Oh my goodness, this is SO good! One of my new favorites! Thank you to skinnytaste.com for having delicious recipes to try.I altered it just slightly for personal preference, and it was fabulous!
Ingredients:

6 oz No-Yolk noodles (I am sure this would be great with your favorite whole wheat or hybrid pasta too!)
2 tsp oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced thin (I did not use this - hubby can't have garlic)
12 oz fresh broccoli florets, chopped
1 tbsp butter (I used olive oil)
1 medium shallot, minced
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1-3/4 cups fat free chicken broth
1 cup 1% milk
12 oz cooked shredded chicken breast (throw chicken breasts in a crock pot and cover with water and chicken broth on low for 8 hours for perfect shredded chicken!)
4 oz shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar (Sargento)
cooking spray
3 tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
2 tbsp seasoned breadcrumbs (I used whole wheat)

Directions:Cooknoodles in salted water until al dente, or slightly undercooked by 2 minutes. Set aside.Heatoil in a large skillet.Addgarlic and cook on medium heat until golden, about 1 minute.Addthe broccoli and a little salt,sautandcoverthe broccoli for about 3 minutes on medium heat until the broccoli begins to soften. Set aside.Preheatthe oven to 375. Lightlyspraya 9 x 12 casserole dish with cooking spray.In a large pot,heatbutter over medium-low heat, when melted add the shallot andcookuntil soft, 2-3 minutes.Addthe flour and a pinch of salt and stir well, cooking an additional 2-3 minutes on medium-low heat.
Slowlywhiskin the chicken broth until well combined over medium heat; whisk well for 30 seconds, then add the milk and bring to a boil.Simmeron medium heat, mixing occasionally until it thickens (about 6-7 minutes).Removefrom heat andaddreduced fat sharp cheddar and 1 tablespoon of the parmesan cheese;mix welluntil the cheese melts.
Addthe shredded chicken, noodles and broccoli to the sauce and mix well until evenly coated.
Pourinto a casserole dish andtopwith parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs.Spraya little more cooking spray on top andbakefor about 20 - 25 minutes.Placethe casserole under the broiler a few minutes to get the crumbs crisp and golden (careful not to burn).

This video is amazing (it's long, but WELL worth your time!). It's unbelievable just how careful you have to be with what you eat, and what you give to your family.

Description from YouTube: "Robyn shares her personal story and how it inspired her current path as a "Real Food" evangelist. Grounded in a successful Wall Street career that was more interested in food as good business than good-for-you, this mother of four was shaken awake by the dangerous allergic reaction of one of her children to a "typical" breakfast. Her mission to unearth the cause revealed more about the food industry than she could stomach, and impelled her to share her findings with others."

This chili is a very filling meal with a great flavor. It's the first meatless chili that I have made, and was great! The sweet potatoe adds a unique and unexpected flavor. I made the mild version because I didn't have the chipolte chili, but next time I will add the extra kick! I also added red kidney beans to my chili as I love beans! Enjoy!
From www.eatingwell.com - a new favorite recipe source for me!
INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium-large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile (see Note)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups water
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
4 teaspoons lime juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

PREPARATION

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato and onion andcook, stirring often, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle and salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the sweet potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

Ingredients

1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 pound dried split peas
1 pound ham bone (or chopped up leftover ham)
1 bay leaf
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste -added at end

Directions

In a medium pot, saute onions in oil. Add to crock pot with the split peas, ham bone, bay leaf, and enough water to cover ingredients
Cover, and cook on low 8-10 hours You may need to add more water as the soup continues to cook.
salt and pepper to taste
*I used leftover ham from Christmas, put in 2 cups of chicken broth (low salt) and then added water, and I also only had half a bag of peas, so I threw in some dried lentils!
This is a hearty meal and is super easy!

I altered this recipe from a classic to include less sugar and more whole grains...enjoy!

Ingredients

3 very ripe bananas
2eggs
1/2 cup butter melted
2/3 cups white sugar - you could substitute 1/2 brown sugar as well
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/3 cups pecans or walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease 1 - 9x5 inch loaf pans. In a medium bowl, mash bananas and stir in the eggs until well blended. Set aside.
In large bowl, mix butter and gradually add sugar. Stir in vanilla and banana mixture. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt; blend into batter. Add walnuts or pecans if desired.
Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. *If you have a convection oven, 1 hour should be plenty
My husband and my two girls love this recipe!

This is one of the easiest and best apple crisp recipes I have found. I lowered the sugar in the apples and it was still really good to me. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 10 cups all-purpose apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 cup water

• 1 cup quick-cooking oats

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degree C).
Place the sliced apples in a 9x13 inch pan. Mix the white sugar, 1 tablespoon flour and ground cinnamon together, and sprinkle over apples. Pour water evenly over all.
Combine the oats, 1 cup flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and melted butter together. Crumble evenly over the apple mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 45 minutes.

Whenever I make these muffins, I freeze several. As I'm leaving for work in the morning, I pull one out and enjoy it at work.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil (I use 1/4 cup butter +1/4 cup apple sauce)
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (sometimes I leave these out)
Directions

In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Combine the egg, oil, milk, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in zucchini, chocolate chips and walnuts. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done.

This recipe is so easy and tasty! It is just the right treat when you have a sweet craving.

Servings: 32 Points per Serving: 2

Ingredients:

• 3 large egg white(s)
• 2/3 cup(s) sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cup(s) packaged shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 3 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small bits

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line one or two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, whisk egg whites with sugar. Add vanilla and coconut; stir to combine.

3. Scoop up a level tablespoon of batter and form into a ball with your hands; repeat with remaining batter. Place each ball about 1-inch apart on prepared cookie sheets.

4. Bake until tops just start to turn light tan, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove cookies to a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.

5. Place chocolate in a double boiler or heavy pot; melt over low heat, stirring occasionally (do not allow to burn). Keep chocolate warm and pliable as you dip tops of cookies into chocolate. Place dipped cookies on a metal tray evenly spread apart so they’re not touching; freeze until chocolate sets, about 20 to 30 minutes. Yields 1 cookie per serving.

This recipe is quick and easy enough to do during the week, and tasty enough for company! It is a mild sauce that really brings some nice flavor out in the fish.

Servings: 4 Weight Watchers Points: 6
Also works with Simply Filling Technique!

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ pound haddock (or any white fish you like)
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and ground black pepper
• 1 pound trimmed green beans
• 2 shallots minced
• ¼ cup drained capers
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (I did not use fresh, so if you don't have a lemon, just use bottled)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Spray a large 8x12 glass dish with olive oil spray (I use a Misto instead of Pam)
3. Arrange fish in a single layer on baking sheet, leaving room for green beans. Spread 1 tsp of olive oil over fish and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Toss green beans with 1 tsp of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange green beans more or less in a single layer in pan.
5. Place on bottom rack of oven and bake until fish is opaque and beans are tender, about 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile in a small bowl combine 2 tbsp oil with shallots, capers and lemon juice. Spoon sauce over fish and serve.

It was wonderful paired with cous cous or rice

*adapted from The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight Eating Great by Pam Anderson

I should call these "I can't believe they are healthy" Crispers! They even had my 3 year old's approval. I love spinach and feta together, and these are so quick and easy, they will be a repeat recipe in our house.

These would also be a great appetizer to serve for guests.

Serving Size: 3 crispers
Points per serving: 2 points

Ingredients: (I didn't put an amount because you really can make as many or as few as you want!)

• Won Ton Wrappers
• Frozen Chopped spinach - Chopped and drained well
• Light Feta Cheese - Trader Joe's brand is really tasty!
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with Pam butter spray.
2. Lay 8 won ton wrappers out flat. Place about ½ a tbsp of feta in each. Place about a tbsp of spinach on top of the feta.
3. Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt and pepper to taste.
4. Wet the edges of the won ton wrapper slightly with water. Fold over diagonally and gently press edges shut.
5. Bake about 8 minutes or until slightly browned.
6. Serve immediately!

This recipe came about by accident, and is SO fast and good!!! I had some won ton wrapper that were about to expire and started experimenting. These were a hit with the whole family!

Points: 2 points for 7 chips

Ingredients:

• Won Ton Wrappers (pre-made found in refrigerator section)
• Cinnamon and sugar
• Pam Butter Spray (or real butter for points if you prefer)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with tin-foil.
2. Spray with Pam spray (or brush lightly with butter)
3. Cut won tons in half diagonally and lay on baking sheet in a single layer.
4. Spray with Pam spray again or brush lightly with butter
5. Sprinkle very lightly with cinnamon and sugar (a little goes a long way)
6. Bake 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Cool and enjoy!

This recipe is very quick and gives so much flavor to white fish. My 3 year old loves this one! Don't be afraid of the high oven temp, it gives the fish a nice crispy crust.

Servings:4
Points per serving: 7

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon ground dried thyme
• 4 haddock fillets (about 1.25 pounds)
• 3 tsp butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
2. In a small bowl, combine the milk and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and thyme. Dip the haddock fillets in the milk, then press into the crumb mixture to coat. Place haddock fillets in a glass baking dish, and drizzle with melted butter.
3. Bake on the top rack of the preheated oven until the fish flakes easily, about 15 minutes.

I made this for friends last night, it is so easy and comes out so good! I paired it with brown rice medley from Trader Joe's and Roasted Cauliflower.

Servings: either 5 or 6 Points: for 5 servings - 7 points/ for 6 servings 5 points

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets
• lemon pepper to taste
• garlic powder to taste
• salt to taste
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. Season salmon fillets with lemon pepper, garlic powder, and salt.
2. In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil until sugar is dissolved. Place fish in a large resealable plastic bag with the soy sauce mixture, seal, and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

If Grilling

1. Preheat grill for medium heat.

2. Lightly oil grill grate. Place salmon on the preheated grill, and discard marinade. Cook salmon for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

If Cooking in Oven

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2. Discard marinade and Cook in foil pack for about 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily.

I calculated points based on the marinade that was left on the fish when I put it in the pan (I measured what was left in the bag)

These are best right from the oven! The recipe says the sugar is optional, but I thought it was needed. I used the milk instead of the juice, so the juice may make them sweet enough to omit the sugar. I saved a little of the sugar and mixed it with extra cinnamon to sprinkle on the top of each muffin before baking. Raisins or cranberries would be a nice add but they are not factored into the points. The best part is that you most likely have all the ingredients in your house already - no shopping required!

1 c. old fashioned oatmeal
1 c. applesauce
1 lg. egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
4 tbsp. vegetable oil or melted butter
1 tsp. double acting baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. milk, orange or apple juice (or frozen concentrate)
3/4 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 sugar (optional)
1/2 c. cranberries, dried cranberries or raisins (optional)

Spray 12 (3 inch) muffin cups with non-stick spray or use paper muffin liners.
Preheat oven to 375°F.

Stir together the oatmeal, applesauce, juice or milk, egg, vanilla and oil or butter. Set aside.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon (and sugar if used). Make a well in the center, and add the applesauce mixture. Stir until well combined, but do not over beat.

Add raisins or cranberries if desired. Pour into the muffin pan filling each cup until 2/3 full.

Bake 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before removing muffins.

Makes 12 muffins.

Variation: Substitute 1/4 teaspoon ginger and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg for the cinnamon.

Chicken Piccata

Servings: 4 Serving Size: 1 piece Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 214 Fat: 5.5 g Protein: 24.2 g Carb: 13.4 g Fiber: 2.8 g

* 2 (16 oz total) chicken cutlet halves, all fat trimmed
* freshly ground black pepper
* 2 large egg whites
* 2/3 cup seasoned whole wheat dry bread crumbs
* olive oil spray (about 1 tbsp worth)
* 1 tbs light butter
* juice of 1 lemon, lemon halves reserved
* 1/4 cup dry white wine
* 1/2 cup fat free chicken broth
* 1 tbsp capers
* Sliced lemon, for serving
* Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for serving

Cut chicken into 4 cutlets, then place cutlets between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4-inch thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.

In a shallow plate, beat the egg whites and 1 teaspoon of water together. Place the bread crumbs in another plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the egg, then bread crumbs.

Heat a large saute pan over medium to medium-low heat. Spray a generous amount of olive oil spray on one side of the chicken, and lay it in the pan, oil side down. Spray the top of the chicken generously to coat and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, until cooked through. Set aside until you make the sauce.

For the sauce, clean the saute pan. Over medium heat, melt butter, add the lemon juice, wine, chicken broth and the reserved lemon halves, salt, and pepper. Boil over high heat until reduced in half, about 2 minutes. Discard the lemon halves, add the capers and serve one chicken cutlet on each plate. Spoon on the sauce and serve with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

This is a recipe that I lightened up a bit. It is VERY quick to put together, although it does take about 45 minutes to cook. My 3 year old and hubby loved it! One piece of advice: use either a glass or silicon dish, or line your metal pan with tin foil!

Servings: 7 Weight Watchers Points: 7

Ingredients:

• 1 pounds ground turkey
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
• 2 cups reduced fat shredded cheddar
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2. In a bowl, mix the turkey, milk, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce and eggs by hand. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the cheese into the mixture. Transfer to a loaf pan, and top with ketchup.
3. Bake about 45-50 minutes in the preheated oven, to an internal temperature of 180 degrees F (85 degrees C).

These pancakes are hearty and delicious! Just a disclaimer, they are HEARTY, they have oats and nuts in them, so if you are not into this type of whole grain food, they may not be for you (my hubby doesn't like them). That being said, I adore these pancakes and thing they are super filling, and a great use of points!

Nutty Harvest Grain Pancakes

3/4 cup oats, rolled (raw), quick cooking

1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour or regular whole wheat

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 cups buttermilk, low fat *

1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened

1 whole egg

2 egg whites, whole

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3 tablespoons walnuts, finely chopped

1.   Combine the dry ingredients in a medium size bowl and set aside. In another bowl combine all of the wet ingredients and mix well with a wire whisk.
   

2.   Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and and mix well.
   

3.   Over a burner on medium, spray a nonstick skillet with vegetable oil spray, using a 1/3 cup measure cup pour out batter into prepared pan, cooking about 2 minutes or until bubbles form and the pancake starts to look dry around the edges, turn and cook another 2 minutes or until pancake is cooked through.
   

4.   Repeat with all pancake batter.
   

5.   Serve with your favorite pancake syrup, berries or my favorite, warm applesauce.
   

• If you don’t have buttermilk on hand use this substitute, add 1 tablespoon vinegar to each 1 cup of low-fat or nonfat milk, stir and let sit for a minute. I keep the Sacco buttermilk blend powder in my refrigerator to use for baking. It works great!

Yield: 12 pancakes

Serving Size: 1 pancake

Per Serving: 83 Calories; 2g Fat (22.9% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 12g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 19mg Cholesterol; 293mg Sodium Weight Watchers Points 2 per pancake

I modified a good vegetarian chili recipe, making it better by adding ground turkey. It’s hard to find a chili my family likes better. Makes approximately 10 cup servings, 5 points each.

• 2 t olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 large green pepper, diced
• 1 large red pepper, diced
• 1.25 lbs ground turkey
• 1 heaping T cumin
• 1 heaping T chili powder
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cans dark red kidney beans, rinsed
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 small can tomato juice

In a large pot, cook onions and garlic in oil on medium heat until tender. Add red and green peppers and cook for approx 3 more minutes. Add turkey (you can cook in separate pot if you want to drain, but I usually just throw it in raw and cook in pot). Once fully cooked, add seasonings and chipotle pepper. Cook for 5 minutes and add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Use additional tomato juice to thin if desired. Serve with shredded cheddar (points not calculated).

This is so sweet and tasty! This recipe is 0 points, and is such a filling side (or a nice healthy snack!)

Servings: 3-4
Points/serving: 0
Ingredients:

• 1 large butternut squash (I always get the pre-cut squash to save time!)
• Olive Oil (I use my Misto spray to keep points at zero)
• Sea Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray nonstick cookie sheet with olive oil to just coat (about 4 even sprays with Misto). I use tinfoil over a cookie sheet for easy clean up! Place cut squash in a single layer on cookie sheet. Spray with olive oil again (about 4 even sprays with Misto). Salt and Pepper to taste.

Bake Squash for about 30-35 minutes turning once half way through. The sugar in the squash will caramelize and brown on both sides.

The olive oil is about a tsp for the whole squash, which divided by serving comes to zero points!

Enjoy!

• 2 cups old fashioned oats  (see note below)
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup extra ingredients (see variations and options below)
• 1/4 cup Maple Syrup
• 3 Tablespoons flavorless oil like vegetable or canola
• 2 Tablespoons warm water

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non stick vegetable spray.
Mix oats, wheat germ salt and extra ingredients – except dried fruit – in a medium bowl. Heat syrup, oil, water and flavoring if called for in a small pan over medium heat. Drizzle over oat mixture and stir to combine.

Pour mixture into prepared pan. Working with a handful at a time, squeeze cereal for form small clumps. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir in dried fruit, continue to bake until golden brown, 20 -25 minutes longer. Let cool and serve. Granola can be stored in an airtight container for 1 month. It will never last that long!

Note: For best results use old fashioned or rolled oats, not quick cooking. Quick cooking have a powdery rather than crisp texture and taste of raw starch. Old fashioned oats bake into crisp, golden granola.

Extra Ingredient Options:
Cherries and Almond Granola (pictured):

Extra ingredients:

• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• 1/3 cup sweetened or unsweetened flaked coconut
• 1/3 cup dried cherries

Flavoring:

• 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• my additions – I can’t imagine granola without cinnamon!

Classic Granola

Extra ingredients:

• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/3 cup sweetened or unsweetened flaked coconut
• 1/3 cup dark or golden raisins

Flavoring: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Trail Mix Granola

Extra Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup chopped roasted unsalted peanuts
• 1/4 cup sweetened or unsweetened flaked coconut
• 1/4 cup dark raisins

• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (stir in after granola has completely cooled)

  (Thank you www.nutmegnotebook.com)

I have had a few people ask me what Heart Rate Monitor I use to calculate calories (and Weight Watchers Activity Points)when I exercise. I have had this one for about 3 years, and I love it. I have used it at the gym, and don't get any interference. It is very easy to set up, and very comfortable to wear. I use the assumption of 80 calories per Weight Watchers Activity Point. I use it when I do yoga, run, walk, or do a workout dvd. This monitor takes into account your weight too. I highly recommend using one for accurate calorie counts!

Classic Slow Cooker Beef Stew

1 -1/2 pounds boneless beef bottom round, cubed or lean stew meat

3 Tablespoons all purpose flour

1 pound small new potatoes, quartered ( I have used red or Yukon Gold)

1 16 ounce bag baby carrots

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup red wine 0r sub beef broth

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crumbled

1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Mix the beef and flour in a large plastic bag, seal the top of the bag and shake to coat. I like to season the flour with a little Cavender’s Greek seasoning or you can use a little salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.

2. Mix the flour coated beef, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, wine, onion, garlic and thyme in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low until the beef is tender about 8-10 hours. It can be done on high for 4-6, but I think it comes out better on the low setting for longer!

3. When vegetables and beef cubes are tender and cooked through stir in the vinegar, salt and black pepper and I also like to add about another 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme. Ladle into shallow soup bowls and serve with crusty bread to soak up the flavorful juices.

Servings: 8 if you are serving people with petite appetites. If you are serving hungry men I would say more like 4-6 servings! Even if you make this into larger servings it is still very calorie friendly!

Per Serving based on 8 servings: 213 calories,4 g fat,137 mg sodium, 22 g carbs, 18 g protein, 2 g fiber WWPP 5

Adapted from “Weight Watchers Cook It Quick” cook book

Course: side dishes
PointsPlus™ Value: 3
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 45 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients
1 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray
2 large uncooked potato(es), Idaho, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
1/4 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1/2 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, sharp-variety
Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

• Arrange potatoes on prepared baking sheet; season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake 20 minutes; flip fries and cook until golden brown and fork tender, about 20 minutes more.

• Cluster potatoes together on baking sheet and sprinkle with cheese; bake until cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Yields 1/4 of fries per serving.

This is one of my favorite meatball recipes! My 3 year old loves them, spinach and all!

Skinny Italian Spinach Meatballs
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 5 meatballs w 4.5 oz sauce • Points: 5 pts
Calories: 211.2 • Fat: 9.8 g • Protein: 17.4 g • Carb: 14.3 g • Fiber: 4.2 g

• 1 lb 93% lean ground beef
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of all liquid
• 2 slices whole wheat Weight Watchers bread (or any half point bread)
• 1 large egg
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese (or your favorite Parmesan Cheese)
• salt and pepper

Tomato Sauce:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 cloves smashed garlic
• 28 oz can Tuttorosso crushed tomatoes (my favorite)
• 1/2 onion (don't chop)
• salt and pepper

Wet bread with water then mash up with your hands. Add to large bowl and combine with chopped beef, chopped spinach, egg, garlic, parsley, grated cheese, salt and pepper. Mix all ingredients well until thoroughly combined. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, measure meat, then divide in two so that each meatball is 1/8th of a cup. Roll into little meatballs.

In a large pot, add olive oil and heat on medium. When hot add smashed garlic. When garlic is golden brown, add tomatoes, onion, salt and pepper and cover, reduce heat to low.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil on low heat. When oil is hot add as many meatballs that will fit, cook on low, turning often so that all side get browned. Cook until the centers are cooked through. When finished, place on a dish lined with paper towels to blot any excess oil. Drop meatballs into sauce and continue cooking the remaining meatballs, repeating the process. When all meatballs are in the sauce, simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes. Discard onion and serve.

Thank you Gina at Skinnytaste.com

These are, dare I say, a bit decadent! They are fairly easy to prepare, and go great with just about anything. A great recipe for fresh green beans. Enjoy!

Baked Green Bean Sticks with Marinara Sauce
Servings: 4 • Points: 2 points per serving

• 1 pound fresh green beans (It's worth it to use fresh!)
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs (only about 1/3 cup get used)
• 3 tbsp grated Parmesan Romano cheese
• cooking spray (I use my Misto to spray olive oil, but Pam is fine)
• salt
• fresh pepper
• Marinara Sauce (Optional -count points depending on type)

Preheat oven to 425°.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites and season with salt and pepper. In another small bowl, mix together bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

Clean green beans – I snap off the very ends and rinse under cold water. Let dry.

Dip green beans into eggs then into bread crumb and cheese mixture, a few at a time. Tun in the breadcrumbs to coat. Place the breaded green beans in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Bake at 425° for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Optional to serve with 1/2 cup marinara sauce for dipping.

A friend and I bought a 10-pack of yoga classes for a Bikram Yoga Studio near us.
I am HOOKED! It is a 90 minute sequence of the same 26 poses in a room heated to 104 degrees. We are on our 4th class and I already feel changes in my body. I am also finding it is doing wonders for my state of mind.

As an added bonus, I wore my heart rate monitor last class, and I burned 800 calories!!! I couldn't believe it! That is 10 Weight Watchers activity points (figured at 80 calories= 1 point).

This is slightly altered from Skinnytaste.com (a favorite site of mine!)
This recipe is so good! My 3 year old devoured it (spinach and all!). It freezes very well, and makes a great homemade "frozen meal", and it's already portioned out! This is also a fairly easy meal to put together. Love it!

9 lasagna noodles, cooked - I use whole wheat
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
15 oz part skim ricotta cheese (I use )
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (grate your own for a more robust taste!)
1 egg
salt and fresh pepper
32 oz tomato sauce
9 tbsp (about 3 oz) part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Ladle about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish.
Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.
Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese. Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.
To serve, ladle a little sauce on the plate and top with lasagna roll.

These ramekins are the perfect size for little souffles and quiches! I love CorningWare products and the French White matches everything. They clean up great, go in the microwave, dishwasher and oven (a must for me with kitchen items!)

I also use these with No Pudge Brownie mix to make myself a little individual brownie sundae! My favorite things to add to these are cut up strawberries, blueberries, frozen yogurt or vanilla yogurt.

I absolutely hate throwing out fruit, and I personally won't eat a banana if it is a day over ripe! So, here is what I do with my over ripe bananas...

• Take the banana out of it's skin
• cut off any bad brown spots
• wrap tightly in plastic wrap and put it in the freezer

This is so easy, and they taste amazing! I use them in shakes in place of ice, or slice them up (frozen) and they taste like a creamy frozen banana treat! The bananas won't freeze solid, so you can bite into them.

• For kids - You can put them on a Popsicle stick and freeze for a nice super healthy treat
• For the chocolate lover - when you slice them up, drizzle a bit of chocolate sauce over them (count points!)

Bananas are 0 points on Weight Watchers, so enjoy!

7 points per serving (includes rice!)
Ingredients
3/4 cup(s) canned chicken broth, reduced-sodium
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp peanut oil
2 medium scallion(s), chopped
2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, or 1 dried chili pepper, minced
1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cup(s) cooked white rice, kept hot
Instructions

• In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and ginger; set aside.

• Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallions, garlic and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Add chicken; sauté until browned all over, about 5 minutes.

• Add reserved sauce to pan and simmer until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes.

• Serve chicken and sauce over rice. Yields about 1 cup chicken with sauce and 1/2 cup rice per serving.

Pesto and Feta Stuffed Chicken – YUM!

About 6 points+

Adapted from a WW recipe:

• 1/2 cup reduced fat feta (I loathe the fat free version!)
• 2 tablespoons pesto
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 4-5 oz each)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• toothpicks

Mix feta, pesto, and salt/pepper in a small bowl

Take each chicken breast and cut a pocket in the side. The pocket should go as far through without cutting all the way to the other side. Spoon the mixture evenly in each pocket. Use toothpicks to hold the pockets shut.

Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes on each side.

4 Points per serving, servings: 4

• 1 Tbsp olive oil,
• 1 large onion(s), minced
• 1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
• 1 cup(s) quinoa, rinsed (or purchase pre-rinsed quinoa)*
• 2 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes,
• optional 4 cup(s) spinach, baby leaves, packed, coarsely chopped 
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 4 tbsp reduced-fat feta

Instructions

• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add quinoa to skillet; cook, stirring frequently, until quinoa starts to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.
• Add broth, black pepper and red pepper flakes to skillet; bring to a boil.
• Cover skillet and reduce heat to low and simmer for 13 minutes; stir in spinach.
• Cover skillet and cook until spinach and quinoa are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 3 to 5 minutes;
• season with salt.
• Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.
• I added 4 tbsp of feta cheese in the end.

This takes real olive oil and makes it into a spray. I use it when possible instead of PAM spray. It's a great way to get a lot of the olive oil taste spread evenly on your food without the calories of pouring it onto food or tossing food in oil. We use this all the time. It takes about a cup of olive oil and we have to refill it about once every 8-9 months (using it 2-3 times a week minimum), so it is not adding much oil with each spray.

I find it works better if you leave the pressure in the sprayer in between uses.

You can also use it with any oil, we just happen to love olive oil!

PointsPlus™ Value: 3
Servings: 2
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 18 min

Ingredients

2 spray(s) cooking spray   
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa   
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour   
3 Tbsp sugar, granulated, divided   
3 Tbsp low-fat chocolate milk   
1 large egg white(s)   
1/2 tsp powdered sugar   

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat two 6 oz ramekins with cooking spray.
• In a small saucepan, whisk together cocoa, flour and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; set over medium heat. Add milk; cook until smooth, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cool for about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk egg white until soft peaks start to form. Slowly add remaining tablespoon granulated sugar and continue beating until soft peaks form. Fold cooled chocolate mixture into egg whites, a little at a time, until no white streaks appear.
• Pour batter into prepared ramekins; bake until set and tops look slightly dry, about 14 to 16 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar; serve warm. Yields 1 soufflé per serving.

Notes

• Do not open oven until soufflés are done. Cold air can cause them to sink.
• This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled for larger gatherings.

Ingredients:

• 1 head cauliflower (white or colored)
• olive oil (I use it in a Misto Sprayer)
• Sea Salt Freshly
• Ground Pepper

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Spray cookie sheet with olive oil (or cooking spray).
• Layer cauliflower on cookie sheet and spray with olive oil spray (Misto).
• Sprinkle a bit of sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes turning once.

*If you don't have a Misto Sprayer, you can toss the cauliflower in 2-3 tsp's of olive oil before putting on pan.
This will bring the points+ value to 1 point per serving (and fill one of your healthy guidelines!)

Servings=3-4 servings

Weight Watchers Points+ = 0