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

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?

Meatless Shepherd's Pie for 3 Weight Watchers Smart Points!

Shepherd's pie is one of my favorite things, right up there with Biscuits and Gravy and plain old mashed potatoes with corn mixed together, so I am particularly happy to share this recipe with those who love a Shepherd's pie!

It's only 3 WeightWatchers Smart Points per serving and a serving size is 1/6 of the pie!!  The great news is that this freezes well and leftovers taste better the following day!

Lentils are high in protein and fiber!

Ingredients:

1 Tbs olive oil
1 (8-oz) package pre-sliced cremini mushrooms
2 (9-oz) packages steamed lentils*
1-1/2 c. frozen peas and carrots, thawed
1-1/2 c. low-sodium organic vegetable broth
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 (20-oz) package frozen mashed cauliflower w/olive oil & sea salt
chopped fresh chives or parsley (optional)

*If like me you are unable to find steamed lentils, just cook up your own following package directions. You will only need about 8 oz or half of a package of a 16-oz bag of dried lentils.

Instructions:

1. 1.  Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over med-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook stirring occasionally until browned and tender, about 8 minutes. And preheat the oven broiler!
2. Stir in lentils and peas and carrots and cook until thoroughly heated, about 2 minutes. 
3. Stir in broth, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cook until the liquid is slightly reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to an 11- x 7-inch (2-quart) broiler-safe baking dish. 
4. Microwave the mashed cauliflower according to package directions and spoon over the top of the mushroom-lentil mixture.  
5. Place in oven to broil with rack about 6" from heat source until lightly browned, about 5-8 minutes. Sprinkled with optional chives or parsley and serve!

YIELDS: 6 Servings
SERVING SIZE:  1/6 pie
SMARTPOINTS: 3 per serving

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:  Calories 217, Fat 6.5g (sat 1.5g, mono 3.5g, poly 1.3g), Protein 12g, Carb 29g, Fiber 10g, Sugars 9g, Chol 4 mg, Iron 4 mg, Sodium 730 mg, Calc 90 mg

Turkey Piccata and Corn-Mushroom-Leek Saute for 2 WW Smart Points!!

This meal is so easy and tasty!

Without any Fuss, here are the recipes!!

TURKEY PICCATA

   Ingredients:

      1 c unsalted chicken stock
      2 Tbs plus 2 tsp fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
      2 Tbs drained capers
      1 tsp all-purpose flour
      1/4 c minced shallot
      2 tsp olive oil
      1 (1-1/4-lb) boneless, skinless turkey breast, cut into even slices
      1/4 tsp kosher salt
      1/4 tsp black pepper
      1 Tbs unsalted butter
      1/4 tsp granulated sugar
      1/4 tsp corn starch
      2 Tbs chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

   Instructions:

1. Whisk together stock, lemon juice, capers, flour and shallot in small bowl. 
2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over med-high heat.  Sprinkle turkey slices with salt and pepper and place in pan in single layer until well browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. 
3. Add stock mixture to skillet and bring to a boil and cook stirring occasionally until thickened and saucy, about 5 minutes. Add up to 1/4 tsp corn starch if you prefer a thicker sauce. 
4. Add in the butter and sugar and cook until butter is melted. Sprinkle with optional parsley. 

SERVING SIZE: Approximately 4 oz cooked turkey & 1 Tbs sauce
YIELDS: 4 servings

Nutritional Info:  Calories 233, Fat 7.3 (sat 2.7 g, mono 2.5 g, poly 0.4 g), Protein 33 g, Carbs 5 g, Fiber 1 g, Sugars 1 g, Chol 84 mg, Iron 0 mg, Sodium 372 mg, Calcium 8 mg

   Ingredients:

      Vegetable cooking spray
      1 (8-oz) package sliced fresh button mushrooms
      1 c frozen corn kernels, thawed and drained
      1 c sliced leek from 1 leek
      1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
      1/4 tsp black pepper
      1/8 tsp salt
      2 Tbs water
      1 tsp salted butter

   Instructions:

1. Heat a large skillet over med-high heat.  Spray pan with cooking spray and add in sliced mushrooms.  Spray the mushrooms a little with the vegetable spray as well.  Cook, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. 
2. Add the corn, leek, thyme, pepper and salt and once again coat the vegetables with cooking spray. 
3. Cook all until lightly browned and then add the water scraping the bottom of the pan to remove brown bits and get them into the mixture. Add the butter and serve!

SERVING SIZE: Approximately 1/2 cup
YIELDS:  4 servings

Nutritional Information:  Calories 65, Fat 1.4 g (sat 0.7g, mono 0.3g, poly 0.2g), Protein 2 g, Carb 12 g, Fiber 1 g, Sugars 3 g, Chol 3 mg, Iron 1 mg, Sodium 91 mg, Calcium 19 mg

Honey-Smoked Pork Tenderloin - 11 Smart Points and 7 Winning Points

This is a light and easy meal to make with a sweet, slightly smoky flavor.

Ingredients:

3 Tbs. butter
1 lb. 2" diameter pork tenderloin sliced 2"
4 medium carrots, sliced 1"
3 stalks celery, sliced 1"
1 small onion, sliced 1/8"
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. sage
3 Tbs. honey
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1/2 tsp. minced fresh garlic


Instructions:

In 10" skillet, melt butter until sizzling, add pork and carrots.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until meat is browned (about 5 to 6 minutes).  Reduce heat to medium.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Cover, cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisply tender (10 to 12 minutes).

YIELD:  4 Servings

SERVING SIZE:  About 4 oz of pork and equal distribution of vegetables
POINTS:  7 Winning Points and 11 Smart Points

Skillet Pasta and Vegetables - 8 Weight Watchers Smart Points or 5.25 Winning Points

This dish is obviously quite good....that's a lot of cheese!   I lightened up this recipe by using light butter and reduced-calorie shredded Mozzarella, but next time I will use 1/4 cup of it per serving since there are only 4 servings total in this dish.  That will reduce the overall points, which I'll note the next time I make this. 

Ingredients:

4 oz. uncooked bow tie pasta
1/4 c. light butter
1 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 small eggplant, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 medium red onion, cut into eighths
1 tsp. basil leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1-1/2 c. (6 oz.) shredded reduced-fat Mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.  In 10" skillet, melt butter until sizzling and stir in garlic.  Stir in remaining ingredients except pasta and cheese.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisply tender (about 4 to 6 minutes).  Stir in pasta.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until heated through (2 to 3 minutes).  Stir in cheese.  Serve immediately.

YIELDS:  4 servings
SERVING SIZE:  1/4 of dish
POINTS:  8 Smart Points or 5.25 WP

Garden-Stuffed Mushrooms for 1.5 Weight Watchers Winning and Smart Points Each

These stuffed mushrooms make a good appetizer for the Weight Watchers conscious party goer...keep that in mind.

This recipe makes 16 stuffed mushrooms and for the Winning Points that I do, it comes out to 1.4375 points or 1.5 rounded up....so I'm going with 3 points even for every 2 mushrooms consumed.   For the newer Smart Points system, it works out to 1.5625 points per mushroom, but rounding up would be 2 points per mushroom.  That's quite a jump for a round up, so I'm leaving it up to you if you want to count these at 3 points for every 2 consumed as well or whether you would rather it be 2 points per mushroom and therefore 4 per every 2.  There are only 7 in the above picture because we started eating them before the spinach-stuffed steaks that were to accompany them were done cooking.  The recipe for the spinach-stuffed steaks can be found here.

The filling was quite easy to make.  I just put some herb-seasoned boxed stuffing mix into the food processor and pulsed it to break it down a little and proceeded from there.  Below is a picture of all of the stuffing ingredients ready to mix in a bowl.

Ingredients:

1/2 dried, crumbly style herb-seasoned stuffing, crushed
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/4 c. finely chopped carrot
1/4 c. finely chopped green pepper
pinch of pepper
2 Tbs. finely chopped onion
16 mushroom (2"), stems removed


Instructions:

Heat oven to 35 degrees.  In small bowl stir together all ingredients, except mushrooms.  Stuff each mushroom cap with 1 tablespoon filling.  Place in buttered 13" x 9" baking pan.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender.

YIELDS:  16 mushrooms
SERVING SIZE:  2 mushrooms
WINNING POINTS: 3 WWWP/2 mushrooms
SMART POINTS:  4 SP/2 mushrooms

Spinach Salad with Feta or Goat Cheese for 2 Weight Watchers Points

This salad has an easy-to-make dressing with a little kick to it and it goes well with the Chile Carmelized Pork Medallions I'll be posting soon (because I forgot to take a picture of them last week).

I don't like feta cheese, but Mr. F loves it, so leave the cheese off and allow people to "pick their poison" as they say for personal preferences.  

Ingredients:

Dressing:
   2 Tbs. Hoisin sauce
   1 Tbs. rice vinegar
   2 tsp. canola oil
   2 tsp. water
   1/4 tsp. chili paste

Salad:
   5-oz. pkg baby spinach
   1/2 c. yellow bell pepper
   1/4 c. thinly sliced red onion
   1/4 c. (1 oz) crumbled feta or goat cheese


Instructions:   Combine dressing ingredients in a container with a lid if you don't plan on using the entire salad in one sitting amongst your diners and apply only enough to each serving individually if so.  It doesn't store well after dressing application, but you can store it without the dressing on it.

Add spinach and remaining salad ingredients into a large bowl.   If going to eat the entire salad preparation in one night, apply all of the dressing and toss to coat.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:  Calories 73; Fat 4.6 g (saturated 1.6g, mono 1.9g, poly 0.9g); Protein 22 g; Carbohydrates 6 g; Fiber 1 g; Cholesterol 9 mg; Iron 0.8 mg; Sodium 256 mg; Calcium 68 mg

Cauliflower Mash for 2 Weight Watchers Points

As I'm sure you are aware, cauliflower is the thang these days.  People turn it into pizza crust, sandwich bread layers, breadsticks, rice, etc.

I have an old recipe book from which I got this one and it is pretty close to actual mashed potatoes, so I'm sharing.  Nobody else in my Family had a clue it was cauliflower. 

I first tried using a hand mixer to turn the Florets into mashed potatoes, but no dice.  Just put them into the Food processor as suggested and save yourself 2 more pieces of utensils to wash.

Ingredients:

2 (10-oz) pkgs cauliflower florets (6 cups)
1 Tbs butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbs evaporated milk
1/3 c. (2.7 oz.) tub-style light cream cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

Steam cauliflower, covered, in a large pan 20 minutes or until very tender and drain.  Melt butter in same pan over medium-low heat.  Add garlic and cook 2 minutes or until lightly browned.  Put cauliflower back in and add milk and remaining ingredients and stir.  Place cauliflower mixture in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.

YIELD:  4 servings

SERVING SIZE:  about 1/2 cup

POINTS:  2 points

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:  Calories 120 (51% from fat); Fat 6.8 g (sat 4.5 g); Protein 5.5 g; Carbohydrates 10.3 g; Fiber 3.6 g; Cholesterol 20 mg; Iron 0.7 mg; Sodium 461 mg; Calcium 83 mg

Acorn Squash with Maple Syrup for 2 Weight Watchers Points

The Fall season is Fast approaching, so here is a good squash recipe!   You can eat a whole half for only 2 Weight Watchers Winning points!

Ingredients:

1 (1 lb.) acorn squash
water
1 Tbs. light butter
1-1/2 Tbs maple syrup
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions:   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place whole squash in microwave for a minute to make easier to cut in half.  Cut squash in half from stem to bottom.  Cover the bottom of a bake-safe dish that can be covered with a lid with water.  Maybe about 1/4" deep.  Place each squash half cut side down in water-lined baking dish and pierce each with a knife a couple of times. Cover and bake for about 40 minutes.

While squash is cooking, mix butter, syrup, and salt in a small sauce pan over medium heat and bring to a boil.  Spoon this mixture over cooked squash and sprinkle with cinnamon.

YIELD:  2 servings

SERVING SIZE:  1 squash half

POINTS:  2 points

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:  Calories 134 (21% from fat); Fat 3.2 g (sat 1.8g); Protein 1.4 g; Carbohydrates 28.7 g; Fiber 2.7 g; Cholesterol 8 mg; Iron 1.4 mg; Sodium 202 mg, Calcium 69 mg

Roasted Green Beans with Bacon and Shallots for 2 Weight Watchers Points

Well, I'm not really sure what has happened to Pinterest while I was away for the summer, but it looks like you guys/girls, any of my readers, needs to create a description of each new recipe and pin it for a description to show up or for it to show up in an actual search???  All I'm getting is a picture now on Pinterest when I pin my own stuff.  It always winds up being about the marketing dollar and not us little guys who are actually trying to network socially versus advertise doesn't it?

If anybody wants to take pity on this tech-challenged lady and help me Figure out what I'm supposed to be doing now to reach people looking for recipes, it'd be greatly appreciated.  In the interim, I will be searching online to Figure it out. 

Frustrated is my F word for that reason.

Anyway, here is today's recipe for Roasted Green Beans with Bacon and Shallots for only 2 Weight Watchers Winning Points per 3/4-cup serving.

This is really easy and really Flavorful.  I just reserve some bacon from a morning session of frying it up in a pan; maybe some goes into a breakfast for the Family or some BLT's for a lunch, but I keep bacon aside for this later in the day and sometimes even the next day in the fridge until I make it. 

Ingredients:


1 (12-oz.) pkg pretrimmed green beans
2 small shallots
2 tsp olive oil
1/8 tsp salt
2 slices precooked bacon

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Arrange beans in a single layer on a large jelly-roll pan.  Bake at 450 degrees for 13 minutes or until lightly browned and tender.  Crumble bacon and sprinkle over green beans.

YIELD:  3 servings
SERVING SIZE:  About 3/4 cup
POINTS:  2 points

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:  Calories 98 (51% from fat); Fat 5.5 g (sat 1.2 g); Protein 4.2 g; Carbohydrates 9.8 g; Fiber 3.9 g; Cholesterol 6 mg; Iron 1.4 mg; Sodium 225 mg; Calcium 46 mg

Quick Pesto Pasta Tauce Recipe for 3 Weight Watchers Points

This side dish is quick and easy...I repeat quick and easy. I have to fight Mr F because he wants to eat it all by himself versus leaving any leftovers for me for quick points figuring.

Next time I make this, I'll try adding in a bit of chicken breast.  Let me know if you do that first and how you liked it please!

Ingredients:

4 oz.  uncooked multigrain penne pasta (1-1/4 c uncooked)
2 Tbs commercial pesto
2 tsp grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package directions omitting salt and fat.  Drain.  Combine pasta, pesto, and cheese in a bowl and toss well.

YIELD:  4 servings

SERVING SIZE:  1/2 cup

POINTS: 3 (Winning points)

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:  147 calories (29% from fat); 4.8 g Fat (0.8 g saturated); 6.3 g Protein; 20 g Carbs; 3 mg Cholesterol; 1.6 mg Iron; 93 mg Sodium; 38 mg Calcium

Goat Cheese Sandwich with Cucumber and Alfalfa Sprouts for 4 Weight Watchers Points

This is a light and refreshing snack recipe that I sometimes pair with this recipe for Spicy Vegetarian Black Bean Soup.  Yes, that is a lot of veggies!  I like it that way though, as the cheese and cucumber of the "sandwich" balances the spicy in the soup.

I also sometimes add a bit of other seasoning to the layer of goat cheese, such as garlic powder to switch up the Flavor.  Play around and make it your own that way!  It doesn't get any easier than this really.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. goat cheese
1 (2-oz) whole-grain English muffin, split, toasted
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
6 (1/8" thick) slices English cucumber
2 Tbs. alfalfa sprouts

Instructions:  Spread 1 tablespoon goat cheese on each half of warm English muffin.  Sprinkle with pepper (and seasoning of your choice to switch it up).  Top with 3 slices of cucumber each and about 1 tablespoon of alfalfa sprouts each and voila!

YIELD:  1 serving

SERVING SIZE:  2 halves

POINTS:  4 points

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:  223 Calories (39% from fat); 9.7 g Fat (6.1 g saturated); 11.5 g Protein; 24.5 g Carbs; 4.1 g Fiber; 2.2 mg Cholesterol; 2 mg Iron; 508 mg Sodium; 240 mg Calcium

Spicy Vegetarian Black Bean Soup for 3 Weight Watchers Points

If you're pressed for time, this is a quick and easy soup to make!  The only real prep involved was mashing half of the black beans; the rest was prepackaged for an open-and-dump-in situation.

I paired this with the Goat Cheese Sandwich with Cucumber and Alfalfa sprouts recipe found here for a total of 7 Weight Watchers Winning points.  As soon as the sugars portion of this recipe is Figured out, I can share the Smart Points values.  Sorry, but old recipes just don't list sugars in the nutritional information and I haven't had the time while cooking to stop and figure them out myself.

I used a Chipotle-flavored meat crumble package, so that added a lot of flavor on it's own.  It was the only bag left, but I'm sticking with those because it worked.   I also had to make my own Mexican Spice blend because I couldn't find any at the store, so I'll include the mixture of spices I used for that as well in case you can't find it either.  I think the pepper stir-fry and fajita vegetables may be the same thing, but I'm not certain because, as is the story of my life, I couldn't find the pepper stir-fry mix either and went with the frozen fajita vegetables mix. 👌

Only Mr F is willing to give this a go.  As I've mentioned previously, the kids don't do beans of any color, shape or size.  If you find you won't eat this faster than it may spoil, then cut the recipe in half.

Ingredients:

2 (15-oz.) cans black beans, rinsed, drained
1 (16-oz.) pkg frozen pepper stir-fry, slightly thawed
1 (12-oz.) pkg frozen meatless burger crumbles
1 (14-oz.) can organic vegetable broth
2 tsp. salt-free Mexican seasoning
1/2c (2 oz.) reduced-fat Monterey Jack Cheese with jalapeno

Home-made Mexican Spice Blend/Seasoning:

2 Tbs. paprika
2 Tbs. no-salt-added chili powder
1-1/2 tsp. onion powder
1-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1-1/2 tsp ground cumin
1-1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne or ground chipotle pepper (optional)

Mix all Mexican spice blend ingredients together and store in an airtight container for future use.


Instructions:

Mash half of the beans with a fork or a potato masher.  Combine mashed beans and remaining beans in a large dutch oven.  Add pepper stir fry and next 4 ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 8 minutes.  Ladle soup into bowls and top with shredded cheese.

YIELD:  8 servings

SERVING SIZE:  1 cup soup and 1 Tablespoon of cheese

POINTS:  3 points

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:  185 calories (18% from fat); 3.7 g Fat (0.9 g saturated); 14.1 g Protein; 24.9 g Carbs; 6.2 g Fiber; 5 mg Cholesterol; 3.1 mg Iron; 717 mg Sodium; 125 mg Calcium

Chicken Tenders with Pita Chip Coating for 2 Weight Watchers Winning Points

My youngest child requests this dish Frequently.  It happens to be a Family Favorite.  Family Favorites make for a stress-Free meal, and I know all to well that satisfying the Family members is the only way I can maintain a diet.

I tried breaking up the pita chips for this recipe in my food processor, but they just spent a lot of time flying around and not really breaking up.  I wound up using a sandwich baggie and and the bottom of a coffee mug to smash them into tiny bits.

(Raw and prepped for the oven)

As is usual when I don't have the sugar Figures for Figuring out the newer Smart Points, I am only currently able to list the Winning Weight Watchers Points, so if you don't see Smart Points below my recipes, then you need to Figure out the new points by obtaining the Sugar figures necessary.  

Ingredients:

1/2 c. egg substitute
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 c. Parmesan, Garlic and Herb pita chips, finely crushed
1 Tbs. salt-free Italian seasoning
8 (2-oz.) chicken breast tenders
Cooking Spray
1/2 c tomato-basil pasta sauce (such as Classico), warmed

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Break up pita chips using a plastic zip-seal sandwich bag and your choice of tool to crush.  Heat a large baking sheet in oven 5 minutes.  While baking shet heats up, combine the egg substitute and pepper in a shallow dish to accommodate your chicken tenders.  Combine the chips and Italian seasoning in another shallow dish to allow for dredging the tenders after the egg dip.  Really pat the chip coating on there.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and spray with cooking spray.  Place coated chicken tenders onto the baking tray and place into the oven.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until done and warm the tomato-basil pasta sauce in a small saucepan.   When done baking serve up with warm pasta sauce.

YIELD:  8 servings

SERVING SIZE:  1 chicken breast tender and 1 Tablespoon pasta sauce

POINTS:  2 points

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:  79 Calories (11% from fat); 1 g Fat (0.1 g saturated); 14.3 g Protein; 3.7 g Carbs; 0.5 g Fiber; 33 mg Cholesterol; 0.8 mg Iron; 120 mg Sodium; 13 mg Calcium

Hamburger Steak with Carmelized Onions and Lemon-Thyme Green Beans

This is a very simple, quick and easy dish to make. It doesn't even matter if the "sauce" gets onto the beans, they go well together. A three-fourths cup of beans is only 1 point and the burger steak rings in at 4 points.

For the picky kids, who were scared of the onions and sauce, they put their patty onto a bun with the usual condiments, so all were able to partake in this one in one way or another.

Now for the green bean recipe, I have no idea what kind of bag of pretrimmed and microwavable beans they wer hoping I could find, but I just bought precut frozen green beans and I quickly boiled them for a few minutes in water to heat them up from a frozen state.

Hamburger Steak Ingredients:

1 lb ground sirloin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning
Cooking Spray
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c beef consomme (I used beef broth)
1/4 c balsamic vinegar

Hamburger Steak Instructions: 

Combine the first four ingredients in a small bowl. Shape into four 1/2-inch thick patties

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties, cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Transfer patties to a platter.

Add onion to pan and coat onion with cooking spray. Saute over medium-high heat 4 minutes. Return patties to pan.

Combine consomme/broth and balsamic vinegar and pour over onion and patties. Bring mixture to a boil and cover reducing heat and simmering five to six minutes or until meat is done.

YIELD: 4 servings
SERVING SIZE: 1 patty and about 1/3-cup onion/broth mixture
POINTS: 4 points

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: Cal 163 (28% from fat); Fat 5 g (sat 2 g); Pro 23.7 g; Carb 6.3 g; Fib 0.8 g; Chol 60 mg; Iron 2.2 mg; Sod 375 mg; Calc 17 mg



Lemon-Thyme Green Beans Ingredients:

1 (12-oz.) pkg pretrimmed green beans
2 Tbs light stick butter
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp grated fresh lemon rind

Lemon-Thyme Green Beans Instructions:

Pierce bag of green beans with a fork. Microwave at HIGH 4 minutes or until tender.

While beans cook, soften butter. Combine butter, thyme, and lemon rind in a large bowl. Add green beans aand toss to coat.

YIELD: 4 servings
SERVING SIZE: About 3/4 cup
POINTS: 1 point

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: Cal 62 (55% from fat); Fat 3.88 g (sat 2.3 g); Pro 1.8 g; Carb 6.7 g; Fib 2.7 g; Chol 7 mg; Iron 0.7 mg; Sod 229 mg; Calc 41 mg

Mexican Chili with Chipotle Cheese Toasts for 6 Weight Watchers Points

This old Weight Watchers recipe I got from a 2009 recipe book is yummy and quick.  Mr F LOVED it.  Sadly, the nutritional information does not include the sugar content and I'm unable to use the Weight Watchers recipe builder since it crashes my computer, so I don't have the Smart Points right now for it.

The kids, however, wouldn't go near this.  They're scared of the beans for some reason. What's a girl to do? I even tried to declare it tasted like a cheeseburger if you took a bite WITH the toast, but nope.  #PICKYKIDPROBLEMS

The chili alone is 4 points and the toast alone is 2, so together you have 6 points total.

Good luck finding Chipotle cheddar cheese slices because my store certainly doesn't carry them.  I went for regular cheddar and sprinkled some Chipotle seasoning on the bread slices before I topped them with cheese.


CHILI INGREDIENTS:

1 lb ground round
1 c. prechopped onion
1 (14.5-oz) can diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained
1 (15-oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup hot water
2 Tbs chili powder
1 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano


CHILI INSTRUCTIONS:

Cook beef and onion in a large saucepan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until beef is browned, stirring to crumble.  Drain, if necessary, and return beef mixture to pan.

Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

YIELD:  6 servings
SERVING SIZE: about 1 cup
POINTS:  4

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:  CAL 215 (31% from fat); FAT 7.5 g (sat 2.9 g); PRO 17.2 g; CARB 19.1 g; FIB 3.9 g; CHOL 37 mg; IRON 3.4 mg; SOD 934 mg; CALC 69 mg

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CHIPOTLE CHEESE TOASTS INGREDIENTS:

6 (1/4" thick) slices of French bread
3 (1-oz.) slices Chipotle Cheddar cheese (such as Sargento), cut in half


CHIPOTLE CHEESE TOASTS INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place bread slices on a baking sheet and bake at 400 for 5 minutes or until toasted. Remove from oven.  Place 1/2 slice cheese on top of each slice of bread.  Bake an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until cheese melts.

Note:  I baked for the recommended time, but the bread did not brown.  It did, however, get crisp.  So I wanted to point this out so you don't wind up with little bricks you can't bite into by baking longer to get "toasted".  Next time i plan to try broiling to get a nice browned effect on top.

YIELD:  6 servings
SERVING SIZE: 1 slice of toast
POINTS: 2

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:  CAL 81 (37% from fat); FAT 3.3 g (sat 1.8 g); PRO 4.2 g; CARB 8.5 g; FIB 0.3g; CHOL 5 mg; IRON 0.5 mg; SOD 167 mg; CALC 81 mg

Turkey-Cheddar-Zucchini Burgers for 7 Weight Watchers Points

This is actually a Family Favorite.  Of course, I didn't share with anybody it had shredded zucchini in it until AFTER they were Finished.  You could peel your zucchini prior to shredding it so that the bits of green are never questioned in the First place, but I just gave it a go to see if I could pull it off.  For the burgers I served to the kids, I topped theirs with a thin slice of Mozzarella cheese to hide all that green, which worked.  I've also topped it with plain old American cheese slices too.

My husband declared this burger his favorite.  I felt it needed a little something, so next time I'm going to add a bit of onion powder to the mixture.

I apologize for the sickly flashlight glow cast upon this burger in the photo above, as it was dark and I tried to illuminate it from the side using a flashlight.  I assure you it was the standard turkey-breast-white in person with flecks of green rather than this strange color.

For juicier burgers, don't be tempted to press the burgers with a spatula while cooking. This common mistake actually robs the burgers of moistness by squeezing out the juices.  The zucchini and minced onion help to keep the burger moist.


INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. ground skinless turkey breast
1 small zucchini, shredded
1/2 c. shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1/4 c minced red onion
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 c ketchup
1/4 c reduced-calorie mayonnaise
4 lettuce leaves
4 tomato slices
4 whole-wheat burger buns, split and toasted


INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat a nonstick ridged grill pan over medium-low heat
Combine the turkey, zucchini, cheese, onion, salt, and pepper in a bowl until blended. Shape into four patties.
Grill the patties until browned on the outside and no longer pink on the inside, about 7 minutes on each side.

Meanwhile, whisk together the ketchup and mayo in a small bowl and toast your burger buns with center sides up under the broiler for a few minutes on a baking sheet (watch closely so they don't burn).

Layer the lettuce, burgers, and tomato slices on the bottom of the hamburger buns. Top with the ketchup mixture, then the bun tops.

POINTS: 7
YIELD: 4 burgers

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: 348 CAL; 12 g TOTAL FAT; 4 g SAT FAT; 80 mg CHOL; 105.3 mg SOD; 25 g CARB; 4 g FIB; 35 g PRO; 158 mg CALC

Pork Chops with Mustard Cream Sauce and White Beans and Bacon All for 6 Weight Watchers Points

Here's another great-tasting recipe.  I'm not really a bean person, but this bean side-dish recipe is very Flavorful, so give it a go.  It also pairs very well with these chops, sauce and all.

INGREDIENTS FOR PORK CHOPS WITH MUSTARD CREAM SAUCE:

4 (4-oz.) boneless, center-cut loin pork chops (1/2" thick)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Cooking spray
1/2 c. fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2/3 c. fat-free half-and-half
1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
2 tsp lemon juice
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PORK CHOPS WITH MUSTARD CREAM SAUCE:

Sprinkle both sides of pork with salt and pepper.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pork, and cook 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and done.  Transfer pork to a serving plate and keep warm.

Add broth to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  Stir in half-and-half, mustard, and lemon juice.  Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for about 6 minutes or until slightly thick.  Spoon sauce over pork and sprinkle with parsley if desired.

YIELD:  4 servings
SERVING SIZE:  1 chop and 2 Tbs sauce
POINTS:  4

NUTRITIONAL INFO:  CAL 193 (30% from fat); FAT 6.4 g (sat 2.3 g); PRO 24.3 g; CARB 5.7 g; FIB 0 g; CHOL 65 mg; IRON 0.7 mg; SOD 539 mg; CALC 52 mg



INGREDIENTS FOR WHITE BEANS AND RICE:

Cooking Spray
2 slices lower-sodium bacon, chopped
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped red bell pepper
1 (15-oz.) can no-salt-added cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper


INSTRUCTIONS FOR WHITE BEANS AND RICE:

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray. Add bacon to pan and cook 3 minutes or until bacon begins to brown, stirring often.

Stir in onion and bell pepper and cook 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring often.  Add beans, salt, and black pepper to pan.  Cook 2 minutes or just until thoroughly heated.

YIELD:  4 servings
SERVING SIZE:  About 1/2 cup
POINTS:  2

NUTRITIONAL INFO:  CAL 122 (39% from fat); FAT 5.4 g (sat 1.7 g); PRO 5.2 g; CARB 13.7 g; FIB 4.7 g; CHOL 8 mg; IRON 1.5 mg; SOD 249 mg; CALC 50 mg

Shrimp Spring Rolls for 3 Weight Watchers Points

These are my second go at Shrimp Spring Rolls.  The First recipe I tried was horrible.  It was so horrible tasting that Mr. F outright refuses to even try this.  The kids won't go anywhere near trying these, so it's a thing just for me.  This recipe is decent.  It's kind of like a wrapped salad.  The rice paper roll can take a little getting used to, or maybe I just need to know how to thin them out a little.

I would love to share the Smart Points to these, but the sugar content in this old Weight Watchers recipe I have is not included in the nutrition information and the online meal planning tool Freezes my computer, so I'll have to leave this one up to one of my readers to Figure out.


Ingredients:

6 oz. peeled cooked shrimp, chopped
3/4 c. precut matchstick carrots
1/3 c. minced green onions
1/4 c. julienne-cut cucumber (deseeded)
1/4 c. dry-roasted peanuts
5 (8-1/2") round sheets of rice paper
1 Tbs. hoisin sauce, divided


Directions:

Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Add warm water to a large, shallow dish to a depth of 1". Place 1 sheet of rice paper in the water. Let stand about 10 seconds or just until soft.

Place softened sheet on a flat surface and spread about 1/2 teaspoon hoisin sauce on bottom half. Arrange about 1/2 cup of the shrimp filling over bottom third of rice paper sheet.  Fold bottom of the rice paper sheet over the filling, presealing slightly.  Fold sides of the sheet over the filling, overlapping in center to form a tight roll. Roll up spring roll jelly-roll fashion, and gently press seam to seal. (You can watch some You Tube videos too for this.)

Repeat procedure with remaining rice paper sheets, hoisin sauce, and shrimp mixture.  Serve immediately, or cover with a damp paper towel and refrigerate 30 minutes.

YIELDS:  5 servings
SERVING SIZE: 1 roll

NUTRITIONAL INFO:  CAL 160 (32% from fat), FAT 5.6 g (1.9 g saturated); PROTEIN 12.9 g; CARB 15.1 g; FIBER 2.6 g; CHOL 89 mg; IRON 1.8 mg; SOD 288 mg; CALC 34 mg