced the chicken breasts in half, so they were on the grill for less than ten minutes. Great for a weeknight!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

24 oz Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, four 6 oz breasts sliced in half
Juice of 1 Lemon, about 4 tbsp
2 tsp Lemon Zest
3 tsp Fresh Black Pepper
1 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder

Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high heat.

Place chicken breast halves into a shallow baking dish. I used two shallow pie plates. Sprinkles both sides with Black Pepper and Garlic Powder.

In a small bowl, combine Lemon Juice and Lemon Zest. Using a pastry brush. brush the juice and zest over each chicken breast half. Flip, and brush the other side as well.

Let the chicken hang out in the lemon juice until the grill has preheated. The longer the chicken sits, the stronger the lemon flavor will be. I let mine sit for about 15 minutes.

Grill chicken breasts for 5-7 minutes on each side, depending on thickness. Once done, remove from grill and let rest for a few minutes before slicing.

Serve on a salad, or with my Lemon Roasted Peewee Potatoes.

Enjoy!
Love, Monica

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Chicken Bacon Ranch Puffs

2012-05-08T11:42:00.000-04:00

Servings: 5

Serving Size: 4 Puffs

WW Points+: 7 Calories: 241.8 Total Fat: 9.3 g

My favorite pizza in the whole world is from Antonio's Pizza in Amherst. At Umass, whenever we went out, the night usually went something like this: McMurphy's, Stacker's, drunken leprechaun's, someone playing All I Want For Christmas is You no matter what time of year it was, then once the bars closed, waiting in line with hundreds of other people at Antonio's while someone stood on the counter yelling "Hot cheese up front!" I don't want to talk about how I'm still in denial about graduating ~~despite the fact that it was 3 years ago~~. Anyways, the best pizza that they had, hands down, was chicken bacon ranch. So good! There is nothing better than chicken, bacon, BBQ sauce, cheese, and ranch dressing on a pizza at 1 am with about a hundred of your closest Umass friends. Now I have officially bummed myself out. Ugh.

I wanted to recreate my favorite ever pizza and put it into little bite-sized love nuggets. I took all of the ingredients, rolled them into crescent dough and baked them. They came out delicious, and even better when dipped in a little extra BBQ sauce.

The method of making them is pretty much exactly the same as when I made my Low Fat Cream Cheese Swirls with Brown Sugar Glaze...except in savory pizza form and not sweet desserts. These are a great appetizer, or a snack to have while watching a game or a movie.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 can Pillsbury Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls
4 oz cooked shredded Chicken Breast
4 slices Lean, Center Cut Bacon, divided (I used Oscar Mayer Fully Cooked Bacon)
1/4 cup Sargento Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Italian Blend Shredded Cheese
2 tbsp Fat Free Ranch Dressing
3 tbsp BBQ Sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's Original)
1/2 tsp Dried Basil
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Salt
Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up.

Cooked Bacon until crisp. Set on towels to drain, crumble, and set aside.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, add 1/2 of the crumbled Bacon, Shredded Chicken, Shredded Cheese, Ranch Dressing, BBQ Sauce, Basil, Oregano, Salt and Pepper.

Stir to combine.

Remove the Crescent Roll Dough from the can and roll out onto your work surface. Separate each rectangle and pinch the seams that form the triangles together. You will have 4 rectangles of dough.

Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto each piece of dough. Spread it out into an even layer, leaving about 1/4 of an inch space around the edges. Tightly roll each piece up.

Using a sharp knife, cut each roll into 5 even pieces.

Place each roll onto the parchment lined baking sheet and top with the remaining bacon crumbles. Spray the tops with a little bit of cooking spray.

Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the puffs are golden brown.

Serve with extra BBQ sauce or Ranch dressing for dipping.

Enjoy!

Love, Monica

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Lemon Roasted Peewee Potatoes

2012-05-07T09:30:00.000-04:00

Servings: 6

Serving Size: 5 oz, about 1 cup whole potatoes

WW Points+: 3 Calories: 124.1 Total Fat: 1.5 g

The last time I went grocery shopping, I found these little potatoes called Melissa's Dutch Yellow Pewee Potatoes, and the only reason I bought them was because I thought they were cute. I didn't know what I was going to do with them so they sat in the cabinet for a few days. I couldn't decide if I wanted to do a potato salad or simply bake them. We decided to make Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken (I'll post the recipe for that soon) one night and these potatoes were the perfect side dish.

Because they have a natural buttery flavor, the result was a tiny lemony-buttery delicious little potato. I left them whole because their tiny size made them cook up in no time. If you would like to slice them in half, I would reduce the cooking time to about 10 minutes.

According the their website, you can find Melissa's Peewee Potatoes in a lot of stores and you can even order them online. I picked mine up at Wegman's. You could serve these with chicken, red meat, or fish. If you can't find tiny potatoes like these, chop up a few regular potatoes and roast them the same way.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 lbs Melissa's Dutch Yellow Peewee Potatoes, whole
2 tsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp fresh Lemon Juice
1 tsp lemon zest
3 tsp fresh Thyme, chopped
1 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp Coarse Sea Salt
1 tsp Black Peppe

Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.

In a large mixing bowl, add whole Potatoes, Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper, Thyme, Lemon Juice, Lemon Zest, and Garlic powder.

Toss to combine and coat the potatoes with all ingredients.

Spread the potatoes out on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15-18 minutes, or until potatoes begin to brown and are fork tender. Stir the potatoes around once during cooking.

Serve as a side dish for meat or fish. Enjoy!

Love, Monica

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Lightened Up Key Lime Pie

2012-05-04T11:10:00.001-04:00

Servings: 8

Serving Size: 1/8th of Pie

WW Points+: 6 Calories: 241.2 Total Fat: 2.7 g

I'm not quite sure what Key Lime Pie has to do with Cinco De Mayo, but while looking for a good dessert for the holiday, this one kept coming up. (Along with flan and churros and fried ice cream).I love Key Lime Pie and I figured it would be relatively easy to come up with a low fat, healthy version of this tangy dessert.

If you look on the Weight Watchers database, Key Lime Pie comes in anywhere from 10 to 20 Points+ per slice! I wanted to keep it as authentic as I could but still lower the Points+, fat, and calories significantly. While doing some research for low fat pies, all I could find were key lime pies made with key lime flavored yogurt, gelatin, or cool whip. And almost all of these were simply chilled, not baked. I love the creamy tanginess of real key lime pie and I am not particularly crazy about no-bake pies.

The first time I ever had Key Lime Pie was actually when I was on vacation in the Florida Keys with my family when I was little. I remember thinking it was the best pie I had ever had! I wanted to recreate the flavors of real key lime pie, like I remembered. The recipe for real Key Lime Pie is actually very simple: condensed milk, egg yolks, lime juice, graham cracker crust. That's it. I didn't want to use cool whip or jello so I just had to use reduced fat versions of the regular ingredients.

It came out better than I had expected. It tasted just as sweet and tangy as any key lime pie I have ordered at a restaurant. The crust has just the right amount of sweetness and the filling baked up firm and perfect. I used fresh key limes (all hand squeezed by my loving boyfriend, Matt) but bottled key lime juice would work just fine I'm sure. This is Matt's favorite dessert and he loved this reduced fat version! This would be great as a dessert for any Cinco De Mayo parties this weekend :)

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

8 Low Fat Honey Graham Cracker Sheets ( I used Honey Maid Brand)
2 tbsp unpacked Light Brown Sugar
3 tbsp Fat Free Vanilla Greek Yogurt
1 tbsp Light Butter, melted (I used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Light)
1 14 oz can Fat Free Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 Egg Yolks
2/3 cup fresh Key Lime Juice
2 tsp Lime Zest, plus a little more for garnish (regular limes, not key limes)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. (I actually forgot to spray mine and it came out of the pan fine, but better safe than sorry!)

Place Graham Cracker sheets in a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin. This should produce about 1 1/2 cups of graham cracker crumbs.

In a medium mixing bowl, add Graham Cracker Crumbs, Brown Sugar, Greek Yogurt, and Melted Butter. Mash everything together with a fork until all the crumbs are moist.

Pour into the prepared pie plate.

Using your hands, spread the crumbs over the bottom of the dish and halfway up the sides in an even layer.

Bake in the preheated oven for 7-9 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, begin the filling. If using fresh key limes, slice the limes in half and squeeze the juice. A garlic press works very well for this step. Or a bored boyfriend :)

We used a 1 lb bag which I believe held about 30 key limes.

In a large mixing bowl, add Sweetened Condensed Milk, Egg Yolks, Lime Juice, and Lime Zest.

Whisk until mixture becomes smooth. It will be slightly thick.

Pour the key lime mixture into the pre-baked pie crust. Bake at 350 F for 20 minutes, or until the center is set but the pie still wiggles when you shake it. It should not brown.

Let the pie cool to room temperature on the counter. Then chill in the refrigerator for a few hours, until cold. This one chilled for about an hour because Matt is very impatient.

Add a little more lime zest to the top of the pie. Slice into 8 even slices.

I topped mine with a little Fat Free Reddi-Whip, but fat free Cool Whip would work just as well too.

Enjoy!

Love, Monica

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Cilantro Grilled Tilapia Sandwich with Chipotle Lime Aioli and Avocado

2012-05-03T12:00:00.001-04:00

Servings: 4

Serving Size: 1 Sandwich

WW Points+: 5 Calories: 212.9 Total Fat: 5.9 g

Cinco De Mayo is this weekend so I thought I would post a sandwich recipe inspired by Mexican flavors. It may seem like there are a lot of components to this sandwich but it comes together rather quickly. The only time consuming aspect is marinating the fish. Obviously the flavors of the marinade will be stronger the longer the fish marinates, but you can marinate it for as little as a half hour.

This fish sandwich combines flaky Tilapia with a spicy lime aioli and mashed avocados. I used light Italian bread for this sandwich but you can use any bread you like as long as it is between 35 and 45 calories per slice. Pepperidge Farm has a few different varieties of their light style breads and I usually buy those, but for this sandwich I had Stop and Shop brand Light Italian Bread on hand.

The Chipotle Lime Aioli is very easy to make and would be great on any sandwich. You can adjust the heat by adding more or less chipotle peppers. I used one from a can of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce and chopped it up. It wasn't too hot as the sour cream and mayo mellowed the heat a bit.

Chips or oven baked fries would be great with this...or a few margaritas. It is Cinco De Mayo after all! :)

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the Fish

Cooking Spray
12 oz uncooked Tilapia Fillets (preferably four 3oz fillets)
Salt and Black Peper
2 tbsp fresh Cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
1 tsp Lime Zest
4 tbsp Water
1 tbsp uncooked Red Onion, minced
1 medium Tomato, sliced
Romaine Lettuce
2 oz Avocado
8 Slices Light Italian Bread

For the Chipotle Lime Aioli

1 tbsp fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp fresh Lime Juice
1 tbsp Chipotle Chilis in Adobo Sauce, chopped
2 tbsp Low Fat Mayo (I used Hellman's)
1 tbsp Fat Free Sour Cream
Salt and Black Pepper to Taste

Sprinkle a little Salt and Black Pepper over both sides of the Tilapia Fillets. Place them into a shallow dish like a pie plate or a baking dish.

Combine chopped Cilantro, Lime Zest, Red Onions, Lime Juice, and Lime Zest.

Add 4 tbsp of Water and stir.

Pour over the fish. Using a pastry brush, brush the marinade over the tops of the fillets. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

While the fish is marinating, begin on the Chipotle Lime Aioli. In a small mixing bowl combine Mayo, Sour Cream, chopped Cilantro, chopped Chipotle Pepers, and Lime Juice.

Mix everything together and add Salt and Pepper to taste.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

Weigh out 2 ounces of Avocado meat. Mash it with a fork in a small bowl. Add a few drops of lime juice to prevent it from browning and a little salt and black pepper to taste if desired. Cover the mashed avocados and refrigerate as well until ready to use.

Once the fish has finished marinating, remove from the refrigerator. Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium high heat. Spray with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.

Grill the fillets for 5 minutes on one side. Flip, and cook for an additional 3 minutes on the other side. When done, fish will be white all of the way through and easily flaked with a fork. Transfer to a plate.

Carefully wipe the grill pan with paper towels to remove large bits left by the fish. Spray with cooking spray and place the bread on the grill. Grill on both sides to your liking.

Remove the Chipotle Lime Aioli and the Mashed Avocados from the fridge. Spread about 1/2 tbsp of the Aioli on each slice of bread. Spread 1 tbsp of the Avocados on 1 side of each sandwich.

Add about 3 ounces (1 whole fillet) of fish on top of the mashed avocados. Add 2 Tomato slices and 1 leaf of Romaine lettuce.

Slice the sandwich in half and serve warm with oven baked french fries or chips and a margarita. :)

Enjoy!

Love, Monica

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Fruit Spring Rolls with Sweet Ricotta Dip

2012-05-02T10:40:00.004-04:00

Servings: 6

Serving Size: 2 Rolls with 1 tbsp Dip

WW Points+: 4 Calories: 119.3 Total Fat: 0.4 g

These healthy spring rolls are fun to eat and perfect for a sweet and light dessert. My sister told me that she made spring rolls filled with fruit, so I checked online and found a recipe from Giada De Laurentiis. But, she used mint, rice noodles, and a sweet honey dipping sauce for hers. I chose to keep it simple and use just fruit and lime juice in the rolls. Then I decided that I could make a sweet vanilla ricotta dipping sauce to go with it. I did have a whole thing of Ricotta Cheese sitting in my fridge from making my Healthy Chicken Alfredo Bake so I had to do something with it.

These came out great! I was worried that the rice paper would be difficult to work with, but it was actually pretty easy. You can use any fruit combination you like. I used what I had on hand and it came out kind of tropical with the pineapple and kiwi. Mother's Day is soon and these could be a nice treat to serve or even a fun one to make with your mom!

These can be made ahead of time and stored between damp paper towels until ready to serve and they will keep in the fridge for a few days.

Also, I'm putting these in my Fat Free Recipes category. I'm going to pretend to 0.4 grams of fat aren't real. :)

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

12 Rice Paper Spring Roll Wrappers
1/2 cup diced Kiwi
1/2 cup diced Banana
1/2 cup diced Strawberries
1/2 cup diced Pineapple
1/2 cup Watermelon, I left mine in thin strips
1 tbsp Lime Juice (about 1/2 medium lime)

For the Sweet Ricotta Dip

1/4 cup Fat Free Ricotta Cheese (I used Sargento)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp Lime Juice
1 tsp Lime Zest

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the Sweet Ricotta Dip. Mix well, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

Gather your diced fruit, lime juice, rice papers, a shallow dish (I used a cake pan) filled with warm water, and a few paper towels.

Soak 1 Rice Paper Wrapper in the warm water for about 10 seconds. Blot it off on the paper towel and dip again into the water.

Quickly drain the excess and place on your flat work station.

Add just under a tablespoon of each fruit onto the center of the rice paper round.

Squeeze a little lime juice over the fruit. This helps to brighten the flavors as well as keep the bananas from turning brown.

By now, the rice paper should be soft and easy to roll. Bring the bottom half up and over the fruit.

Fold in both sides...

And roll up to secure everything. The rice paper should stick to itself. If your rice paper is sticking to the work surface, place a few damp paper towels and work on those.

Place each finished roll between two damp paper towels until all rolls are completed. Or you could eat them as you go :)

Don't forget about the Sweet Ricotta Dip! Remove from the refrigerator and give it a quick stir in case any of the flavors have settled. Top with a little more lime zest and serve!

Enjoy!
Love, Monica

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Healthy Chicken Alfredo Bake

2012-05-01T11:55:00.000-04:00

Servings: 8
Serving Size: 1/8th of Pan
WW Points+: 7 Calories: 295.6 Total Fat: 6.0 g

Chicken, broccoli, whole wheat pasta, and roasted red peppers are tossed in a light and creamy Alfredo sauce then baked to bubbly, crunchy perfection. It is the best of chicken and broccoli Alfredo in a casserole.

Alfredo sauces can be thick, heavy, and very fattening. I made mine with Sargento Reduced Fat Italian blend shredded cheese, fat free Parmesan, and creamy fat free ricotta to reduce the points and make a lighter sauce that won't make you feel guilty. I also added in some roasted red peppers for extra flavor and color.

I always have cooked shredded chicken on hand, so I used 8 oz of shredded chicken. But, if you don't have any just cook about 10-12 oz of raw chicken breast to come up with 8 oz cooked. You can cook it in a skillet with cooking spray and a little salt and pepper, then slice or shred it.

This was delicious and the serving size is very generous. It also heats up well the next day and was perfect for lunch at work.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

12 oz uncooked Whole Wheat Pasta (I used Barilla Whole Grain Rotini)
2 cups uncooked Broccoli Florets
8 oz cooked Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast, chopped or shredded
1 tbsp Butter
4 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 tbsp White Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 cup Skim Milk
1/2 cup Fat Free Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth
1/4 cup Fat Free Ricotta Cheese
1/4 cup Fat Free Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 cup Sargento Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Italian Shredded Cheese, divided
3 oz Roasted Red Peppers packed in Water, chopped
Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Spray a large (about 9 x 12) baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. Add Broccoli Florets when there is 3 minutes left in the pasta cooking time.

Drain pasta and broccoli and set aside.

Melt Butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once melted, add Minced Garlic and let brown slightly, about 2 minutes.

Add Flour and whisk into the butter and garlic. Cook, whisking for about 1 minute. Add Milk and Chicken Broth slowly, while whisking to prevent clumps. Continue whisking until the liquid bubbles, about 2 minutes

Add Ricotta Cheese and stir until melted. Bring the mixture back to a boil for 1 more minute.

Remove from heat and add Parmesan Cheese and 3/4 of a cup of Shredded Cheese. Whisk to combine and melt the cheeses.

As the cheese is added, the mixture will get thicker. The mixture should be thick but still saucy. Taste and add Salt and Black Pepper as needed.

Add chopped Roasted Red Peppers and toss with the cheese mixture.

Add cooked Chicken Breast and toss with the cheese and red peppers. If your skillet is big enough, add pasta and broccoli and toss to coat everything with the sauce. If not, pour broccoli and pasta into the prepared baking dish and add chicken and cheese sauce. Toss to combine directly in the baking dish.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of Shredded Cheese over the top of the casserole. Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes until the sauce is bubbling. Set the oven to broil and cook for another 2 minutes until the cheese has browned slightly. Watch closely as the broiler can burn this quickly!

Let rest on the counter for about 5 minutes. Divide into 8 servings and serve warm!

Enjoy!
Love, Monica

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Healthy Homemade Pepperoni Pizza Rolls

2012-04-30T10:27:00.001-04:00

Servings: 6
Serving Size: 4 Pizza Rolls
WW Points+: 4 Calories: 161.3 Total Fat: 7.1 g

I used to love the pizza rolls that my mom would buy us from the freezer section of the grocery store when I was little. But now, I can't bring myself to buy frozen snacks. These homemade pizza rolls fix that! The filling is made from fresh ingredients and a reduced fat crescent dough is used to hold everything together. The best part about these tasty little snacks is that you know what's in them. Frozen snacks have way too many crazy ingredients that you can't pronounce, so making a fresh homemade version is always a healthy choice.

I used Boar's Head brand Turkey Pepperoni for these pizza rolls but you can always leave it out and add a little extra cheese if pepperoni is not your favorite. These snacks are a little bigger than bite-sized and 4 rolls are definitely enough for a snack in between meals. Plus you can dip them in your favorite dipping sauce. I used Fat Free Ranch dressing because I always dip any type of pizza in ranch dressing :) I love it.

Making these little rolls are a bit time consuming. It took me about 30-45 minutes to roll out the dough, cut the squares, fill, and fold them. But the nice part is that you can make a bunch and once they are rolled, you can freeze them and bake them when you want. Harvey was clearly a little bored while I was cooking and went to town on his stuffed toy. It looked like it snowed upstairs. There was fuzz everywhere! We started buying him the toys that have no stuffing because this is what he does to all of them.

I couldn't be mad at him though. I went upstairs and he just sat and looked at me like he was so proud to have won the fight between him and his stuffed animal. He's so cute.

Anyways, enjoy these healthy, homemade pizza rolls!

Ingredients:

1 can Pillsbury Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls
3/4 oz Boar's Head Turkey Pepperoni
1/4 cup Sargento Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Italian Shredded Cheese
1/2 cup Marinara Sauce
1/2 tsp Dried Basil
1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
2 tbsp Fat Free Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp Coarse Salt
Cooking Spray
White Whole Wheat flour, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Remove the Crescent Roll dough from can and roll it out onto a flat surface. There will be 4 rectangles that are made up of two triangles each.

Separate the 4 rectangles. Pinch together the seam that creates the two triangles so you are left with 4 seamless rectangles. Dust with a little flour to prevent the dough from sticking.

Roll out each rectangle so it becomes thinner and about twice it's original size. Cut each one into 6 squares.

You will be able to get 24 squares from 1 can of dough. Place the squares on a flat work surface and set aside.

Chop up the Pepperoni into tiny pieces. Pour the Marinara Sauce into a small mixing bowl. Add Basil, Oregano, and Crushed Red Pepper Flakes. Add chopped Pepperoni, Shredded Cheese, and Parmesan Cheese. Stir to combine.

Put 1 teaspoon of the sauce, cheese, and pepperoni filling into the center of each crescent dough square. Fold the dough over and press to secure the top half to the bottom. Roll up and slightly pinch the edges in to form a good seal so that the sauce and cheese won't bubble out the sides.

Repeat with remaining squares and filling.

Place each pizza roll onto a large parchment lined baking sheet. Lightly spray the tops with cooking spray and sprinkle a little coarse salt on top.

Put the Pizza rolls in the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly as these will be really hot. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce (mine is Fat Free Ranch Dressing!) and watch them disappear in minutes!

Enjoy!
Love, Monica

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My First 5k...

2012-04-27T13:41:00.002-04:00

Image Source: TheColorRun.com

So my older sister told me about this 5k that is happening in Amesbury, MA in July. It is called The Color Run and the videos that they have on their website look like so much fun! Basically, you run a 5k in a white t-shirt and volunteers or sponsors on the sidelines throw powdered color at you at every kilometer point. At the end, everyone gets their own bag of color to throw around:

It is called the happiest 5k on the planet and if you watch the videos you can see why. It is open to runners, walkers, adults, kids, even people with strollers and everyone looks so happy and not at all pissed about the fact that they are running. At the end, they play music and feed you. Not exactly the 5k for the fitness enthusiast, but for someone who has never run an official 5k before, I thought this looked like a great one to start off with. It should be a blast and I am really excited for it. There is a bunch of us running it, and (thank God) not everyone likes running...I won't feel so bad walking some of it then. :) This happens all over the country--check out the website! The Color Run

Despite the fact that we don't have to run it, I decided to take up running anyways...again. I'm a little bored with the gym, seeing as how I do the same thing over and over. The only problem is, I have freakishly flat feet and also plantar fasciitis so every once in a while I will get a sharp pain in the bottom of my foot...and it happens more and more when I run. I started running last year by doing the Couch to 5k program. It starts you off by doing a combination of 60 second runs and 90 second walks for a total of 20 minutes. After 9 weeks, it has you running for 30 minutes straight. I highly recommend it for someone who has never run before as it is a great way to run often without injuring or wearing yourself out too quickly. Last year, when I finished the program I celebrated by giving myself a week off from running...and then never ran again. Oops! So now I am back to square one and officially on week 3 of the program. So far it's going good and my boyfriend even runs with me sometimes.

Back to my freakishly flat feet. I always thought I had just normal flat feet, but the guy at the shoe store said "freakishly flat", so that's what I'm calling it. Last year, right before my beach vacation, I saw a specialist to see what she could recommend for me. She said foot exercises, the right running shoes, orthodics, and no flip flops or walking in sand. With a beach vacation a few days away, I told myself I could deal with the sharp pain every once in a while. I like to think I'm tough. So I went to the beach and wore my cute flip flops, but I did do some foot exercises and bought some new shoes. Then I stopped running and didn't really have to worry about my foot pain...until this year. On my second day of running, I thought I was going to die. I felt great, other than my stupid foot. So I went to a specialty sneaker store and after walking/jogging around the store so the guy could see the structure of my feet, being told I have freakishly flat feet, and being told I couldn't have the cute pink and white sneakers because they don't have enough support, I finally decided on a pair of super comfy (blue and yellow) sneakers and some orthodics. I went for a run when I got home, and found out that I need to break them in so bad. Ouch! New shoes always hurt, but these are basically trying to make me have an arch when I don't. The shoes have an arch and the orthodics have a bigger arch so it is making my feet do something they aren't use to. Hopefully they get better so I can be ready for this mayhem:

Expect pictures at the end of July...if we don't die from heat stroke from running our first 5k during one of the hottest months of the year...Also, get ready for some new recipes next week! I have lots of healthy pizza inspired snacks and a few new desserts coming!

Stay tuned!

Love, Monica

Healthy Quinoa and Corn Salad

2012-04-26T09:56:00.000-04:00

Servings: 6

Serving Size: 3/4 cup

WW Points+: 4 Calories: 156.2 Total Fat: 3.0 g

This healthy side dish combines Quinoa, corn, scallions, red onions, and fresh herbs plus a little lemon juice and light butter to make it fresh tasting and slightly creamy.

I served this healthy side salad with grilled chicken and it was a delicious Spring-time meal. The next day, I served this on a spinach salad. I love Quinoa as an addition to green salads. It adds a lot of protein and makes the salad filling.

For this dish, I cooked the red onions until they were just translucent (about 3-4 minutes in a skillet with cooking spray over medium-high heat) because my boyfriend is not a big fan of raw onions. But, that is completely up to you!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked Quinoa
2 cups Fat Free Low Sodium Chicken Broth (or Vegetable Broth)
2 medium Ears of Corn, (about 1 1/2 cups corn kernels)
1/2 cup Scallions, chopped
1/2 cup Red Onions, chopped (can be cooked until soft if desired)
2 tbsp Parsley, chopped
1 tbsp Light Butter (I used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, Light)
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper

Cook Corn fully. Cooking Method will depend on if you are using fresh corn on the cob, frozen corn kernels, or canned corn.

In a mediumpot with a tight fitting lid, add uncooked Quinoa and Chicken Broth. Heat over high heat and bring to a rolling boil.

Once the quinoa is boiling, reduce heat to simmer and cover for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, remove lid and add Light Butter, Lemon Juice, Parsley, Salt and Pepper. Toss to combine.

Next, add chopped Scallions and chopped Red Onions and stir.

If using ears of Corn, slice kernels off of the cob. Add to Quinoa and veggie mixture. Stir to combine all ingredients fully.

Serve warm as a side dish for any healthy Spring or Summer meal.

Enjoy!
Love, Monica

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Low Fat Chicken Salad

2012-04-25T09:09:00.000-04:00

Servings: 4

Serving Size: 3/4 cup

WW Points+: 3 Calories: 132.5 Total Fat: 2.9 g

Shredded chicken, sliced grapes, celery, red onions, and fresh herbs are combined with low fat mayo and fat free Greek yogurt to make a delicious, full flavored chicken salad. Using lighter ingredients allows this salad to be only 3 Points+ and less than 3 grams of fat. This chicken salad is loaded with protein (over 20 g!) and is great over fresh baby spinach or in a wrap.

I love chicken salad. I went to school at Umass Amherst and the Berkshire DC had the best chicken salad! I would always get it on a wrap for lunch. I've tried to make my own a few times and it was just ok, not great. This time, I chose a combination of mayo and yogurt and it came out awesome. It doesn't have too much of a mayo flavor and the taste of the herbs and the veggies really stands out. My boyfriend had it for lunch the next day and told me it was incredible :) That's good enough for me!

I used shredded chicken because it is easier and holds the dressing and flavors better than cubed chicken. I always have shredded chicken on hand because I cook a package about once a week in the crock pot in water on high for 4 hours and then shred it and store it in the fridge or freezer until I need it. It makes this recipe super quick and easy.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

8 oz Shredded Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, cooked
1/2 cup Celery, diced
1/2 cup Grapes, diced
2 tbsp Red Onion, diced
2 tbsp fresh Parsley, chopped
3 tbsp Low Fat Mayo (I used Hellman's)
3 tbsp Fat Free Plain Greek Yogurt (I used Chobani)
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 tbsp fresh Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a medium sized mixing bowl, add Shredded Chicken, diced Celery, and diced Grapes.

Add chopped Parsley and Red Onion to the bowl as well. Toss to combine.

Add Mayo, Yogurt, Mustard, and Lemon Juice. Stir to incorporate all ingredients. Taste and add Salt and Pepper as needed.

Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until ready to eat.

Serve over greens, in a wrap, or with avocados for a healthy lunch.

Enjoy!
Love, Monica

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Lightened Up Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

2012-04-24T08:44:00.001-04:00

Servings: 12

Serving Size: 2 Cookies

WW Points+: 4 Calories: 179.9 Total Fat: 6.7 g

Baking a lower fat, healthy cookie is a challenge. Baking a healthy peanut butter cookie is even harder. But, peanut butter cookies are my boyfriend's favorite so I figured I should try it out. I ended up making two batches of these. The first came out a little too cakey and did not have enough peanut buttery goodness in them. For the second batch, I reduced the amount of flour and added more peanut butter and that did the trick! These cookies came out soft and chewy on the inside and were packed with peanut butter and chocolate flavor.

Instead of using regular peanut butter, I opted for Better'n Peanut Butter. I have been buying this for over a year and I love it. It tastes like a mix between regular peanut butter and the peanut butter in a Reese's cup. (I still buy the regular kind for Harvey). It is made from peanuts and has less fat, less sodium, and less calories than regular peanut butter, plus, the Points+ value for Better'n Peanut Butter is awesome. While regular PB is 5 Points+ for 2 tablespoons, Better'n Peanut Butter is only 2 Points+. In this cookie, you can't tell the difference. You can find Better'n Peanut Butter at Trader Joe's and most grocery stores and it is usually located with the all natural and organic peanut butter.

I originally was planning on making just a peanut butter cookie, but there is nothing better than the peanut butter and chocolate combination. I made the serving size for this recipe 2 cookies because they are a little addictive, especially when they are warm right out of the oven.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup White Sugar
1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, unpacked
2 tbsp Butter, softened
2 tbsp Unsweetened Applesauce
1 Egg White
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Original Better'n Peanut Butter
3/4 cup White Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
3/4 cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream together both Sugars, Butter, and Applesauce until fluffy.

Add Egg White, Vanilla Extract, and Better N' Peanut Butter. Mix on medium speed until smooth.

In another bowl, combine Flour, Baking Soda, and Salt. Mix well to combine.

Add half of the Flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix to incorporate fully. Add the other half and mix well until all flour has blended in.

Fold in the chocolate chips.

Using a tablespoon sized measuring spoon, scoop out the dough and place it on the parchment lined baking sheets.

Press the dough down slightly with your fingers. The dough will be too sticky to create the signature fork imprints that are usually found on peanut butter cookies, but you can do that later.

Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges have begun to brown. If you want to create the imprints, press a fork into the cookies after about 10 minutes of baking and return to the oven.

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Serve with milk and enjoy!

Be sure to try some warm. Warm cookies out of the oven are the best!

Enjoy!

Love, Monica

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Lightened Up Tuna Salad in Avocados

2012-04-23T08:56:00.000-04:00

Servings: 1

Serving Size: 2 Avocado Halves and Tuna Salad

WW Points+: 10 Calories: 402.5 Total Fat: 24.7 g

Serving Size: 1 Avocado Half and Tuna Salad

WW Points+: 7 Calories: 285.6 Total Fat: 13.9 g

I love avocados, but the only thing I ever really do with them is make guacamole or put slices on my sandwiches. I tend to avoid them mostly because 1 avocado has about 10 Points+. However, they are so good for you because they are loaded with tons of vitamins and minerals and the fat they contain is actually good fat. Despite the fact that this dish has 10 Points+ and almost 25 g of fat, I don't feel so bad when I eat it, I just make sure to plan my other meals accordingly.

I have given you the nutrition facts and Points+ for the entire tuna salad in 2 avocado halves and also for the entire tuna salad with only 1 half of the avocado. The two halves are great for dinner as they are very filling, but I only brought 1 half to work for lunch--I put half of the tuna in the avocado and put the other half over spinach. It was the perfect size for lunch.

**The tuna salad alone has 4 Points+, 168.7 Calories, and 3.1 grams of Fat**

The trick to this meal is to scoop out about half of the avocado meat from the shell. This gives you a large enough space to hold the tuna and actually cuts down half the fat and Points+. This meal would be well over 15 Points+ if you used all of the avocado. Just save what you scoop out, put it in a bowl and keep the seed in the bowl as well. This prevents the avocado from turning brown. Use it for guacamole or spread it on a sandwich.

This has become my new favorite way to eat tuna salad!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 medium Avocado
1 can Solid White Albacore Tuna, in Water, drained
2 tbsp Celery, chopped
2 tbsp Red Onion, chopped
1 tbsp Hellman's Low Fat Mayo
1 tbsp Nonfat, Plain Greek Yogurt, I used Chobani
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper

In a small mixing bowl, combine Celery, Red Onion, drained Tuna, Mayo, Yogurt, Worcestershire Sauce, Lemon Juice, Salt, and Pepper.

Mix well to combine. Set aside.

Slice the Avocado in half. Remove the seed.

Scoop out half of the meat from the Avocado to create a bigger well in the center. I weighed the avocados before and scooped out half of the meat. I weighed the two halves again and together they came to a total of 5 oz.

Scoop half of the tuna salad into one of the avocado halves. Repeat with the remaining tuna and other avocado half.

Enjoy!
Love, Monica

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Bridal Shower Mayhem

2012-04-22T18:18:00.000-04:00

Last weekend, we hosted my sister Courtney's bridal shower at my mom's house. I thought I'd share a few of the treats we had, the favors we made, and some fun pictures from the night. Everyone had a great time, despite some chaos while setting up. It's not a party or a holiday in my family unless there is some yelling and total mayhem before the guests arrive or the dinner table is set, and this day was no exception. A few of the bridesmaids were more than happy to leave and pick up the wine (I was jealous as I had to stay). But everything came together and it was really fun. The brides got dolled up in toilet paper wedding dresses and got tons of presents for their home.

All of the girls pose for a picture outside before the games started.

Toilet paper dresses! We had some fashion designers on Cali's team!

The famous crumb cake. So good! My mom makes this cake for every party our family has. I'm pretty sure she got the recipe from an aunt and everyone loves it. Totally not Weight Watchers friendly, so I only had 1 piece...that day.

We had the added challenge of making most of the food gluten free. While the crumb cake was not, most of the desserts and appetizers were. I made gluten free cake pops--which were Weight Watchers friendly! I used a gluten free boxed cake mix and baked it with diet soda. Instead of mixing the cake with frosting, I used a mixture of frosting and cool whip. They were a hit!

We bought gluten free Dynamite Sticks from a bakery here in Worcester called Wholly Cannoli. They are made of cannoli filling that is covered in caramel and then covered in chocolate and rolled in peanuts. Again, not WW friendly but still so delicious.

This bridal shower was a wine and cheese party. My mom and I bought about 10 different cheeses and set them on platters with grapes, jams, and relishes. We had a mixture of gluten free and gluten full crackers, pretzels, and chips. We labeled everything with card stock stuck in wine corks so everyone knew what was gluten free and what wasn't.

Another appetizer that I made was drunken grapes courtesy of The Showfood Chef. I found it on Pinterest and new I had to try it out. The recipe calls for grapes soaked in bourbon, but I played it safe and soaked them in wine overnight. Then, roll up goat cheese into balls, roll them in chopped nuts (I used almonds and pecans) and skewer the grapes on top. They were really good and looked pretty too!

We had some awesome parting gifts for everyone. The maid of honor, Jill, handmade these wine charms. They came out so cute and everyone loved them...some people even took more than they were supposed to (guilty). She got the beads and stickers from Michael's and made about 30 of these cute little cards to hold the charms. They were perfect for our theme.

I found a simple paper flower tutorial on Pinterest (which has since been taken down and I can't find it anywhere). I made a ton of paper flowers, attached them to toothpicks and stuck them into a styrofoam balls. I made flower puffs out of yarn as well and stuck them in too. I was planning on making two and giving them to the brides, but it took forever so they get one. I put the flower ball in a vase filled with corks to tie it in to the theme.

I also made these wine cork coasters. Again, found it on Pinterest. I have a little addiction to Pinterest. I love wine, but needed about 500 corks to do everything I wanted for the shower, so I bought 500 used corks for about $40 online. I followed this DIY tutorial and made around 30 coasters using just corks, a knife, and a hot glue gun.

My mom also made home made mustard and put them in little jars for everyone to take home. It is so good! A little sweet, a little spicy and perfect on sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers, and sausages. I thought it was such a cute favor for this shower too.

All in all, we had a really great time, even my little man Harvey. He was so pooped by the end of the night. He spent most of the night charming the ladies. We worked hard to make this wine and cheese bridal shower go off without a hitch and it did. It was a lot of fun and I can't wait for the wedding in June!

I hope you like these pictures and got some inspiration for shower ideas, desserts, and apps. Check out the links I posted in here too so you can see where I got all of these great ideas!

Love, Monica

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Linguine with Shrimp and Asparagus

2012-04-20T11:40:00.000-04:00

Servings: 8

Serving Size: 8 oz, about 1 1/2 cups

WW Points+: 7 Calories: 271.0 Total Fat: 2.8 g

Fresh asparagus is tossed with shrimp and whole wheat linguine in a light garlic butter sauce to create a healthy and fresh tasting meal. This dish comes together rather quickly, about as long as it takes to cook the pasta, so it is a perfect week night meal. Having shrimp that is already peeled and deveined makes it super easy too.

I always buy frozen shrimp, mostly because all shrimp is frozen before you buy it. But also because the frozen shrimp at my grocery store is peeled and deveined for me (something that I am not so happy about doing myself). It makes any meal with shrimp so easy. Just place shrimp in a colander and run under cold water to thaw, and you're ready to go. If you buy a pound of shrimp, it will come out to about 12 ounces after they are peeled and the tails are removed. Just weigh your shrimp after to get an accurate weight.

I used thin, fresh asparagus spears. Asparagus is in season now and goes so well in this meal. I cook the spears with the pasta during the last few minutes that the pasta boils. This allows the asparagus to be tender but still crisp and bright green.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh Asparagus, about 1 pound
1 pound frozen Shrimp, about 12 oz after peeled and tails removed
1 pound Whole Wheat Linguine
1 tbsp Light Butter (I used I can't Believe It's Not Butter Light)
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
1 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 cup Fat Free Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1 cup Grape Tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp Fat Free Parmesan Cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, prepare the Asparagus.

Snap off the ends of the asparagus spears. If you hold each end and bend the spear, it will break right where the woody, inedible part it.

Slice each spear into 1 inch pieces on a diagonal. Set aside.

Slice Grape Tomatoes in half and set aside.

Once the water has boiled, add the Linguine. Cook for about 4 minutes. Add the Asparagus pieces to the pasta and water and cook for an additional 3 minutes, until the pasta is al dente and the asparagus is tender but still slightly crisp.

Drain Pasta and Asparagus and set aside.

While the pasta and asparagus cook, melt 1 tbsp of Butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add Garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add Salt, Pepper, Lemon Juice, and Chicken Broth. Raise heat to medium-high and bring to a slight boil.

Add peeled Shrimp to the skillet. Stir to coat with the sauce and cook shrimp for a few minutes, until pink.

When shrimp has turned pink and is slightly cooked through, add Tomatoes and stir to combine. Cook for another minute. Shrimp is fully cooked when pink and no longer translucent. Do not overcook.

Add pasta and asparagus to the skillet and toss to combine. If your skillet is not big enough, add pasta and asparagus to a large bowl and pour shrimp, tomatoes, and sauce over the top. Toss to combine.

Weigh out 8 oz portions, top with Parmesan Cheese and serve hot.

Enjoy!
Love, Monica

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Grilled Chicken Salad with Fat Free Honey Mustard Dressing

2012-04-19T08:54:00.002-04:00

Servings: 4
Serving Size: 1 Salad with 3 oz Chicken and 2 tbsp Dressing *
WW Points+: 6 Calories: 241.4 Total Fat: 7.4 g

A healthy spinach and arugula salad topped with warm grilled chicken and drizzled with a sweet and spicy home-made fat free honey mustard dressing. This salad is packed with flavor and protein and makes a perfectly healthy lunch or dinner.

The marinade for this chicken is super delicious and very simple. The red wine vinegar adds a very nice subtle flavor to the chicken without overpowering the whole salad. The marinade uses the same Dijon mustard that is in the dressing, and together they taste awesome.

Let's talk about the dressing. Honey Mustard dressing is one of my favorites for salads, sandwiches, (or who am I kidding--french fries!). I love the sweetness from the honey and the tangy spicyness from the mustard. This fat free dressing spares neither flavor and the result is one of my favorite honey mustard dressings ever. I ended up making 4 batches of this and storing it in the fridge. If you keep it in a glass container it should stay fresh for about a week. **The dressing itself has only 1 Point+, 33 calories, and 0 Fat per serving.**

I chose to top my salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and a little shredded cheese but you can choose your own favorite toppings, just be sure to add any points for croutons or extra cheeses. You could always add my Whole Wheat Garlic Parmesan Croutons to this salad too!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Grilled Chicken Salad

1 pound Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breast (I used 4 thin cutlets)
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp Water
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard (I used Grey Poupon)
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Fresh Thyme Leaves, chopped
2.5 oz Baby Spinach Leaves (I used half of the 5 oz Dole bags)
2.5 oz Arugula
1 medium Cucumber, peeled
1 large Tomato
1/2 cup Reduced Fat Cheese (I used Sargento 4 Cheese Italian blend)

Fat Free Honey Mustard Dressing

1 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Dijon Mustard (I used Grey Poupon)
2 tbsp Fat Free Plain Greek Yogurt
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
Black Pepper (optional)

In a small bowl, add Red Wine Vinegar, Olive Oil, Water, Dijon Mustard, Garlic, Salt, Pepper, and Thyme.

Whisk until well combined to create the marinade for the chicken.

Place Chicken Breast Cutlets into a large ziplock bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag, place on a dish, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the chicken to marinate well.

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the honey mustard dressing. In a small mixing bowl, combine Honey, Dijon Mustard, Greek Yogurt, and Lemon Juice. Whisk until smooth. Taste and add Pepper if you like a spicier dressing.

Pour into a glass container and store until ready to use. (Be sure to shake/stir the dressing before using it).

Once the chicken has finished marinating, heat grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 5-7 minutes per side, or until cooked through. (Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the cutlets).

Remove chicken from grill and let rest for about 5 minutes. Slice each cutlet into strips.

Slice Tomatoes into wedges and Cucumbers into chunks. Add to a large salad bowl along with Spinach, Arugula, and Shredded Cheese. Divide evenly among 4 salad plates. Add 1 cutlet to each plate and drizzle with 2 tbsp of dressing.

Chicken can be served warm or cold on the salad.

Enjoy!
Love, Monica

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