Healthy Eat Week, Day 5

I've made it to day 5!  YAY YAY YAY!! Healthy week comes to an end and I'm thinking of leaving it with a bang!  Something I've had in the past from this WeightWatchers book, and would eat over and over again...NEVER thinking it was a diet food.  If you are a sandwich person, this the recipe for you.  If you aren't...trust me, try it at least once anyway!  Good job everyone for eating so healthy this week with me.  Grab your aprons and hold on to your chef hats...cause we're gunna get cookin' up something good...and healthy!


Chicken, Cheddar and Apple Panini


Ingredients: 
4 slices reduced calorie whole grain bread
1 tbs whole grain mustard
1/4 pound sliced cooked skinless chicken breast
2 (3/4-ounce) slices fat free cheddar cheese
1 small Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into thin slices


Directions: 
Spray ridged grill pan with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat or heat panini maker according to manufacturer's instructions.


Spread bread with mustard and layer 2 slices evenly with chicken, cheese and apple.  Cover with remaining 2 slices and place sandwiches on grill pan or panini maker.  If using grill pan, weight sandwiches with heavy pan or skillet.  Cook until bread is toasted and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes per side on grill pan, about 4 minutes total in panini maker.  Cut each panini in half and serve at once.


Serves 4 - 3 PointsPlus by WeightWatchers per serving






Recipe from "WeightWatchers' PointPlus Just 5-125 recipes with 5 ingredients"

Healthy Eat Week, Day 4

I'm not even going to lie to you guys....I've had a bad food day today.  I tried to stay strong, but not alway easy.  So tonight, I'm making something light, to hopefully make me feel like I've made up for my bad self today!   I'm sure we all know that means....SALAD TIME!  But we aren't going to be making you're typical boring house salad.  When I found this salad, I thought I was still cheating.  So grab your aprons and hold on to your chef hats...cause we're gunna get cookin' up something good...and light!


Curried Chicken Salad


Ingredients: 
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast
1/4 cup fat free italian dressing
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 (6-ounce) bag baby lettuce
1 cup red grapes, halved

Directions: 
Cut chicken into 3/4-inch pieces.  Spray medium nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper and cook, turning occasionally, until cooked though, about 8 minutes. 


Meanwhile, combine dressing and curry powder in large bowl.  Add lettuce, grapes and cooked chicken.


Serves 4 - 4 PointsPlus by WeightWatchers


FYI - Toasting the curry powder before adding it to the dressing will intensify its flavor.  Heat a small dry pan over medium heat just until hot; add the curry powder and stir just until fragrant, about 20 seconds.  Immediatley transfer the curry to a plate to cool. 


Also, if you have extra - stuffing this salad on a whole wheat tortillas adds for a great lunch the next day! 






Recipe from "WeightWatchers' PointPlus Just 5-125 recipes with 5 ingredients"

Healthy Eat Week, Day 3

Day 3!  Still excited?  Feelin' good?  I know that I'm feeling VERY proud that I'm still going strong and don't even honestly feel like I've been dieting.  During the day, I've stuck to lots of fruits and veggies to snack on, make sure I have at least 2 servings of dairy and have my protein kick off in the morning with some scrammbled egg whites and lean ham and cheese.  Keeps me feeling full longer, and leave my big meal for dinner....and dessert!  Speaking of dessert, I want to share with you a recipe to help you cure that sweet tooth!  I know while I was making it, I felt like it wasn't really going to even touch my craving...but was defaintly proven wrong with the first bit alone.  So here we go again....grab those aprons & hold on to those chef hats, we're gunna get cookin' up somethin' nice and sweet!


Cherry Fool
Ingredients:
1 cup dried cherries
2 tbs Sugar
1 tbs Cherry-flavored cordial or liqueur
1/2 cup nondairy light whipped topping
1 1/2 cups pitted fresh cherries
Directions: 
Bring dried cherries, sugar and 3 cups water to boil in medium saucepan.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cherries are softened, about 5 minutes.  Remove saucepan from heat and sitre in liqueur.  Cool mixture to room temperature.
Next, puree mixture in blender, in batches if nesessary.  Transfer puree to meidum bowl.  Gently fold in whipped topping with rubber spatula, folding until blended.  Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour or overnight.  Divide between 6 bowls and serve garnished with fresh cherries and/or blue berries.


Serves 6 - 3 PointsPlus WeightWatchers, per serving: (1/2 mixture 1/4 cup fresh garnish)






Recipe from "WeightWatchers' PointPlus Just 5-125 recipes with 5 ingredients"

Healthy Eat Week, Day 2

Okay today is Day 2!  And I'm still as excited as day 1!  I hope you are too...with that, lets get moving on.  I have decided to head in another direction with this recipe.  As diets can be hard and I know for myself...carbs are my worst enemy!   But if I tell myself I can't have them...I'll eventually get into them and of course, go WAAAY overboard.  So  this next recipe is showing you that you can have your carbs and still be healthy!  So grab your aprons and hold on to your chef hats, cause we're gunna get cookin' up something good!


Tortellini with Chicken and Watercress


Ingredients:
1 (9-ounce) package whole wheat cheese tortellini
2 bunches watercress, trimmed
2 cups diced cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup fat free half-and-half
1 tbs grated Parmesan cheese


Directions:
Prepare tortellini according to package directions, omitting salt.  Drain and keep warm


Meanwhile, spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat.  Add watercress and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 1-2 minutes.  Add tortellini, chicken, half-and-half, Parmesan and 1/4 tsp black pepper.  Cook, tossing until heated through, about 2 minutes.


Serves 4 - 9 PointsPlus with WeightWatchers per serving






Recipe from "WeightWatchers' PointPlus Just 5-125 recipes with 5 ingredients"

Kick off to Healthy Eat Week!!

As "Healthy Eat Week" isn't a nationally known week, or even locally...but for myself, it's Healthy Eat Week!  As I'm trying to get myself ready for the beautiful weather heading our way, getting healthy and fit is part of that!  This whole week I'll post a new recipe to inspire some of you out there to join me :)
This first recipe is one of my new favorites.  It's quick, easy and doesn't even feel like diet food!  So grab your aprons and hold on to your chef hats...cause we're gunna get cookin' up something good...and healthy!


Spicy Blue Cheese Turkey Burgers


Ingredients:
1 pound ground skinless turkey breast
2 scallions, chopped
3 tbs plan dried bread crumbs
2 tbs hot pepper sauce
1/4 cup reduced fat blue cheese dressing


Directions:
Combine turkey, scallions, bread crumbs, pepper sauce, and 1/4 tsp salt in medium bowl.  Form mixture into 4 (1/2 inch thick) patties


Spray ridged grill pan with nonstick spray and set over medium heat.  Place patties on pan and cook for about 5 minutes on each time (or to your own preference).  Serve burgers drizzles with dressing.


Serves 4 - 4 PointPlus by WeightWatchers per serving




Recipe from "WeightWatchers' PointPlus Just 5-125 recipes with 5 ingredients"

For the Love of Cookin'

There are over a million different reasons to get you're cookin' on, but only one that matters...the one that makes YOU feel good.  I love that feeling of accomplishment and worth when after my back aches and I'm ready to pass out from all the time I've spent in the kitchen, and the family is at the table, laughing and enjoying their time together...and MY food!   Whether its that same good feelin' that gets your cookin' juices goin' or if its the simple fact you like to express your creative side through food...grab your aprons and hold on to your chef hats!  We're gunna get cookin' up something good :)
I'm gunna start us off with a spring favorite of mine!   Who doesn't love a beautifully prepared spring dessert?!  How about a Peach Pecan Tart?  Buttery Tart crust with a mix of sweetness and tartness from the pecans and peaches...let's give it a try!





Peach Pecan Tart


Ingredients:
Butter Crust (see below)
Orange Glaze (see below)
2 packages (3oz each) cream cheese, softened
4 medium peaches, sliced (4 cups)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (I add a little extra, because I love pecans!)
1. Heat oven to 400.  Bake and cool Butter Crust. Make orange Glaze.
2. Beat cream cheese with spoon until smooth; spread on bottom of crust.  Arrange peaches on cream cheese.  Sprinkle with pecans.  Spoon glaze over top.  Refrigerate about 2 hours or until set.  Store covered in refrigerator.
Butter  Crust:
1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
Mis flour and brown sugar i medium bowl.  cut in butter, using pastry blender or crisscrossing 2 knives, until crumbly.  Press firmly and evenly against bottom and side of ungreased 12-inch pizza pan.  Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until light brown at 400.  Cool completely.
Orange Glaze:
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbs cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in 1-quart saucepan.  Gradually stir in orange juice and water.  Heat to boiling over medium hear, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Cool completely.