Paninis Paninis Paninis

So I made paninis and pasta salad last night, which is a very common menu item in my household. I have mentioned before that the husband more often than not asks for Paninis to be on the menu every time I make a new menu. These paninis are great for lunch or dinner, and are very simple to make. It also doesn't hurt that they are only 3 points a piece.

Roasted Red Pepper Turkey Paninis (3 points a serving) Makes 2 servings (from the WeightWatchers Simply Delicious Cookbook)

2-ounce (4-inch) piece semolina or French bread
1/3 cup sliced jarred roasted red bell peppers
1/4 teaspoon extra-Virginia oil
1 large basil leaf or 1/8 teaspoon dried basil
3 very thin slices (1 ounce) fat-free turkey
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1. Slice the bread lengthwise almost all the way through. Layer with the red pepper on the bottom half. Drizzle with the olive oil; top with the basil, turkey, and cheese. Gently flatten the sandwich with the palm of your hand.

2. Lightly spray a small nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the sandwich and top with a heavy weight, such as a small cast-iron pan. Cook until the bread is crisp, about 2 minutes. With a spatula, turn the sandwich, weigh it down, and cook until the other side is crisp, about 2 minutes. Cut the sandwich in half.

I usually omit the basil, but everything else is a go.

This pasta salad also happens to be a favorite of the husband's, and I'm a huge fan as well. I could eat the whole bowl if I'm not careful.

Pasta Salad (3 points per cup of pasta salad)

2 cucumbers
2 tomatoes
1 red pepper
handfull of carrots
Fat Free Italian Dressing
Salad Seasoning
1 lb of pasta (I like the tri-color rotinis)

Cook pasta. Chop veggies and drop in a large bowl. Drain the pasta and add to the bowl, giving everything a quick stir. I usually add about 1/2 bottle of Italian dressing. Make sure everything is coated and then add a few dashes of the salad seasoning. Chill in fridge and serve cold.

You can always add more or less of the dressing and salad seasoning to your liking. The salad seasoning does contain dairy. I had no idea until just a few weeks ago that it did. The husband claimed that I was poisoning him :) He seems to be just fine. You can also add any other veggies as well. I also know that some people like to add cheese and turkey pepperonis to it. This pasta salad makes enough to feed an army, so you'll be able to get several uses out of it.