I don't know why I waited so long to join?! I absolutely LOVE IT! And best of all Mr. C loves it too. Granted he's not following it as strictly as I am, he's still eating out for lunch but I got him to start having a healthy breakfast at home every morning and he loves all of the new dinner recipes I've tried so far.....well all accept 1 - the WW baked ziti didn't go over so well. There's just some italian dishes that are meant to be left alone and baked ziti is definetly one of them LOL.
I seriously never thought 'diet' food could taste THIS good! I almost feel like I'm cheating while eating them and then I remember not only do they fit perfectly in my meal plan but their point values are so low I can litterly fill up as much as I want on them & have multiple servings if I'm still hungry!
Here are 3 of our favorites so far - DELISH! (not to mention really easy to make)
Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms
main meals
POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 10 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
For a different flair, substitute dry white wine for the chicken broth, then sprinkle on a few spoonfuls of chopped sun-dried tomatoes with the mushrooms.
Ingredients
2 tsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 large garlic clove(s), crushed
1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4-oz pieces
2 cup(s) mushroom(s), small, halved
1/3 cup(s) canned chicken broth
1/4 tsp dried thyme, crumbled
** I altered this dish a little - seeing I was pairing it with the creole stuffed mushrooms (recipe below) I removed the mushrooms (listed above) from it and instead topped the chicken with left over creole stuffing - soo good and it made it a 0pt topping**
Instructions
In a nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of oil.
In a medium bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar, the mustard and garlic. Add chicken and turn to coat.
Transfer chicken and marinade to skillet. Sauté chicken until cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a platter and keep warm.
Heat remaining teaspoon of oil in skillet. Sauté mushrooms for 1 minute. Add broth, thyme and remaining tablespoon of vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are deep brown, about 2 minutes longer.
Serve chicken topped with mushrooms.
Creole-Style Stuffed Mushrooms
side dishes
POINTS® Value: 0
Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 20 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Serve these gorgeous stuffed mushrooms at your next party. They're an easy crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
1 spray(s) olive oil cooking spray
1 pound(s) button mushrooms, about 24 large mushrooms
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup(s) onion(s), chopped
1/4 cup(s) sweet red pepper(s), chopped
10 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 1/2 slice(s) whole-wheat bread, chopped into bread crumbs
1 tsp Creole seasoning, or Cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a jelly roll pan with cooking spray.
Remove mushroom stems from caps and finely chop stems; reserve caps and set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sauté mushroom stems, onion, pepper and spinach until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and stir in remaining ingredients until well-combined.
Stuff each mushroom cap with 2 tablespoons of filling mixture. Place mushrooms, stuffed sides up, on jellyroll pan. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes; serve warm. Yields 2 mushrooms per serving. (Note: The mushrooms can be stuffed in advance, covered, refrigerated and then baked later in the day to save on last minute preparation time.)
Bacon and Swiss Quiche
light meals
POINTS® Value: 3
Servings: 8
Preparation Time: 20 min
Cooking Time: 35 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Vary this simple recipe by using other types of cheese, or by adding diced, cooked vegetables and fresh herbs.
Ingredients
2 sheet(s) fillo (phyllo) dough, cut into three strips each
3 large egg(s)
1/4 cup(s) regular egg substitute
1 cup(s) fat-free evaporated milk
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup(s) low-fat hard cheese, Swiss, grated
4 oz cooked crisp turkey bacon, diced
** I altered my the recipe to include diced peppers and onions (0pts)**
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray.
Lay fillo (phyllo) dough in pie plate, one piece at a time, coating each layer with cooking spray — dough should cover bottom and sides of dish. Fold in any overhanging corners.
Whisk together eggs, egg substitute, milk, flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Sprinkle cheese and bacon over fillo (phyllo) dough. Pour in egg mixture and place quiche on a baking sheet. Bake until firm, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool at least 5 minutes before cutting into 8 wedges.
