We love you Berry Much

For Valentines this year I wanted to send out a healthy treat to our family.  I tried making fruit leather but cooked it on wax paper and it wouldn't come off of it.  It was too bad because it was really good from what I could taste of it. I made a little note to go with it that said "We love you Berry much" so I new I wanted to do something with berries in it.  I was really excited when I came accross these Cherry Almond Cookies from Sunday Baker.  I made these with dried cranberries instead of cherries and thought they were very good. The recipe only made about 10 cookies so I ended up making it again and doubling it.  Here is the doubled version which should made about 20 cookies.

Cranberry Almond Cookies

2/3 cup almonds (I used sliced)

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 1/3 cup dried cranberries

1 1/3 cup WHITE WHOLE WHEAT flour

4 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce

1/3 cup egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

dash of salt

Heat oven to 350 and spray a cookie sheet.

Pulse almonds and sugar in a food processor until the almonds are ground into a course texture.

  Put into seperate bowl.  Put dried cranberries into food processor and chop up a little. Pour the cranberries with the almond and sugar mixture. Then add the flour and salt if desired.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together.

Form the dough into 20 balls and cook on cookie sheet for atleast 20 minutes or until center of cookies are cooked through. 

There sre 3 WWPP.  I apoligize because I figured out the nutritional information on these and then it got deleted off my computer but I do  know for sure that if your serving is 20 cookies then they are 3 points plus each. 

Homemade Chicken Stock

Before changing our diet in this house I used to cook a lot more often with cream soups and now that we eat lighter I cook a lot more often with chicken stock or broth (essentially I kind of think they are pretty similar but that is just me). Plus it is a lot healthier to put stock or broth in a recipe rather then cream soups.  A friend of mine recently told me that they would make their own chicken stock growing up so I set out to do it myself as well.  We go through it pretty quick in this house so I though it would be pretty beneficial. This recipe calls for a lot of goodness (vegetables and seasoning) and I think it was really good when I put it in a recipe the next day. 

Homemade Chicken Stock

1 whole chicken-4-5 lbs
3 quarts water (or 12 cups)
3 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
10 garlic cloves
4 thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves

Place chopped vegetables and garlic in a large pot.  Add salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaves. 

 Add chicken and water.

 Bring water to a simmer on medium high heat.   Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until chicken is completely cooked. 

Remove chicken from pot and let cool. Strain stock into a large bowl.  At this point you can discard the vegetables.  I bagged them up to use for a later recipe.  Let stock cool off a bit and then bag up.  I did this by putting a plastic bag over a bowl and pouring the stock into it.

At this point you can tear the meat off the bone of the chicken for another recipe or eat it for a meal. It is really good!

Asparagus and Tomato Pesto Pasta

I have been craving some good Italian and my husband loves asparagus so I was positive he would like this recipe.  And he did..he mentioned multiple times it was very good.  I loved it as well and will definitely be making it again. I made the pesto earlier on in the day and it was really easy.

Mixed herb pesto

2 Tbsp pine nuts (I just went to winco and filled up a bag with about 2 tbsp of pine nut) it only cost me 65 cents.
2 garlic cloves (I as always used the diced garlic cloves that you store in the fridge)
1 1/2 cups fresh flat leaf parsley
1 cup mixed herbs. (I used dry, so I put less then 1 cup but would recommend using fresh and I used Basil, oregano and thyme)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Put nuts and cloves in a food processor and process until minced.  Add parsley, herbs, salt and Parmesan cheese and process until herbs are finely minced.  Slowly pour olive oil into processor while going until its mixed in.  Spoon into a zip lock bag and store in fridge.

 Asparagus and Tomato Pesto Pasta

8 oz whole wheat uncooked spaghetti
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (this gives it a little kick so leave it out if you don't want spicy)
2 1/2 cups sliced asparagus
1 1/2 cups grape tomato's halved
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 tbsp mixed herb pesto (recipe above)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Cook pasta according to package directions.  I left out any fat or salt. 
After pasta is cooked reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. 

Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat.  Add Asparagus and red peppers and cook for five minutes or until asparagus is tender. 

Add Tomatoes and garlic, cook about 1 minute.  Add remaining ingredients and pasta, toss well.  Add the reserved water if needed.  Cook for 1 minute.

The green blob on top of the pasta is the pesto.  YUMMY!

If your family doesn't like whole wheat pasta, I recommend this brand.  It was really good and my husband (the picky one) could not even tell it was whole wheat. 

Serves 4- Serving size about 1 1/2 cups
Cal. 336, Fat 10.1,  Protein 12.1, Carbs 50.5, fiber 3.8, WWPP 9

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Mid morning Blueberry Smoothie

Yesterday after having Chocolate Chip Scones for breakfast I found that I craved sweets all day long. While I am not sure if it was that or the fact that I was visited by my monthly gift =) this morning but I thought I would play it safe and stuck with a whole wheat english muffin for breakfast with a light cheese spread.  I used weight watchers  jalapeno cheese wedge. (1 pt+ per wedge).  Its one of my favorite things for breakfast lately.  MMmmm mmmm.

 Last night I was looking on pinterest  for some ways  to use up some blueberries I had on hand and found some good looking smoothie recipes.  So when I started to get a little hungry at about 10 I decided a smoothie would be perfect for little girl and I.  I just went off a few recipes I used last night and made my own.  It was a perfect way to get me through till lunch and so so delicious.  I never think to do blueberries in smoothies mostly because I don't enjoy blueberries plain but this had such good flavor and was so easy.

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

1 Cup Fresh Blueberries.  (You could use frozen too.)
1 Banana
6 oz light vanilla yogurt.  (I used weight watchers 2 pt yogurt)
1 tsp agave nectar.  (You can use honey too if you dont have agave)
2 cups ice

Mix all the ingredients in the blender and enjoy. 
Extra add ins you could do: Flax seed, oatmeal (I may try this next time), almond or vanilla extract. 

I separated it into 2 servings that came to about 1 1/4 cups.

Calories 154, carbs 35, Fat  0, Protein 4, fiber 4.5, WWPP 2.

Chocolate Chip Scones

A friend of mine told me she made these recently and they were so good.  I have been meaning to make them and last night while I was laying in bed trying to sleep I told myself not to forget to make these this morning.  They are so so so good! Go make them right now..SERIOUSLY!  My husband works in a bakery and one of his biggest complaints about my light baking is that it is always too dry.  These are not dry!  I think that the buttermilk contributed to this.  I always keep cultered buttermilk which comes in powder form and can be stored in the fridge.  I do that because if I bought it in liquid form I wouldn't be able to use it all and it would go bad and it is also less fat then buttermilk in liquid form.  If you dont have buttermilk on hand you can add 1 tbsp lemon juice or vingegar to 1 cup milk and wait five minutes till is curdles. 

I also have recently discovered Bobs Red Mill whole wheat pastry flour.  I highly recommend it.  I found mine at winco by the other specialy flour.  I am sure there are other places you can buy it though but it looks like this

Chocolate Chip Scones

Recipe Adapted from Skinny Taste.

3/4 Cup Buttermilk

1/4 Cup Sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 large egg

1 Cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I used Bob's Red mill)

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 Tbsp cold light butter

1 large egg white lightly beaten

1 1/2 tbsp sugar

Add the first four ingredients to a bowl.  If using the cultered buttermilk you add 3 tbsp of the powder with sugar and then when you mix in egg and vanilla add 3/4 cup water.

Mix the dry ingredients in a seperate bown and and mix together.  Cut butter into 1/2 tbsp each and then put in dry mixture.  I have never gotten the concept of cutting butter into a dry ingredients with butter knives so I just add it in with my CLEAN hand. 

Next add the milk mixture to the dry mixture and fold into each other.

Put the dough on a floured surface and knead it together 4 times with floured hands. Shape into a 9 -10 inch circle.   Place on a cooking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Brush egg whites over the top and sprinkle the sugar on top.
Cook at 375 for 15 minutes.  Give or take a few depending on the oven.

After cooking cut into 12 pieces.
Calories 199.6, Fat 8.1, Protein 3.7, Carbs 29.8, Fiber 2.3, Sugar 12.8, WWPP-5

Crock Pot sweet and Sour Chicken

Since being on weight watchers for a few years I find most of the recipes I cook online.  There are so many blogs now d posting healthy, yummy food and that definitely contributed to my weight loss success.  However, my sister in law gave me a Healthy cook book for Christmas and it has opened my eyes to a whole new world of cookbooks.  I cant wait to get more healthy, light cook books.  I have made a few recipes from it this past week and this one so far is my favorite.  It is really easy.  I seriously threw everything in the crock pot and forgot about it and then cooked up some minute rice right before we ate.  Perfect for a busy day. 
Sorry I didn't get more pictures.  We were in a hurry that evening to get out of the house and I spaced it!

Crock Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken

1 Cup Chopped Onion
1/3 cup Sugar
1/3 cup kitchen
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp cider vinegar.  (I used 2 tbsp white vinegar)
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp fresh grated ginger (I used the spice)
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs cut into 1 inch pieces
1 20 oz can pineapple chunks.  Drain the juice
1 large green bell pepper, cut into 3/4 inch strips
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 3/4 inch strips
3 cups hot cooked white rice

Combine all the ingredients (except rice) in slow cooker.

 Stir.  Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours.  Serve over rice.

(this picture was actually taken the next day when I had the left overs-Still very good) 

Serves 6-Serving size 2/3 Cup chicken mixture and 1/2 Cup of rice

Calories 381, Fat 8.7, Protein 23.2, Carb 51.9, Fiber 2.1, WWPP- 10

Baked Biscuit Enchiladas

I saw this recipe on Pinterest a while back and it was advertised as a weight watchers meal.  After looking at the ingredients I wasn't sure that they points value would be that low but I definitely wanted to try it.  It looked so good and SO EASY. It was a really quick meal to cook. I made a few minor adjustments from the original recipe and used whole wheat biscuits instead of white.  They turned our really good.  I highly recommend them but I will warn you that they have a higher point value and calories (if you count calories) then what I usually have for dinner but I had enough points for them so it worked out.  I served it with corn.  You could also add black beans, olives and light sour cream on top.

I have to admit that my food photography is not exactly good.  Its a work in progress so I apologize! =)

Baked Biscuit Enchiladas
Adapted from Recipe Diaries
Serves Six- Calories-472, Carbs- 45, Fat 23, Protein, 23, Points Plus-13

1 lb Ground turkey-85/15 (you can go lower on the fat content of the turkey if you prefer) 1/3 cup white onion chopped 4 tbsp canned green chilli's 1 15oz can traditional enchilada sauce 1 can Pillsbury Grands Biscuits - Home style Golden Wheat -reduced fat 3/4 Cup Reduced fat Mexican cheese (I used sargentos) 1/8th cup green onions chopped Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9x13 inch pan. Brown the turkey in pan and add onions and chili's.  Cook until turkey is cooked through and onions are clear.   Add enchilada sauce.  Cook for 2 minutes. Meanwhile cut biscuits into fourths.   Remove enchilada mixture from heat and add biscuits to the mixture.  Stir till all the biscuits are coated.  Pour into 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle with cheese and then green onions.  Cook for 30 minutes or until dough is no longer doughy.  I used a toothpick to determine.

Skinny Chocolate Chocolate Banana Muffins

I promised a few sweet treats that I made last week and here is one that was so delicious.  It comes from Skinny Taste which is absolutely my favorite blog for healthy recipes and for those of you who follow weight watchers (like me!) she figures serving size and point value as well. 
I love love love baked goods so her sight as been a saving grace for me when I am craving some sweet baked treat!   This particular recipe was loved by all who got to taste it even my husband who is not a fan of bananas.  I will definitely make it again!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
These are 5ts+ and have 170.5 Calories per muffin.  For more nutritional information go to the recipe on skinny taste by clickin on the recipe title above.

3 1/2 ripe medium bananas, mashed
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 tbsp confectioners sugar (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 325 and line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.  My recipe actually divided into 13.

Mix the flour, Cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.  Put butter and sugar together and mix with electric mixer.  Then add egg whites and applesauce.  Add bananas and vanilla.  After that is mixed in gradually add the dry ingredients.  Fold in Chocolate chips. 

Divide the  mixture into cupcake tins evenly and cook for 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out dry. 

If you want to make the glaze on top then mix powdered sugar with 1/4 c or 1/3 cup water and drizzle over the top.  My daughter helped me do these and we were working on the color green that day so ours has a green tint. 1-

I would recommond storing it in an air tight container because of all the fruit in the muffins they will go bad faster then one that is made with oil.  =)
 

Meals!

Here are a few ideas of food and their WW points plus values that I was eat.  This was a few months ago.

~Breakfast

Hytop(winco brand) apple Cinnamon oatmeal  (I have gotten a little tired of the other fruity ones)

4pts

~Snack - Keelber grasshoppers   1 point per cookie. 

~Lunch- I cooked up a tortilla (the kind that comes in the package as dough from winco) and put 1/4 cup of fat free cheese on it. The tortilla is 4 points and the cheese is 2 points I think. 

~Dinner- this is only 8 points.  I used Spinach instead of escarole because I don't have any clue where to get that.  (Ron really liked this and lizzy wasn't a fan of the sausage but she ate the pasta and loved it)

this is also another dinner idea.  ( I didn't have cabbage so I just did shredded carrots instead.  Ron really liked this) It was only 5 points

  After having the shrimp salad I decided I was still in a snacking mood and had more points since dinner wasn't much so I decided to make these.  They are 4 points each and they are good.  I didn't do the raisins though mostly because I dont like them and I think next time I make them I will add Cinnamon.  The agave nector in it is not cheap but I wanted to try it out and see what I thought because it is much healthier for you then using splenda because its natural.  I have considered buying it in bulk if I like it. 

Smoothie

A friend of mine gave me these smoothie recipes and I have been drinking them for breakfast.  I really like them and they are no added sugar.  She adds pecans and nuts to hers as well and said you cant taste them!  The nuts are to make it heartier and the spinach is to get a serving of veggies. (I think i will try the pecans)  I just bought a bag of mixed frozen fruit, did half a cup of that-1/2 cup of low fat yogurt, 2/3 cup of milk, vanilla and ice!  It is really good and fills me up for breakfast! Lizzy likes it too which is nice because I have a hard time getting her fruit servings in~!

Pineapple Coconut Smoothie

16 oz canned pineapple, packed in juice, chunks, undrained
6 oz frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 cup(s) light coconut milk
1 cup(s) ice cube(s)

Pineapple Mango Smoothie

1/2 cup(s) orange juice
1/2 cup(s) fat-free vanilla yogurt
1 cup(s) canned unsweetened pineapple chunks
1 1/2 cup(s) unsweetened frozen mango chunks

Banana Berry Smoothie

1 small banana(s)
1/4 cup(s) raspberries
1/4 cup(s) blueberries
1/2 cup(s) plain fat-free yogurt
1 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
1/8 tsp vanilla extract, or to taste
1 piece(s) mint leaves, for garnish

Banana Peach Smoothie

1 small banana(s), or half a large
1/2 cup(s) unsweetened canned peach(es), drained
1 cup(s) fat-free soy milk
1/2 cup(s) ice cube(s)

 

Grilled Chicken Parmigiana

My meal plan got thrown off a bit because we ate out this weekend and I promised to make {The hubby} sushi rolls because he met his goal this week! Last night I made the Grilled Chicken Parmigiana and it turned out really well. I altered the recipe a little bit and this is how it went. Ingredients- 2 lbs chicken breasts (I used two -1/2 lb breasts because the meal was only for {The hubby and I), salt and pepper, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, minced jarred garlic (I never use fresh because of cost), 1 small yellow onion, 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, 28 oz can of Italian diced tomatoes (the original recipe called for fire-roasted), I DIDNT use basil like the original recipe, Parmesan cheese, Sergentos Reduced Fat Mexican cheese (It was the only mix with white cheese that was reduced fat I could find). I didn't use the red wine Vinegar as shown because we didn't have salad with it.

Cut chicken down the center and fan out.

Because of the weather here I cooked the chicken on the George Foreman for about ten minutes or until chicken is completely cooked

While Chicken cooks combine 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil with, garlic, red pepper flakes and onion. Cook on medium heat for ten minutes stirring frequently.

Add tomatoes and cook for a few minutes. If you want to add basil now is the time. Then season with Salt and Pepper.

Arrange chicken in Casserole dish and cover with sauce. Sprinkle cheese on top to your liking and broil on high till cheese is melted.

I cooked asparagus for a side while the cheese was melting. My husband loves it with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a little salt sauteed in a pan. Its Delicious. He learned this while spending two years in Portugal.

Here is the finished product.

This was a very good meal with very little preparation. The sauce was to die for! It was fast and easy. I highly recommend it. There was a lot of extra sauce for just the two of us so I think next time I might make the sauce a head of time and marinate the chicken in half of it for a few hours or over night just because I was wishing the chicken had more of the sauce flavor itself.

Although I changed the recipe a bit I have to give credit to Rachel Ray were the recipe came from. To find the link go here.