Chicken and Lentils in Apple-Curry Sauce

 

Make sure you get some good size chicken thighs for this dish because those suckers can shrink up big time, which is why my photo shows 2!  I only had a one-pound pack of chicken thighs instead of the 1-1/2 lbs this recipe calls for, so no biggie!  This is under 500 calories at 436!

Yes, there is 10 g of fat in this recipe but only 2 of them are saturated fats and chicken thighs have so much more flavor than chicken breasts.  Check out that 19 grams of fiber and 38 grams of protein though.   Very filling dish!

Ingredients:

2 Tbs olive oil
6 skinless/boneless chicken highs (about 1-1/2 lbs total)
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs finely shredded fresh ginger
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 Tbs mild curry powder
1 tsp garam masala
3 c reduced-sodium chicken broth
1-1/2 c uncooked lentils, rinsed and drained
3 red and/or green cooking apples, cored and sliced
2 5-oz pkgs baby spinach (8 to 10 cups)

Instructions:

Rinse and drain dried lentils and set aside. 

Place oil in a large nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat and add chicken thighs once hot enough. Cook only 4 to 6 minutes per side turning once or just until nicely golden brown.  Remove (still undercooked chicken) from pan and set aside.

In the same pan add onion to skillet stirring and cooking for about 3 minutes and then add garlic and ginger stirring and cooking for another minute or so more.  Stir in tomato paste, curry powder, garam masala and 1/2 tsp salt mixing well.

Add chicken broth and lentils stirring well and place chicken thighs on top in pan.  Bring to a rapid boil and reduce heat to simmering and simmer for about 30 minutes or until lentils are tender.

Add sliced apples to skillet and cover and simmer for about another 10 minutes. Stir in about 3 cups of spinach until wilted.  No need to cook the spinach in.  The heat from the finished dish still in the pan will wilt your spinach nicely.

Divide the remaining 6 to 8 cups of spinach among the 6 plates or bowls to create a "bed" or a base.  Top each with the lentil-apple mixture and then the chicken thighs.

YIELDS: 6 Servings
SERVING SIZE:  1 thigh, 1-1/2 c spinach, 2/3 c lentil mixture

Nutritional Information:  436 calories, 10 g fat, (2 g sat fat), 108 mg cholesterol, 658 mg sodium, 49 g carb, 13.5 g sugars, 19 g fiber, 38 g protein

Mini Turkey Meat Loaves with Nutty Parsley Gremolata

This dish is one of my favorite ground turkey recipes!  Each loaf comes out to only 270 calories too!  The lemon flavor in the gremolata is a nice accent to this turkey mealoaf!  I am not a big fan of strong lemon flavor but it actually worked so well with in this dish as a delicious compliment!  Just go easy on topping each loaf as a little goes a long way!

I always double this recipe and use toasted pine nuts because they are my fave so I can just use the 16-oz packages of both the ground turkey and the lean ground turkey breast.  It makes 8 loaves this way!  The below instructions are for 4 loaves and 8 oz of each the ground turkey and ground turkey breast.

Ingredients:

Cooking spray, parchment paper, or tinfoil
2 egg whites
1-1/2 cups chopped fresh mushrooms
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup finely chopped dried tomatoes (in pouch not in oil)
1/4 c finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
8 oz uncooked ground turkey
8 oz uncooked ground turkey breast

1/3 cup snipped flat leaf Italian parsley (I chop mine)
1/4 cup chopped toasted pine nuts, walnuts, or sliced almonds
2 tsp walnut oil or olive oil
1/2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/8 tsp salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a 15" x 10" x 1" baking pan with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

In a large bowl beat the egg whites with a fork and add in the mushrooms, rolled oats, dried tomatoes, onion, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper.  Add in the ground turkey and mix well.

Divide the meat mixture into four equal portions.  For me this comes out to about 6 ounces each (slightly more).  Shape each into a 4" oval that is about 2-1/2" wide in the center. Place in prepared baking pan so they are not touching.  Bake about 20 minutes or  until internal temperature is 165 degrees.

While loaves are baking, make the gremolata mixture.  Stir together the parsley, the nuts, oil, lemon peel, lemon juice and 1/8 tsp salt.

To serve, top each loaf with a serving of the gremolata.

YIELDS:  4 Servings
SERVING SIZE:  1 loaf

Nutritional Information:  270 calories, 12 g fat (2 g sat), 68 mg chol, 479 mg sodium, 10 g carb, 3 g sugars, 2 g fiber, 30 g protein.

Lemon-Pepper Tuna Nicoise Salad

This refreshingly light salad is a definite must-have again lunch in my rotation for only 247 calories!  I wound up using diced and seasoned refrigerated potatoes (by the hashbrowns in the dairy aisle) because not a single store had the refrigerated potato wedges the recipe calls for, but a potato is a potato and these had an extra kick of spice that really kicked up the flavors this time around!  I just fried up the whole bag and divided it up saving a serving for my youngest's breakfast and then put about 2 oz into each salad container.

(Only 3 servings pictured because I ate the 4th!)

Ingredients:

2 tsp butter

2 cups refrigerated potato wedges

6 cups mixed salad greens

3 2.6-oz pouches lemon-pepper or herb-seasoned chunk light tuna

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced

2 Tbs white wine vinegar

2 Tbs olive oil

1/2 tsp Dijon-style mustard

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions:

In a large skillet melt the butter over medium heat and add the potato wedges.  Cover and cook about 15 minutes or until golden brown flipping or stirring occasionally.  Cool completely.

In four salad containers, if portioning out, evenly layer salad greens, tuna, tomatoes, egg slices and potatoes. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours. 

In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, mustard and black pepper. 

Divide among four small containers if portioning out in advance. 

Drizzle on dressing portion over the one salad portion.  Cover and shake or toss with a fork to combine.

YIELDS:  4 servings

SERVING SIZE:  ~1-1/2 cups greens, 1/2 c potatoes, 2 oz tuna, 1/4 c tomatoes, and 1 Tbs dressing

Nutritional Information:  247 calories, 12 g fat (3 g sat fat), 125 mg chol, 543 mg sodium, 14 g carb, 4 g sugars, 4 g fiber, 20 g protein

Pancetta Two-Cheese Pizza

(single-serve thin crust whole grain here)

This pizza is such a refreshing change of pace around here for only 324 calories per serving!  My family, except for myself, could practically live on pizza.  I get terrible heartburn from the tomato sauce on pizza for some reason, and the good news is there is none of that on this pizza!  Pesto and balsamic vinegar actually replace the pizza sauce layer!

Of course, my youngest was worried about and focused on the goat cheese in this recipe, but he ate two servings!

Full disclosure here, I tweaked this recipe in a few ways.  I copped out on making the pizza dough recipe below from scratch with a 5-count pack of 100% Whole Grain thin crust personal pan size pizza crusts to save time!  I also went with the fresh, snipped oregano straight from the garden!  The recipe as written makes 6 servings with the homemade thin crust dough, and if you choose to make your dough from scratch, start way earlier in the day than dinner time to allow for the yeast to do its job!

You can tweak it with more flavorful cheeses as well!  You can get more flavor into more healthful dishes by way of cheese by choosing smaller amounts of types like herb-flavored, horseradish-flavored, or smoked cheeses!!

Pizza Dough Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour, divided

3/4 cup warm water, divided (105 to 115 degrees F)

1/2 tsp active dry yeast

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

Pizza Topping Ingredients:

6 oz lean ground pork

2 oz thinly sliced pancetta, chopped

1/2 cup chopped onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed

1 cup bottled roasted sweet peppers, drained and chopped

2 tsp snipped fresh oregano, rosemary, or thyme

2 Tbs basil pesto

1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

3/4 c shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 3 oz)

2 oz crumbled goat cheese

Pizza Dough Instructions:

In a medium bowl whisk together 1/4 cup warm water and 1/2 tsp active dry yeast until smooth.  Cover and let stand at room temperature for 2 to 6 hours. 

Gradually stir in the remaining 1/2 cup warm water, 1/2 tsp salt, and 3/4 cup whole wheat flour.   Stir in enough of the 1/2 to 3/4 cup all purpose flour to make a dough that pulls away from the sides of the bowl but is still sticky.

On a lightly floured surface kneed in enough of the remaining all-purpose flour to make a soft dough that is smooth and elastic (3 to 5 minutes). 

Shape the dough into a ball and place in a lightly greased bowl.  Cover and let rise once more in a warm place for about 30 minutes (good to work on the remaining recipe during this time!)

Grease two 12" pizza pans and set aside.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Gently remove pizza dough from the bowl and divide in half. 

On a lightly floured surface roll each dough half into a 12" circle (dough will be VERY thin). 

Transfer dough to prepared pans and pat to edges building up the edges just slightly.  Bake on two separate oven racks about 8 minutes or until just starting to brown.

Pizza Topping Instructions:

In a large skillet, cook ground pork, pancetta, and onion over med-high heat until pork is no longer pink breaking up the pork as it cooks.  Drain off the fat and pat with paper towel to absorb as much as you can. 

Add garlic and fennel seeds cooking for another minute.  Remove from heat and stir in the red peppers and oregano stirring a bit for a minute to distribute heat.  Set aside.

In a small bowl combine the pesto and the vinegar.  Brush this mixture evenly over crusts in pans leaving the edges plain.  Spread the pork and pancetta mixture evenly over the crusts.  Bake for 8 minutes.

Sprinkle each with the mozzarella and goat cheeses and return to the oven for about 3 to 4 more minutes to melt the cheese until the crust is golden brown.

If desired, sprinkle with snipped fresh oregano. 

Cut each pizza into six slices.

 

YIELDS:  6 servings

SERVING SIZE:  2 slices

Nutritional Information:  Calories 324, Fat 16 g (7 g sat), Cholesterol 39 mg, Sodium 457 mg, Carb 20 g, Sugars 2 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 18 g

Kickin' Orzo Chicken Salad with Avocado-Lime Dressing

This cold chicken meal/pasta salad is such a refreshing twist on lunch and the homemade cilantro-lime dressing with a slight red pepper kick is definitely a keeper!  Save this one to put on more things for sure!

This salad is also really versatile!  You can change it up by using leftover pork tenderloin or grilled flank steak instead of the chicken and by using shelled edamame instead of the corn or red and yellow sweet peppers for the tomatoes!  I will share pics of the various tweaks I have tried in the future!

A time-saving tip is to utilize the breast portions from a rotisserie chicken removing the skin!

Notes:  I don't like feta cheese so in all recipes that call for feta, I substitute in creamy crumbled goat cheese.  A small avocado from those 4-count bags of avocados is sufficient for making the dressing!  And you may need more than one lime depending on the size and juiciness of the limes available to you. Lastly, while you can immediately eat this dish, allowing the flavors to combine overnight allow the flavors in the dressing to really blend well together so make ahead!

(dressing applied to bottom left salad)

Ingredients:

2/3 c. dried whole wheat or regular orzo pasta (3 oz)
1 c. fresh or frozen whole kernel corn
2 c. shredded or chopped cooked chicken breast
1 c. grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 c. crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese (I use goat cheese)
1 small avocado, pitted, peeled and cut up
1/2 tsp finely grated lime peel
1/4 c. lime juice
1/2 c. water
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, cook up the orzo according to package directions or to desired doneness.  Add the corn to the cooking orzo during the last minute of boiling.

Rinse the corn and orzo with cold water after draining and divide evenly between 4 single-serve storage containers or bowls.

Top each serving with chicken, tomatoes, and cilantro.  Top that with your crumbled cheese of choice. 

For the dressing, combine the avocado, water, finely grated lime peel, lime juice, garlic, crushed red pepper and salt in a blender or a food processor and give it a good whirl until all ingredients are well blended.  Store in condiment cups like I have or cover and store!

Cover and chill everything for at least 2 hours but up to 24 hours.

To serve just drizzle the dressing portions atop the salad portions.  Cover and shake to blend if in a portable container or toss to coat.  Voila.  That's it!

YIELDS:  4 Servings
SERVING SIZE:  About 1 cup salad and 1/4 c dressing

Nutritional Information:  Calories 321, Fat 10 g (3 g sat), Chol 65 mg, Sodium 439 mg, Carb 30 g, Sugars 3 g, Fiber 7 g, Protein 30 g

Bacon, Ranch & Chicken Mac and Cheese

So my youngest son had a sleepover for the first time in months the other day.  These two kids get together maybe once a month right now but we and the other family don't really go out and about so that we don't have to worry about the virus so much and they maintain their distance fairly well when finally together.  They sit on separate couches to play their video games and they are outside a LOT shooting hoops or swimming, etc. 

I needed to find something that they would want to eat that I could as well while my husband worked overtime and wouldn't be home until midnight or so having already eaten so I scrapped my initial plan for a fancier meal that included veggies and sides and tried out this bacon, ranch and chicken mac and cheese recipe.  They liked it, as did I and I only wound up eating half of a serving for 249 calories!  A whole serving is about 2 cups for 497 calories and is actually A LOT!

Be honest, I have to feed teenage boys SOMETHING when they are hanging out together and they won't go anywhere near "diet-friendly" food.  As long as I know this is not something to make on the regular and it is a once in a while dish only, I'm good!  It is an easy option for these occasions and even serves as a good passing dish!

** I had made bacon for BLT sandwiches the previous day so did not have "drippings in the pan" in which to cook the chicken as this recipe says you should.  I just added a tsp of olive oil to my pan to fry up the chicken in a nonstick skillet.  (okay, so I also cheated and used 3 pieces of bacon total but added calories and adjusted my log! It was so worth it!)

Ingredients:

8 oz uncooked elbow macaroni
1 slice applewood-smoked bacon
8 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 Tbs butter
1 Tbs all-purpose flour
1-1/2 c fat-free milk
1/3 c condensed 45% reduced sodium 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
3/4 c (3 oz) shredded 6-cheese Italian blend cheese
12 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp salt
Cooking spray
1/2 c (2 oz) shredded Colby-Jack cheese

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package directions leaving out salt and fat.  Drain.

** (see my note above).  Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan.  Finely chop bacon; set aside.  Increase heat to medium-high.  Add chicken to drippings in pan and saute 6 minutes or until done.

Combine the milk and soup stirring with a whisk and set aside. 

Melt butter in a large saucepan (and I mean large! Large enough to hold this whole recipe!) and sprinkle in the flour whisking until thick and bubbly.  Now slowly whisk the soup and milk mixture into the butter-flour mixture in the sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Cook another two minutes or until thickened.  Remove from heat and let stand until it cools down to about 155 degrees.

Add Italian cheese to the sauce pan stirring until the cheese melts.  Now stir in the pasta and the chicken and toss to coat. 

Preheat your broiler.

Spoon the contents of your sauce pan into a casserole dish that is coated with cooking spray first.  Sprinkle the top Colby Jack cheese shreds and the crumbled/chopped bacon pieces. 

Broil for about 3 minutes or until the cheese melts and to your broiled cheese doneness preference!

YIELDS:  4 servings
SERVING SIZE:  About 2 cups

Nutritional Information:  Calories 497, Fat 17 g (saturated 9.2 g, mono 4.7 g, poly 1.4 g), Protein 33.3 g, Carb 51.7 g, Fiber 2 g, Chol 74 mg, Iron 2.4 mg, Sodium 767 mg, Calcium 368 mg

Szechuan Rice Noodles with Ground Turkey

This is such an easy meal designed for one!  You can add more red pepper flakes if you like super spicy but it had the perfect amount of kick for us here with the ginger and red pepper flakes it calls for. 

I was cooking for three so I just tripled the below recipe! 

Multiple everything by four if needing to utilize the whole 16 oz of the ground turkey breast package!

When cooking rice noodles, you can follow the below directions, but I had to microwave the sitting container in the microwave because just letting the noodles sit covered with the hot water (had been boiled) was taking too long.  Instructions on the package would work better too I'm assuming!

Ingredients:

1 oz thin rice noodles
1 tsp dark sesame oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tsp minced, peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, (or more if wanting spicier)
1/4-lb ground turkey breast
1 Tbs soy sauce
1 Tbs low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions:

Place noodles into a medium bowl, cover with boiling water, and let stand until noodles soften, (about 3 minutes). Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet on medium heat and add the scallions, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes.  Cook stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add turkey to skillet.  Cook breaking up the ground turkey breast until no longer pink.  Stir in soy sauce, rice vinegar and chicken broth.  Add in noodles and toss to combine.  Transfer to a plate and top with fresh cilantro. 

YIELDS:  1 serving
SERVING SIZE:  1-1/3 cups
SMART POINTS:  6

Nutritional Information:  323 Calories, Total Fat 9 g (saturated 1 g), Sodium 705 mg, Total Carb 29 g, Sugar 2 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 29 g

Steak and Mushroom Pasta Salad

This is a good meal salad!  Good enough that you should keep an eye out on the flank steak prices and nab it when it's on sale!

This salad is 273 calories for a 1-cup serving.  The dressing is so simple too!  When I buy my low-fat buttermilk, I divide it up into 1/2-cup servings and freeze them individually for use later!

It reheats nicely the following day, as the arugula seems to hold up much better than a typical lettuce would!  If you can't find cavatappi (cavatappi means spiral) pasta, you can sub in another tube-shaped pasta such as penne or even elbow macaroni!

This recipe came from a Weight Watchers 15-minute 5-recipes recipe magazine. 

Ingredients:

8 oz uncooked cavatappi pasta
8 oz lean flank steak, trimmed of fat
1-1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp kosher sal
3 Tbs olive oil (divided)
8 oz sliced cremini or regular white mushrooms
1/2 c low-fat buttermilk
2 c arugula leaves (about 2 oz)
 
Instructions:

Prepare the pasta according to package directions or to desired tenderness and omit the salt and fat while doing so.

Meanwhile, sprinkle the steak with half a teaspoon of each the salt and the pepper or to taste like I do.   Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a hot nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the steak and cook to the desired degree of doneness.  It takes about 4 to 5 minutes per side to reach a medium-rare.  Remove steak from pan and set aside allowing it to rest at least 5 minutes.

Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook stirring occasionally until any liquid is evaporated off. About 7 minutes.

Cut the steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices.

Whisk together the buttermilk and remaining 2 Tbs oil, 3/4 tsp pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl.  Add the pasta to this dressing and toss to coat.  Now add in the steak, mushrooms and arugula and toss some more to coat.

Serve!

YIELDS:  6 servings
SERVING SIZE:  1 cup
SMART POINTS:  7

Nutritional Information:  Calories 273, Fat 9.6 g (sat 1.9g, mono 5.8 g, poly 1 g), Protein 15 g, Carb 32 g, Fiber 2 g, Sugars 3 g, Chol 24 mg, Iron 2 mg, Sodium 287 mg, Calcium 66 mg

Spicy Honey-Glazed Chicken Thighs

I don't remember where I noted this recipe from but can't believe I haven't shared it here yet!  If you don't like a little kick of spicy heat here and there, you will want to lessen the amount of the ground red pepper you add.  This rings in at 446 calories for two whole chicken thighs and halving that for one thigh is only 223 calories!

Chicken thighs have a little more fat and a bit more calories than your average diet-friendly choice of chicken breasts, but they also have more flavor and are more tender.

You'll want to have a brown paper bag handy to shake your chicken up into the spice mixture perfectly!  You can just put everything in a bowl and toss to coat, but that shake-in-a-bag trick you see in the movie The Help is really nice with this one!

Spice Ingredients:

2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground red pepper  (can take down to 1/4 tsp)
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Cooking Spray

Glaze Ingredients:

6 Tbs honey
2 tsp cider vinegar

Instructions:

Preheat the broiler to low with rack in middle of oven.

Combine all of the spice ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Place spice mixture in the bottom of a brown paper bag large enough to hold all 8 thighs.  Add the thighs, fold down the bag and shake 'er up!  You can open and check and pull out well-covered pieces so as to allow those less so to get covered on subsequent shakes!  You can also just add all ingredients into a large bowl and toss to coat but the bag method allows all of the seasoning to stick to the chicken specifically!

Cover the broiler pan with cooking spray and broil chicken at least 5 minutes on each side.  Make sure to open the thighs so they lay evenly on your pan avoiding having pieces that are so thick they will take longer to cook through.

Combine the honey and vinegar for the glaze and stir it together well with a whisk while the chicken is broiling.

After 5 minutes broiling per side with only the dry seasoning, remove the chicken from the oven or just pull it out far enough for brushing and brush the glaze onto the chicken and broil again for at least 1 minute.  Flip the chicken and repeat glazing the other side and broiling again for at least another minute.

Let me tell you, that allowing a little extra time (watching closely) so that the surface of the chicken with the glaze applied has a moment to caramelize and appear a little crispy or burned, is delicious!

Brush whatever little bit of glaze mixture is left over the top once done while still hot.

SERVES: 4 Servings
SERVING SIZE:  2 chicken thighs

Nutritional Information:  Calories 321, Fat 11 g (sat 3 g, mono 4.1 g, poly 2.5 g), Protein 28 g, Carb 27.9 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Chol 99 mg, Iron 2.1 mg, Sodium 676 mg, Calcium 21 mg

Turkey-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls-2 Rolls for 431 calories

The stuffing for these can also be used in baked stuff zucchini and tomatoes and peppers!  Basmati rice is so fragrant and good I highly recommend it!

Mr F said no Fewer than Five times "Wow. I'm surprised this is soo good!"  He didn't like the smell the cabbage gave the house as it baked and he was extremely nervous about it. 

Each serving is 2 rolls for 431 calories but can be one roll for 216 calories!  This is a very old WW recipe I used to make that clocked in at 8 Winning Points and it is Noom friendly because all of the ingredients are yellow and green foods!   If you want or need to switch to a less-lean ground turkey, then adjust the nutritional info accordingly!

Make sure you make this earlier in the day because it cooks long and slowly for up to 2 hours so they come out fork tender.  You can also shorten the bake time a bit by throwing the ground turkey into the pan with the mushrooms and onions and cooking up a bit before stuffing the cabbage leaves.

To reheat any leftovers, you should steam or microwave them.

 (I like extra sauce on my plate to drag each bite through!)

Ingredients:

1 (1-1/2-lb) Savoy cabbage(can use regular green cabbage as well)
1 cup bastmati rice or long-grain white rice
2 tsp olive oil
1/2-lb white mushrooms chopped coarsely
3/4-lb ground skinless turkey breast
1 large egg
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 (26-oz) jar marinara sauce

Instructions:

Fill a large pot with water about 2/3 full.  After getting the cabbage leaves carefully separated, dip each cabbage leaf individually into the boiling water for about 30 seconds with tongs.  Thinly chop/slice up the remaining cabbage head.

Place the chopped cabbage at the bottom of a glass, coverable, baking dish large enough to hold 8 rolls-about lasagna pan size.

Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium sauce pan.  Add the rice and bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. About 20 minutes.  (Boil in bag Basmati rice can cook in about 10 minutes too!).  Fluff with a fork and transfer to a large bowl.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet and add in the mushrooms and onion cooking until liquid evaporates.  Add the mushroom and onions to the rice bowl.  Now add turkey, egg, and salt and pepper to the same rice bowl and mix until well blended.

Divide the turkey mixture evenly amongst the 8 cabbage leaves.  Roll up the rolls and place them seam-side down on the bed of chopped cabbage in the baking dish. Cover with the whole jar of marinara sauce and place lid on top.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

SERVES:  4
SERVING SIZE:  2 Rolls
POINTS:  8 Winning Points

Nutritional Information:  Calories 431, Total Fat 8 g (2 g saturated), Cholesterol 104 mg, Sodium 1.187 mg, Carbs 62 g, Dietary Fiber 7g, Protein 31 g, Calcium 151 mg

Pierogies and Peppers

This is a vegetarian, meatless meal for less than 400 calories!  It also happens to be Noom friendly in that the pierogies are a yellow food and the tomato sauce and veggie blend are green foods!

So I have thrown in the towel and have accepted that there is zero way for me to get an appetizing food photo when cooked bell peppers are involved.  I just don't know about photoshopping yet.  I will share the finished photo below but don't let it scare you!  It is good!

I was unable to get the tri-colored stir-fry pepper blend at my local store still during this pandemic shortage situation, but I went with the fajita blend that has just the red and green peppers and onions. 

I will say this is super, duper easy; Filling; and Flavorful!

One note,  the fennel seeds in this recipe need to be toasted and ground, so having a pestle and mortar handy, a spice grinder, or being prepared to use a little ingenuity is needed for that portion.   I used a wooden spoon to crush mine in the pan in which I toasted the seeds because my pan has a little texture to it, so this worked well for me.  You can grind them up using the bottom of a coffee mug where the cup edges are raw as well.  You can also crush with a hammer or mallet between two paper towels but you'll want to make sure you are on a safe surface for doing it this way.  Just crush up well after toasting in a pan.

To toast the fennel seeds, place them in a dry pan over medium-low heat and toast while either shaking the pan or using a wooden spoon keeping the seeds moving.  They will toast quickly once starting to change color so watch closely.  They will change color and become very fragrant.  This only takes about 2 to 3 minutes.

Because this recipe is an old WW recipe for an old points system, I will share the Winning Points I have noted.  For the Winning Points plan this dish is 6 points for 4 pierogies and about 3/4 cup of the pepper mixture. You should be able to figure out your points easily utilizing the new scan-in feature for the bag of pepper blend and the box of pierogies.

(See?! Colors look horrible when cooking peppers!)

Ingredients:

Nonstick cooking spray
1 (1-lb) bag frozen pepper stir fry (green, red, yellow and onions)
1 (16.9-oz) package frozen potato and cheddar pierogies
1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and ground
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper


Instructions:

First, toast your fennel seeds and crush as mentioned above in your dry frying pan while starting your water for boiling the pierogies to heating up to a boil.

Then spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over high heat.  Add the frozen pepper mix and saute until lightly browned slightly, about 10-12 minutes when all of the liquid is evaporated off.

You can add the pierogies to the boiling water as soon as it starts to boil.  Then you boil the pierogies until the water returns to a boil and continue boiling for another 3 minutes.

MAKE SURE TO RESERVE 1/4 CUP OF THE PIEROGIE WATER WHEN DONE TO ADD TO YOUR "SAUCE"

Add the reserved cooking liquid, tomato sauce, oregano, fennel, salt and pepper to the cooked pepper mix in the pan and simmer one minute.

Serve 4 pierogies with about 3/4 cup of the pepper sauce mix and voila!  Enjoy!

YIELDS: 4 Servings
SERVING SIZE: 4 Pierogies with 3/4 c peppers/sauce mixture

Nutritional Information:  332 Calories, Total Fat 7 g (3 g sat fat), 65 mg cholesterol, 1139 mg sodium, 55 g total carbohydrate, 5 g dietary fiber, 14 g protein, 179 mg calcium

Acini di Pepe Pasta Salad

This is one of my husband's favorite cold pasta salads and when dieting, you can fit it in for 371 calories per 1-1/2-cup sized serving!  You can go for half a serving at 3/4 cup for 186 calories as a side as well!

You can sub in any small pasta shapes if you can't find acini di pepe, such as tiny ditalini!

I am not sure why I couldn't get a more appetizing photo with my cell phone as it was nighttime when I needed to take the photo in some fluorescent lighting and the roma tomatoes weren't quite as picture-worthy red.

This requires a little more prep work than I would normally like, but again, if you do it all up front while your pasta is boiling, it will all be ready to assemble by the time the pasta is ready to drain!

This makes a good passing dish if you need to know your calories in advance too!  It has salami, cheese, and beans bringing in some protein so you aren't left feeling a little empty!

Ingredients:

6 oz uncooked acini di pepe pasta (about 1 cup)
2-1/4 c diced plum tomato
1/3 c capers, rinsed and drained
1/4 c finely chopped red onion
1/4 c sliced pickled banana peppers (few in calories so feel free to add a few more!), chop coarsely
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbs cider vinegar
1 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp salt
2 oz Monterey Jack Cheese, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 (16-oz) can of navy beans, rinsed and drained
1 oz salami, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced

Instructions:

Get your pasta cooking according to package directions.  While pasta is cooking prep the remaining ingredients throwing all except the oil and vinegar into a bowl.  Once all ingredients are in the bowl mix up the oil and vinegar well and pour into bowl tossing to coat.  Add in the pasta and toss to coat again. That's it!  All done!  Garnish with some whole pepper rings for presentation!

Nutritional Information:  Calories 371, Fat 11.6 g (sat 4.7, poly 1.4 g, mono 5.3 g), protein 16.6 g, Carb 51.7 g, Fiber 6.3 g, Chol 21 mg, Iron 3.5 mg, Sodium 919 mg, Calcium 164 mg

Pork and Veggie Stir Fry with Cashew Rice for 460 calories

Stir-frying is said to be one of the fastest and healthiest cooking methods.  Stir-frying uses high heat so the food is seared quickly, which preserves the natural juices in mere minutes, using very little oil.  The veggies also therefore retain their crispness, bright color, and nutritional value! 

This recipe can seem labor intensive and too involved, but not if you get your ingredients prepped beforehand and prior to diving into actually making it!  I promise, it is worth it!  It is a huge serving for 460 calories so halving it and subbing in some healthier, yet filling, low-cal options can work here too!

I would totally eat this dish weekly if only I could get my kids to try it.  They won’t even give it a go.  They can be such jerks sometimes.  I am not kidding when I tell you that things my oldest two refused to try here at home they now love, but it isn’t because they finally tried those same things that I made here; rather, it is because they ate it somewhere else or at someone else’s house and came home announcing now they love it!!!  See? Jerks. lol

Master Ingredients List:

¾ c. uncooked long-grain rice

1/3 c chopped green onions

¼ cup dry-roasted cashews, salted; coarsely chopped

½ tsp salt

2/3 c fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

2 Tbs cornstarch (total will be divided)

3 Tbs lower-sodium soy sauce (total will be divided)

2 Tbs honey

1 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into ½” cubes

1 Tbs canola oil (total will be divided)

2 c sliced mushrooms

1 c chopped onion

1 Tbs grated, peeled, fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 c sugar snap peas (about 6 oz trimmed)

1 c red pepper, coarsely chopped

Instructions:

You will first want to prep all of your ingredients. Chop your pork, onion, cashews, green onions, and red bell pepper. Mince your garlic cloves. Slice your mushrooms if not buying presliced.  Grate your ginger!

Instructions with ingredients for Cashew Rice:

¾ cup uncooked long-grain rice

1/3 cup chopped green onions

¼ cup dry-roasted cashews, salted, coarsely chopped

½ tsp salt

Cook the rice according to package directions BUT leave out salt and fat (butter, oils).  Stir in green onions, cashews and salt.  Set aside.

Instructions with ingredients for “sauce”:

2/3 c fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

1 Tbs cornstarch

2 Tbs lower-sodium soy sauce

2 Tbs honey

Combine the broth, 1 Tbs cornstarch, 2 Tbs soy sauce, and the honey in a small bowl.  Whisk mixture if necessary.  Set aside.

Instructions with Ingredients for pork:

1 (1-lb) pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into ½” cubes

2 tsp canola oil

2 c sliced mushrooms

Heat 2 tsp canola oil in a pan and get hot enough for stir-frying.  Combine pork remaining 1 Tbs cornstarch and remaining 1 Tbs soy sauce in a bowl.  Toss well to coat.   Add pork to hot oil in pan and sauté about 4 minutes or until browned.  If pan is not hot enough, the cornstarch mixture will stick to the pan.   Remove pork from pan and set aside.

Instructions for vegetable stir fry:

1 c chopped onion

1 Tbs grated pelled fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 c sugar snap peas, trimmed

1 c chopped red bell pepper

This stage moves quickly due to the “stir-fry” process.  Add remaining 1 tsp oil to pan and add mushrooms and onions sautéing about 2 minutes.  Now stir in the ginger and garlic and sauté another 30 seconds or so.  Now add peas and bell pepper to the pan and sauté for another minute.  Stir in the coated pork sautéing another minute.  Add the sauce mixture and bring to a boil.  Cook about another minute or until the sauce thickens slightly while stirring constantly (if you get it too thick, there won’t be enough sauce to blend in with your rice). 

YIELDS: 4 servings

SERVING SIZE:  1-1/2 c pork-veggie mixture and ½ c cashew rice

Nutritional Information:  Calories 460; Fat 11.8 g (sat 2.5 g, mono 6.2 g, poly, 2.3 g); Protein 31.8 g, Carb 55.9 g, Fiber 3.6 g, Cholesterol 74 mg, Iron 4.6 mg, Sodium 787 mg, Calcium 73 mg

Chicken Carne Asada Tacos

In the past I've always made these tacos by sets of 2 for 413 calories, but this time because I found these super cute teeny street taco shells, I went with 3 teeny tacos for 300 calories!  This saves you 113 calories!!  Two of the regular size corn tortilla shells is 100 calories and you add more of everything into each compared for even more calories, but there are only 90 calories for three corn tortilla shells into which you fill less as well!

Instead of assembling in the below-listed quantities/measurements, I put 1 oz of chicken in each tiny shell, divided up a Tbsp of the Cotija cheese between all 3, and put in one thin slice of avocado in each as well, which didn't even amount to a whole ounce of avocado overall.

Ingredients:

Marinade:

1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1 tsp sugar 1 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium red onion thinly vertically sliced

Meat:

1-1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into thin strips
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray

Fixings:

8 (6") corn tortillas (or do the 3 small street taco size as mentioned above)
1 cup diced peeled avocado
1/2 cup (2 oz) crumbled Cotija cheese

Instructions: 

Marinade: Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl stirring until sugar dissolves. Place onion in a small saucepan; cover with water. Shock the onions by bringing to a boil, then drain and plunge into ice water to quickly cool and stop the "cooking" process. Drain onion and add to juice mixture. Chill until ready to serve.

Meat: Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Sprinkle chicken with oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes or until browned and done, stirring occasionally.

Tortillas: Heat tortillas according to package directions. I heat using nonstick spray in a skillet and browning both sides.

Assembly for 2 tacos: Divide chicken evenly among tortillas. Drain onion and divide evenly among tortillas. Top each tortilla with 2 tablespoons avocado and 1 tablespoon cheese and fold.

 ***Assembly for 3 street tacos: 1 oz of chicken per taco, 1 oz avocado thinly sliced and divided between all 3 tacos, 2 tsp of Cotija cheese divided between all 3 tacos and a couple of pickled onions per each taco. 294 calories here!

Yields: 4 servings
Serving Size: 2 Tacos

Nutrition Info (2-Taco version): 413 Calories; 17.1 g  Fat (sat 5.2 g, mono 7.1 g, poly 2.7 g); 33.4 g Protein; 33.6 g Carb; 4.9 g Fiber; 123 mg Cholesterol; 3.2 mg Iron; 825 mg Sodium; 237 mg Calcium

Freaking Update for 2020

I apologize I have been absent for so long!

Things have been a mess here since about last November, an absolute Fiasco! 

I lost my grandfather in November and then my father in December and then I spent most of January sulking and then most of February planning and preparing for the pandemic.  I think this 2020 mess is my Fault.  I kept saying all last year "2020 is going to be my year!  The best one yet!" I jinxed it didn't I?

Then my kids were sent home from school and my husband started working from home.  I tried to continue working in a face mask for as long as I could stand it, but it meant way longer days with larger breaks in between each job.  I finally threw in the towel.  The mask makes me extremely panicky, especially now in warmer weather. 

Dieting went way off track.  I too have had some good laughs at all the weight-gaining memes and gifs.  It turns out they all were true for me.  I went completely backwards having gained almost all of the weight I have lost back due to the stress I have encountered over the last 8 months or so.

We are blessed that so far we have all been healthy, as I hope you all have been as well!  I am ready to stop focusing on all of the "stuff" going on around me and to Focus on me and ditch my Feelings of hopelessness.

I have some new goals in mind and a new announcement!

1.  I no longer support Weight Watchers/WW nor encourage people to utilize the Shipt shopping services, as both companies have thrown their hats into a political arena by supporting groups, the funding of which, in one way or another, furthers certain political agendas with which I do not agree.  If you want my business, you need to stay neutral politically, especially when the cause involves a mob mentality against police officers since I am married to one and have the knowledge regarding his job that too many don't seem to want to learn the truth of.

As an aside, it really chaps my ass when a company asks their customers/members to donate to a cause of their choosing while saying they will *match* the donations by these folks *UP TO* $X amount.  In Shipt's case, it is $50,000.  If you want and are able to donate $50,000 then just Friggin do it!  Oh, and I hope those police officers you have smacked in the face come running to your aid when needed!

2.  Mostly as a result of number one above, I have decided to utilize good old fashioned calorie counting and healthier choices, including more exercise, moving forward as my weight loss method.  If I can add up points, I'm pretty sure adding up calories with no extra steps to reach a "magic number" will work just fine for me.  I believe this is also called Freestyling!

I am sure you can still figure out the points for the future recipes I will share since they will still be diet friendly, but I won't be figuring out points moving forward.

3.  I gave Noom a try!  I will share my experience with that soon!

4.  I plan to revamp my blog and bring it into this century for easier recipe browsing since I will no longer be listing WW points.  Instead it will be broken down into categories. 

5.  I am toying with the idea of vlogging as well!  What do you think about vlogging?