Menu (8/31/06)

Once again it's menu time!

Sun: Out of town
Mon: Out of town
Tues: Tuna Stuffed Shells
Wed: Philippine Chicken with steamed cauliflower and canned carrots
Thurs: Black-Eyed Peas and Tortillas
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

Sun: Mexican Casserole
Mon: Grilled Ginger-Lime Tuna Steaks with steamed broccoli
Tues: Tortellini with Fresh Vegetables
Wed: Honey Dijon Turkey Tenderloin with green beans and mashed potatoes
Thurs: Hot ham and swiss sandwiches
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

Oreo Balls

Now this is something that needs no introduction. Oreo Balls, need I say more?

Oreo Balls (Makes approx. 52 balls at 2 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 pkg. cream cheese -- (8 oz.) softened
4 cups crushed Oreo cookies (1lb 2 oz. pkg)
2 cups chocolate baking chips (Toll house)
1 T. shortening (Optional)

Directions:

On high speed of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add cookies and beat until well combined. Refrigerate 2 hours until chilled enough to roll.

Roll dough into 1" balls. Over a double boiler, melt chips and shortening until smooth. Dip balls into mixture and thoroughly coat. Place on wax paper to harden. Store in refrigerator.

When I made these I decided not to use the shortening. I also stuck mine in the freezer for a bit to help them set up quicker. The Oreo Balls are absolutely to die for. The mix of hard chocolate and creamy chocolate is just incredible. Talk about a chocolate fix! These little things are so rich one is really all you need. Enjoy :)

*Note: Because of the cream cheese these do contain dairy.

**Edit: This recipe should list fat-free cream cheese instead of regular cream cheese.

Kashi Frozen Meals : Southwest Style Chicken

I learned a while ago that packing my lunch is key to maintaining my weight. But sometimes it gets boring packing the same thing every day. You know what they say, variety is the spice of life.

Occasionally I like to bring a frozen meal for lunch, and I've definitely tried my share. From Healthy Choice, to Lean cuisine, to Smart Ones, I've tried them all. But until yesterday I had never found one as good as this.

I tried the Southwest Style Chicken Kashi Entree, and it was delicious! It consists of a 7 whole grain pilaf, tender chunks of chicken, fire roasted onions, corn, and red and green pepper, and all of that is topped with a southwestern sauce. Unlike some frozen meals, you could actually see the vegetables in this one. They weren't chopped so small that it would take a microscope to find them. I'll admit that I was a little skeptical about the 7 whole grain pilaf, but to my pleasant surprise it was great. It wasn't mushy at all, but at the same time it wasn't too hard either. And the southwestern sauce was a nice touch as well. It had a nice spice to it without being too spicy.

Kashi has several other entrees as well that I'm looking forward to trying. They each vary in points, but the Southwest Style Chicken was only 4 points total!

Polynesian Chicken

I'm back with some more crockpot cooking. I came across this recipe on the Weightwatchers boards a while back, but I never got around to making it until now. I must say I have really been missing out. I was originally drawn to this recipe by the pineapple, and thought it would make for a nice change of pace.

Polynesian Chicken (2 servings at 5 points a piece)

Ingredients

2 (4oz ea) chicken breasts,Skinless boneless
2 tsp. Soy sauce
½ green bell pepper, chopped
8 oz pineapple tidbits in juice
2 tblsp cider vinegar
¼ c. onion, chopped
1 tblsp brown sugar

Instructions:

Spray 3 quart crock with Pam. Put thawed chicken in crock. Combine the other ingredients in a saucepan and cook on stovetop until sugar has dissolved. Pour over chicken in crock. Cook on high 2 hours.

We decided to serve this over rice, and the husband and I thought this dish was fantastic. We both agreed that it had a great sweet and tangy flavor, and it was great for something different. I'm looking forward to making this dish again.

Turkey Mango Picadillo

I like to try things with unusual ingredients and different flavor combinations. That's why I really wanted to try this Turkey and Mango Picadillo. The combination of cinnamon, ground turkey, and mango was very intriguing.

Turkey and Mango Picadillo (Freezer-friendly) (4 servings at 5 points a piece)

Ingredients

1 pound uncooked ground turkey breast
1 Tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup scallion(s), sliced
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 cup salsa, thick-and-chunky style
1 large mango(es), cubed (or 15 oz unsweetened, frozen mango chunks)
2 cup cooked brown rice, kept hot

Instructions:

Cook turkey in a large skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes; drain off any fat.

Add oil to skillet and heat until sizzling. Stir in scallions, garlic, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, oregano and thyme; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Gently stir in salsa and mango; cover and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes more. Serve over brown rice. Yields about 3/4 cup of stew and 1/2 cup of rice per serving.

Freezing and thawing instructions:

Prepare the recipe and place the cooled product in a freezer-safe container; cover tightly and freeze. When ready to eat, thaw the dish in the refrigerator and then reheat it in a large skillet over medium-heat for about 10 minutes. (You may need to add more salsa to prevent dryness.) Or you can reheat the thawed dish in the microwave.

The planets must have been aligned strange or something, because while making this recipe everything went severely wrong. First off, my mango went bad. I didn't have it long at all, but sure enough it was bad. And unfortunately, I have a feeling it's the mango that helps tie all of these flavors together. But I opted to continue on without the mango and see how things turned out. The second problem occurred when I didn't have ground coriander, and decided to grind some coriander seeds myself (without the proper tools). While opening the coriander seed I managed to "explode" the container, and these little tiny seeds went EVERYWHERE. So I just decided to leave the coriander out, which made two ingredients missing from the dish. Well I managed to finish the rest of the dish without incident, and things seemed to be looking up...but then I tried it. I thought the cinnamon was too much. I have a feeling the mango would have helped balance it out, but as prepared I wasn't a fan. The husband wasn't into it either, so we didn't eat it, and ended up having bean roll ups for dinner instead :)

So the dish was a loss, but I'm determined to get a fresh mango and some coriander and try it again. Hopefully when prepared properly it will be better.

Black Bean Chicken Pot

I don't cook with my crockpot very often in the summer, but I was cruising the WeightWatchers boards the other day and found this little gem. One thing that drew me to this recipe was the amount of ingredients and the minimal preparation. I really like being able to throw something in the crockpot in the morning and come home to a ready dinner.

Black Bean Chicken Pot (Serves 4 at 6 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cans black beans (rinsed and drained)
1 red pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 can (maybe two) rotel tomatoes
½ cup of chicken broth

Directions:

Place chicken in bottom of pot. Dump remaining ingredients in. Cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

When I made this I only used one can of rotel tomatoes, and the dish was excellent. I was a little afraid that it may be bland due to the lack of seasonings, but to my surprise it wasn't. Everything had a great flavor and the chicken was very tender. I decided to serve the dish over rice, and it was delicious. The house guest and the husband both really enjoyed this dish as well.

Baby Food, huh what?

Five out of seven days of the week I receive a very wonderful e-mail. It's called Hungry Girl. Every day there are food finds, recipes, hints, and tips about eating healthy. Everything is written with a great sense of humor, and of course when they can, they include pictures. They also do a weekly Top Ate which is too cute.

Recently Hungry Girl compared banana chips to banana flavored fruit puffs by Gerber. Of course the banana puffs were better. The interesting thing is these banana puffs are baby food. You never think to go looking to baby food for snacks, but after reading about them I decided to try these out.

I thought they had a good banana flavor, and the husband seemed to really like them as well. He took a baggy full of them to work with him. 80 of these puffs are only 25 calories and 0g fat. They really do make for a great snack.

While at the store, I noticed that there are a variety of flavors such as cherry, strawberry-apple, sweet corn, and, the one I'm really interested in trying, sweet potato!

Luna and Clif Bars

I often have the dilemma deciding what to eat before I work out or take a dance class. I don't want to eat too much and then feel like a whale. I don't like that heavy feeling when I try to jump and only make it a centimeter off the floor. If I eat too little I'll feel like I need to gnaw on my arm just to make it to the finish.

One thing that really seems to do the trick for me are Luna Bars. These bars are made specifically for women, and are three points a piece. They come in a variety of flavors such as Cherry Covered Chocolate, Dulce de Leche, Chocolate Peppermint Stick, Peanut Butter Cookie, and Iced Oatmeal Raisin, just to name a few. Depending on how I'm feeling I'll either eat half a bar or a whole bar and will feel completely satisfied and energized.

Luna's have a male counterpart called Clif Bars. The husband says Luna's will turn him into a women, so he sticks to Clifs. Clifs have a good variety of flavors ranging from Banana Nut Bread to Chocolate Brownie. These bad boys are four points a piece.

A good thing to note about both the Luna Bars and Clif bars is the fact that they are dairy free. These are the first energy bars that I have found like that. Of course the husband and I have scoured over many different bars with no luck until these. It's so great to find things that everyone can enjoy :)

Grilled Lemon and Herb Salmon Packets

I like packet cooking. No muss no fuss! I came across this recipe at Betty Crocker's website and knew that I just had to try it.

Grilled Lemon and Herb Salmon Packets (4 servings at 6 points a piece)

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked instant rice
1 can 14 ounces chicken broth
1 cup (from 10-ounce bag) matchstick-cut carrots
4 (4 to 6 ounces each) salmon fillets
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped fresh chives
1 medium lemon, cut lengthwise in half, then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices

Instructions:

1. Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat. Spray four 18x12-inch sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil with cooking spray.

2. Mix rice and broth in medium bowl. Let stand about 5 minutes or until most of broth is absorbed. Stir in carrots.

3. Place salmon fillet on center of each foil piece. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp lemon pepper and salt; top with chives. Arrange lemon slices over salmon. Spoon rice mixture around each fillet. Fold foil over salmon and rice so edges meet. Seal edges, making tight 1/2-inch fold; fold again. Allow space on sides for circulation and expansion.

4. Cover and grill packets 4 to 6 inches from low heat 11 to 14 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with fork. Place packets on plates. Cut large X across top of each packet; fold back foil.

I pre-cooked my rice and I omitted the salt. Instead of grilling these I baked them at 400 degree F for 25 minutes. The fish was very moist and had a great taste with the lemon pepper. The rice even had a nice lemon flavor through it as well. So again, another great packet dish to add to the lineup :)

Chicken Satay

I like Thai chicken, satays, and peanut sauces, but usually they are way too spicy for me. The other day I made Thai Turkey Burgers and really enjoyed the sauce. So I thought it would be great to use it for a chicken satay as well.

Chicken Satay (4 servings at 4 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast cut into thin strips

Thai Sauce:
Combine
2 tbsp RF peanut butter
2 tsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp water
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 garlic clove minced

Broil your chicken for approximately 15 minutes until done, then brush on the sauce. For a more authentic look skewer your chicken.

The husband and I loved this satay. We already knew that we liked the sauce, and it turned out great over the broiled chicken. I know I will be making this dish again sometime soon.

Menu (8/17/06)

Menu time!

Sun: Salmon Packets with Steamed Broccoli
Mon: Chicken Casserole
Tues: Turkey Paninis with Pasta Salad
Wed: Turkey Paninis with Pasta Salad
Thurs: Turkey and Mango Picadillo
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

Sun: Polynesian Chicken
Mon: Black Bean Chicken Pot
Tues: Pasta with Sauce
Wed: Unstuffed Zucchini
Thurs: Mexican Casserole
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

I think I'm going to try my hand at making oreo balls sometime in this two week period as well. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes :)

Pillsbury Oven Baked Dinner Rolls

Since the husband and I started watching what we eat, I haven't really done the bread with dinner thing too much. Usually rolls were too high in points.

Well the other day at the store I happened to be looking around at the different frozen rolls and found the greatest things: Pillsbury's Oven Baked Dinner Rolls (wheat). They cook in about 7-8 minutes, and the real kicker is that the wheat rolls are only 1 point a piece! And for 1 point a piece you can do a lot of different things with these besides just using them to accompany your dinner. You could make little deli sandwiches with some melted cheese, or make little pizza sandwiches with cheese, sauce, and pepperonis. Or something the husband and I did the other night was to cut the rolls in half, spread about 1 tblsp of refried beans onto each half, and top with just a pinch of cheddar cheese. These are great for a quick snack, or as a fun side to accompany a meal.

Southwest Tuna and Black Beans

Sorry about the lack of post yesterday. I had to go out in the field for work, and was not near a computer all day. Now on to today's recipe :)

I happen to really enjoy heated up packaged tuna. I had always had it cold, but then fairly recently starting cooking with it. These tuna patties changed my ways. So when I found this recipe on the Betty Crocker website, of course I had to try it out.

Southwest Tuna and Black Beans (Serves 4, 5 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
1 Anaheim chili, chopped, or 1/4 cup canned chopped chilies
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 tblsp grated lime peel
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (6 ounces each) white tuna in water, rinsed and drained

Directions:

1. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, chili and garlic in oil about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until onion is softened.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot.

I really liked this recipe a lot. I think the lime zest and juice really made the dish, and gave the tuna an excellent flavor. And both the husband and I agreed that this would be delicious in a tortilla, or better yet, a pita.

Ice Cream Ice Cream Ice Cream

I feel the need to share this, because those who have not discovered this yet are really missing out. What am I referring to? Edy's Slow Churned Ice Cream. It's very rich and creamy, and down right tasty. I can't tell the difference between that and regular full-fat ice cream.

Right now I currently have Double Fudge Brownie and raspberry Chip Royale in stock. These are two of my favorite flavors. I also recently found the very illusive Mint Chocolate Chip, but of course that didn't last long in my house :) At 120 calories and 4 grams of fat, I think this ice cream is well worth the 3 points.

So if you haven't had a chance to try this out, I really urge you to do so soon. Especially if you are as much of an ice cream lover as I am!

Baked Turkey Cheddar and Bacon Sandwich

I really enjoy sandwiches for dinner, and so does the husband. They are easy to make, and they can be very versatile. When I saw this recipe I thought is sounded great, so I added it to the menu. It would also be really easy to change it up a bit for different flavors. I think it would be neat to try a hot ham and swiss. It is also great because it would be really easy to take for a quick lunch or dinner when you are on the go. I found this recipe at my favorite gal's site, Betty Crocker.

Baked Turkey Cheddar and Bacon Sandwich (6 servings at 5 points a piece)

Ingredients:

2 cups Heart Smart Bisquick® mix
1 cup non-fat milk
1/4 cup egg beaters
4 ounces thinly sliced cooked deli turkey
1 1/2 cups fat free shredded Cheddar cheese (6 ounces)
5 slices precooked bacon

Directions:

1 . Heat oven to 400°F. Spray square baking dish, 8x8x2 inches, with cooking spray.
2 . Stir Bisquick mix, milk and egg in medium bowl with wire whisk or fork until blended. Spread half of the batter in baking dish. Top with turkey, 1 cup of the cheese and the bacon. Spread remaining batter over bacon.
3 . Bake uncovered about 29 minutes, or until golden brown and center is set. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake about 3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

The crust was very moist and flaky, and it complimented the turkey, cheese, and bacon very nicely. The husband really enjoyed this sandwich too. The only thing that struck me as odd about the whole thing was that the bread was a little sweet. But that may have been due to the soy milk I used to make it.

Roasted Vegetable Pasta

Pasta. I love it. The husband loves it. Everyone loves it...including my cat :) I try not to make too many pasta dishes, but sometimes you just need that pasta goodness. Whenever I'm looking for new recipes to try, I'm usually drawn to something with pasta in it. While glancing around the 3fatchicks site I found this:

Roasted Vegetable Pasta (4 servings at 5 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 medium zucchini, diced
1 red or yellow bell pepper, diced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. spaghetti or linguine
1/2 cup feta cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450*F. Put a large pot of water on to boil. In a large roasting pan or a large baking sheet with sides, toss zucchini, bell pepper and onion with 1 Tbsp oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables, stirring every 5 minutes, until tender and browned, about 5 or 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine tomatoes, basil, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente. Drain and transfer to the bowl with the tomatoes. Add roasted vegetables and toss well. Add additional salt and pepper if desired. Sprinkle with feta cheese.

I cut down the amount of oil that is used to roast the vegetables. I actually only used about 1/4 tablespoon of oil instead. I also didn't have any fresh basil on hand so I opted for ground basil. This recipe was really light and the feta cheese added a really nice tang to the dish. And this dish received a seal of approval from the husband and the houseguest as well :)

Banana and Pudding Pie

I was watching an episode of Healthy Appetite on the Food Network the other day, and Ellie Krieger made a very tasty looking banana cream pie with bananas on the bottom. I thought it would be nice to have bananas at the bottom of a pie like that, so I came up with this delicious recipe.

Banana and Pudding Pie (serves 8 at 3 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 package sugar free vanilla instant pudding
1 and 3/4 cups non-fat milk
2 bananas
1 pre-made pie crust

Instructions:

Slice the bananas and layer them on the bottom of the crust. Whisk together the pudding and milk. Once mixed combined, pour the pudding over the bananas. Let the pie chill in the fridge for about an hour.

I thought I was going to need three bananas, but two turned out to be plenty. The husband also talked me into using a chocolate crust instead of a graham one. The crusts that I looked at happened to be the same amount of points, and chocolate and bananas do go well together, so I went with the chocolate. This pie was absolutely delicious and easy to make. It's not going to last long in my household. I also think this would be a great dessert to bring to something like a potluck dinner or a picnic.

*Note: This recipe does contain dairy, the pudding contains milk, so the husband had to take a lactaid to eat this. Also, do not use soy milk because the pudding will not set. I wasn't sure if it would work with lactaid milk or not, so I played it safe and just used skim.

Crustless Supreme Pizza

I know with having the husband around, anything with the word pizza in it really gets his attention. After all, pizza is one of his all time favorite foods. I found this recipe on the weightwatchers message boards and decided to give it a try.

Crustless Supreme Pizza (8 servings at 4 points a serving)
1lb 95% lean ground beef
1c uncooked egg noodles(I used cup and a half)
14.5 oz diced tomatoes
1/2 c onion fine chopped
1c bell pepper chopped
7oz can or jar mushrooms
6oz olives sliced
1/2 tsp each of garlic powder and italian seasoning
1/4 lb lf mozzarella cheese grated

Brown ground beef w/ salt and pepper to taste. Drain beef keep aside. In deep skillet layer ingredients (noodles ground beef and the rest) in the order given, except cheese. Use the vegetable liquids also. Cover & cook on med -low heat about 25 min(I cooked for 35 was good) or till liquid has evaporated. Turn heat off and sprinkle cheese on top. Cover let stand 5-10 min.

For this recipe I used ground turkey and I didn't use olives. I think maybe an ingredient was left out or something, because the noodles did not get done. They were pretty hard. I think next time I will just cook the noodles and then layer the rest of the ingredients. I did however try the toppings alone, and thought that they tasted pretty good. The husband salvaged his dinner by stuffing the toppings into a pita. He said it was it was very delicious, so hopefully the next time we'll be able to eat this with noodles as intended.

Menu (8/3/06)

Sun: Crustless supreme pizza
Mon: Roasted Vegetable Pasta
Tues: Tuna Paninis
Wed: Tuna Paninis
Thurs: Loaded baked potatoes with salad
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

Sun: Baked Sandwiches
Mon: Chicken satay with coconut papaya rice
Tues: Southwestern tuna and black beans
Wed: Chicken casserole
Thurs: Grilled Fish
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Pasta with sauce

I have to go out of town for work, so unfortunately I won't be able to post tomorrow. However, there's a chance that there may be a guest post from the husband...we'll see.

Dirty Rice

I found this recipe from one of the best places to get some tasty dishes, the Weightwatchers message boards. I know the husband really enjoys rice dishes, so I thought this would be great to try.

Dirty Rice (6 servings at 5 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 lb extra lean ground beef or ground turkey
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 TBS chopped parsley
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. red pepper
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp salt 1 c brown rice (either regular or instant)
1 (14.5 oz) can beef broth
1 c water

Instructions:

In a large skillet, add beef and all vegetables, cooking until beef is done and vegetables are tender. Add seasonings, stirring well. Add rice, broth, and water, mixing well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, cover, and cook 25-30 minutes for regular rice, or 10 minutes for instant rice, cooking until rice is done.

For this dish I used ground turkey, and because of that I used chicken broth instead of beef broth. Overall I really liked this dish, and it's nice that it only dirtied one pan. The only thing to note is that if you don't like spicy, 1/4 tsp of red pepper really gives this dish a kick. For me a little spice is okay, but with the husband's condition, it can sometimes bother him; and this dish was a little too much. So next time I will cut back on the red pepper a little.

Broccoli with Feta

I serve steamed broccoli as a side to my dishes quite often. I really like steamed broccoli and so does the husband. The husband usually eats his plain or with a touch of pepper, and I usually dress mine up a bit with some pepper and I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray. So when I came across this recipe at Apples for Health the other day, I thought it sounded like one we definitely had to try.

Broccoli with Feta (4 Servings at 0 points a serving)

Ingredients:

1 1/4 pounds broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
No Fat Cooking Spray
2 tablespoons (30 ml) low-fat feta cheese, crumbled
fresh ground pepper

Instructions:

In a steamer set over boiling water, steam the broccoli, covered, for 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender.

Place the steamed broccoli in a bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Coat lightly with cooking spray and toss with feta cheese, and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately.

When I served the broccoli it went like hot cakes. I really enjoyed that extra little kick that the feta added to the broccoli; and the husband, who is a big fan of feta to begin with, really liked it as well. I also liked the fact that it really wasn't that much more work compared to our normal steamed broccoli. You know me, the easier and the faster, the better!