29 April 2010

Sweet Potato Pasta

2 cups of whole wheat pasta (i.e. Rotini, Penne)
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 sweet potato, peeled, quartered and sliced into 1/4" slices
1 cup of broccoli florets
1 cup mushrooms, quartered
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 Tbsp of soy sauce
1/4 tsp of dried thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper


In a large saucepan of boiling water, add noodles and garlic. Cook for about 4 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and continue cooking for 4 minutes. Add broccoli and mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes or until all veggies are tender. Drain well. Place in bowl. Toss with cheese, soy sauce, thyme and pepper until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

SERVING SIZE: 1 Cup
POINTS PER SERVING: 3.5

This is a yummy recipe. A friend of mine posted it on her blog a long
time ago and I've been making ever since. It's easy, pretty quick and a
little different than most of the pasta dishes I've made. I always seem to
add more broccoli and mushrooms than it calls for...more veggies the merrier
right?!

10 March 2010

Split Pea Soup

1 - 16 oz bag (1 lb.) of green split peas
5 carrots, sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
7 cups water
salt to flavor (about 1 tsp + 1/8 tsp)

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for about 4-5 hours (I like mine creamy). It does set up a little thicker after you turn the heat off. The left overs the day after are good too!

Servings: 8 - 1 cup servings
Points per serving: 1 POINT
(the serving size and points vary depending on how you make it. But the basic recipe above is what I calculated my servings and points from)

This recipe is very versatile. I mix it up all the time. My base is the bag of split peas and 7 cups water but then I mix and match veggies. I've added celery before which I really liked that. If you're not into onions don't add them. I love garlic so if I have fresh garlic I'll mince a clove into the soup. Oh, and another way I've done it before was to use veggie or chicken broth in place of the water. That adds flavor but also a bit more sodium than I'd like to have. Some recipes for split pea soup call for ham and I've done that before but it didn't add much to the flavor so I decided not to add the points. I stick to just the veggies! I've never cared much for peas or cooked carrots but I LOVE split pea soup. I love crock pot recipes especially on night I'm busy and won't we around to cook dinner. I always eat my soup with fat-free saltine crackers (1 point for 5 crackers) and a glass of milk. Yum!

05 February 2010

Banana Caramel Shortcakes
from Hungry Girl

2 cups fat free cool whip
1 Jell-O Sugar Free Creamy Caramel or Dulce de Leche Pudding Snack
1 lrg. banana, sliced
1 package Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheet
1/4 cup light or fat-free caramel dip



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


In a large bowl, combine cool whip and pudding and stir until blended. Mix in banana slices. Refrigerate until ready to assemble your shortcakes.

Prepare two large baking sheets by spraying them with nonstick spray. Set aside. On a dry surface, roll dough our into a large rectangle --about 12 in X 9 in -- of even thickness. Using a pizza cutter or a knife, cut dough into 18 evenly sized pieces (each about 3 in X 2 in). Place the pieces of dough, evenly spaced, on the baking sheets. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes, until light golden brown. Allow to cool.

Once you're ready to serve, lay out 9 pieces of baked dough and evenly distribute cool whip/pudding/banana mixture among them, about 1/4 cup per piece. Gently top each with another piece of baked dough. Set aside. In a microwave-safe dish, heat caramel dip until softened and warm, about 20 seconds. stir and then drizzle evenly over the shortcakes, about 1/2 tsp each.

Servings: 9
Points per serving: 3

All I can say is Y-U-M-M-Y!!! These were so delicious. I changed a few things just because of what I had on hand. Instead of using a Jell-O cup I just made my own pudding using a fat-free sugar-free Jell-O mix (I only had vanilla and it worked just fine). Then for the caramel, I just used the fat-free ice cream topping, again, it's just what I had on hand. I did buy the seamless dough sheets but I had to buy them in St. George. If I were to make this again I would probably just use the regular crescent roll dough. The only difference is they have seams but by rolling out the dough I'm assuming they would kind of blend anyways. I loved these. After I ate one shortcake I couldn't keep out of the stuff so I grabbed on more piece of dough and just dipped it into the cool whip mixture. This stuff was so good! I even thought about making a sugar cookie dough (I have a WW recipe that I LOVE) and using that instead of the crescent dough...it's worth a try! Any alteration could possibly change the points. Enjoy!

16 January 2010

Cornmeal Pancakes
from WeightWatchers.com

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup uncooked yellow cornmeal
1 Tbsp. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 lrg. egg, lightly beaten
1 cup 1% low-fat milk
1 Tbsp. molasses
1 Tbsp. butter, melted

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. In a separate bowl combine egg, milk, molasses, and butter. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, stirring until well blended.

Spoon 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto a hot griddle (spray with Pam if it's not a non-stick surface). Turn pancakes when tops are covered in bubbles and edges look cooked.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 pancake)
Points Value: 2 per serving

This isn't a really sweet pancake but they taste yummy (I generally use a little bit of light syrup but that can change the points)! I love the texture and color that the cornmeal adds. It feels good to make my family pancakes from scratch instead of out of a bag (which I normally do). I made these for dinner last night and then we polished them off for breakfast this morning (I doubled the recipe so I could have leftovers).

14 January 2010

Easy Mac & Cheese

3 cups uncooked pasta, small pieces (i.e. elbow)
1/8 tsp. table salt, for pasta cooking in water
2 cups fat-free skim milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp table salt
3/4 tsp onion powder
1 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, sharp variety
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce, or more to taste


POINTS: 6
Servings: 6 - 1 cup servings


Cook pasta in lightly salted boiling water according to package directions; drain and return to pot.


Meanwhile, while pasta cooks, in a large saucepan, whisk together milk, flour, salt and onion powder until blended. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking frequently; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and whisk in cheese and hot sauce. Add sauce to pasta; toss to mix and coat. Yields about 1 cup per serving.


My girls and daycare kids gobbled this up! I used whole-wheat small shell noodles and instead of 3/4 tsp of onion powder (I didn't have any) I used 1/4 tsp. garlic powder and a few sprinkles of black pepper. Oh, and I omitted the hot pepper sauce. I had a small bite of this before the kids ate it up and it was pretty good. Definitely creamy! I know I will make this again because it was easy and they are ingredients that I have on hand! This sure beats the boxed version of Mac & Cheese and is A LOT healthier!

15 December 2009

Creamy Chicken & Pasta Bake

1-1/2 cups multi-grain rotini pasta, uncooked
1 small bunch broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 cups)
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup fat-free reduced sodium chicken broth
2 oz. Neufchatel cheese, cubed
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding broccoli for the last 3 minutes. Meanwhile, heat large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes or until no longer pink, stirring frequently. Stir in broth; simmer 3 minutes or until chicken is done. Add Neufchatel cheese; cook and stir on low heat 1 minute or until melted. Stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella. Drain pasta and broccoli. Add to chicken mixture; mix lightly. Spoon into a baking dish (I use a 9X13 glass cake pan); cover. Bake 15 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake, uncovered, 3 minutes or until melted. Let stand 5 minutes.

6 - 1 cup servings
Serving is 6.3 points

This is a yummy dish. My kids love it and so do I! This is another Kraft recipe.
Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

2 large sweet potatoes (1-1/2 lb.)
2 oz. Neufchatel Cheese
2 Tbsp. fat-free milk
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Cut potatoes lengthwise in half; place, cut-sides down, in foil-lined baking pan (I used a cookie sheet). Bake 30-35 minutes or until tender. Scoop out centers of potatoes into bowl, leaving 1/4 inch thick shells. Add Neufchatel cheese, milk, sugar and cinnamon to potatoes; mash until blended. Spoon potato mixture into shells. Bake 8 minutes or until potatoes are heated through.

servings: 4
points per serving: 2.75 points.


OK...So these were SOOOOOOO yummy!!! I made these for Thanksgiving and we want to make them again and again. I know this will be a regular dish on our Thanksgiving table! The original recipe called for pecans (sprinkled on top before the second bake) but I omitted them because of the extra points it added. I used regular brown sugar but I'm sure the Splenda brown sugar would be ok and would lower the points some. This dish was definitely a healthier choice than the regular sweet potato dish made with tons of butter and sugar. This recipe came from Kraft.com. Here's the link the their recipe.

14 October 2009

Potato Soup

30 oz (about 2 pounds) white potatoes, cut into big chunks
3 md carrots, sliced
3 stalks of celery, sliced
5 cups chicken broth (3-14 oz cans plus just a little bit of water to equal 5 cups)
12 oz. fat free evaporated milk
1 small onion
salt, pepper, ground basil to taste

Add all ingredients into a crock pot and cook for about 4-5 hours.

Servings: 8 (1 cup ea.)
Points: 2 per serving (figured on etools recipe builder)


Easy recipe. This is a pretty basic recipe but you can see how you can
change it up to your liking. The soup I tried (before making my own
version) was made with 5 cups of water and 5 bullion cubes. She didn't
add celery, instead just used celery seasoning. And she didn't add
onions. I like basil so I put some of that in to season it the way I
like. This is a very yummy soup. Just a bowl of big, chunky veggies!

09 October 2009

Chili Soup

1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15 oz) kidney beans, rinsed
1 can (14-1/2 oz) chicken broth
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 tsp. chili powder

Bring all ingredients to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Simmer on low heat for 25 minutes or until veggies are tender.

The doubled recipe stats:
14 cups 1.7 points per 1 cup

Easy enough! I love this soup recipe. It's easy, low points
and yummy! I double it so I have enough for lunches the next
day. The crock pot could work for this recipe too.
The original recipe called for 1 cup of Mexican style cheese, some
to go in it and some to sprinkle on top but I omitted the cheese to
keep the points as low as possible. But you could add some and
just figure the points for how ever much you use. I found this recipe in the Kraft Magazine.
Ranch Salad with Roasted Vegetables


(Joni...this is for you!)

2 lb. red potatoes

4 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices (or just rounds...what ever)

2 small red onions, cut into thin wedges

1 Tbsp. olive oil

salt, pepper, dried basil flakes to taste

Romain lettuce, torn

Fat Free Ranch Dressing

Grated Parmesan Cheese


Pre heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine veggies and olive oil in a big bowl; toss to coat. Then add salt, pepper, and/or basil to your liking. Spray two cookie sheets with Pam and then spread veggies out onto each cookie sheet (single layer). Bake for about 30 minutes, stirring after 15 min. Let cool for about 5 minutes.


For each serving place torn lettuce on plate. Put 1-2 Tbsp of fat-free ranch dressing (1 PP) on lettuce. Scoop a 1/2 cup of roasted veggies (2 PP) onto lettuce and sprinkle with 2 tsp. of Parmesan cheese (1 PP).



This is SOOOO yummy!!! I've made it several times and I just crave it! Having the warm veggies on top of lettuce seems kind of different but it is yummy. I found this recipe from a Kraft magazine (I changed it from the original a little bit).

10 September 2009

Macaroni Salad with Tomatoes










**Servings: 7 **Size: 3/4 cup **Points: 2.5

6 oz uncooked elbows (I used a whole grain noodle)
2 tomatoes, diced
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup light Miracle Whip (she used light mayo)
1 Tbsp white vinegar
dash garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
2.5 oz sliced black olives (this was about 20 medium olives)
salt and pepper

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.

In a medium bowl, combine all the other ingredients (not the noodles yet) including any juice from the tomatoes). Mix well. Add elbow noodles and mix well.

This is a great salad to make for Potlucks. It is a healthier choice than some of the other VERY high fat salads that are brought to BBQ's and potlucks. The salad was even better after it had time to sit and let the flavors mix. Yummy!!! I found this recipe on a blog called Gina's Weight Watcher's Recipes (I linked her blog over on the left too). She has A LOT of good recipes on there that are healthy and they all include WW points values. Very helpful for finding good recipes. I'm going to be looking there for more dinner recipes.

28 July 2009

Taco Salad Bowls

4 whole wheat tortillas
cooking spray
taco seasoning
1 large onion (diced)
8 oz. lean ground turkey
1 cup beans (kidney, black, pinto, etc)
2-1/2 tsp Chili powder
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp Salsa, divided
2 Tbsp light miracle whip
4 cups torn salad greens
1 large tomato
shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)
cilantro (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Crumple 4 large sheets of foil to make four 3-inch balls; place on baking sheet. Place 1 tortilla on top of each ball; spray tortilla with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with taco seasoning. Bake 6-8 minutes or until tortillas are golden brown. (tortillas will drape over the balls as they bake.)

Meanwhile, saute the onion in a large nonstick skillet. Then add meat, beans, and chili powder and cook until meat is done (stirring occasionally). Add 1/2 salsa; cook 2 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

Mix miracle whip and remaining 2 Tbsp. salsa in a large bowl. Add salad greens and tomatoes; toss to coat. Spoon salad mixture into tortilla bowls; top with meat mixture, cheese (optional) and cilantro (optional) (point value doesn't include cheese).

This one is kind of tricky to give you a points value for. You can really mix it up to get a lower point value depending on how many points you want it to be. BUT it's about 6 points per bowl.

The meat mixture is about 14 points. I didn't measure it this time but I'm guessing it makes about 10 - 1/2 cup servings (5 cups). So if you fill your taco bowl with lots of lettuce and top
it will 1/2 cup of meat it could be less than 6 points. I also use the Don Pancho High Fiber Low Carb Low Fat wraps and they are only 1 point per wrap. So that can bring the points down too. I generally don't put cheese on mine because it adds more points than I want. This is all sounding really complicated but it's not. Let me know if you have any questions and I will try and help out.


I've had fun with this recipe and am still trying to master making the perfect taco bowl. I put my tin-foil balls into a bag and store them so when I make the recipe time and time again, I'm
not needing to make the balls each time. Also, you can get creative with the spices that you use to season your tortillas. I've enjoyed the taco seasoning but you could use chili powder, season salt, etc. We enjoy this dinner! I make this for "Taco Night" a couple times a month and it doesn't ever disappoint.

21 July 2009

Frozen Grapes 1 cup seedless grapes 1 ziplock baggy 1 freezer Measure the 1 cup grapes into a ziplock baggy and put in the freezer. Once they are frozen, eat and enjoy! 1 cup grapes = 0 PointsPlus
OK, so this is a snack that I've herd people mention a lot and I've never tried it because it just didn't sound that great. But yesterday I was reading a success story on weight watchers and the lady mentioned frozen grapes. I remembered that I had grapes in the fridge so I thought I would give it a try. I measured the grapes into a serving size just so I would know exactly how many points were in it. I had enough grapes to make three-one cup baggies. I put them in the freezer and anxiously waited for them to freeze. Later in the afternoon they were nice and frozen so I took out a baggy and enjoyed a one point snack...They were so yummy. They are like little round popsicles!
Zucchini Fries

cooking spray
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1-1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp table salt
3/4 cup dried bread crumbs
2 medium zucchini, about 7 inches each, cut into 4 chunks, then each chunk halved
2 large egg whites, whipped until frothy (almost soft peaks)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together Italian seasoning, flour, and salt. Place bread crumbs in another small bowl.

Dredge a zucchini fry in flour mixture and then dip into egg whites; dredge in bread crumbs. Place coated zucchini on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining ingredients; liberally coat with cooking spray.

Roast, turning once, until desired crispness, about 12 minutes. Yields about 8 fries per serving

2 points per serving (about 8 fries)

NOTES:
Use this technique with any summer squash or eggplant. It also works great with thick-cut onion rings or even green tomatoes.

For extra crispy fries, increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees and knock 2 minutes off the cooking time.

(recipe came from a Weight Watchers email newsletter)


We really enjoyed this yummy side dish; they bake up nice and crisp. I would like to try different seasonings to make different flavors to mix it up. I used a little ketchup for dipping but then I started eating them plain and I liked it better that way...I could really taste the zucchini!

14 July 2009

Oat-Baked Onion Rings

cooking spray
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
2 large onions, yellow, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and separated into rings
5 packets, uncooked instant oatmeal, 1 oz. each (about 2 cups total)
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat 2 large baking sheets (I used cookie sheets) with cooking spray.

In a large shallow bowl or dish, whisk together egg whites and sour cream. Add onion rings and turn to coat. Transfer onion rings to a large bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Sprinkle mixture over onions and toss to coat. Spread onion out on prepared baking sheets and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Bake until tender and golden, about 40-45 minutes. Yields 1/4 of onion rings per serving.

points value: 3 per serving

We enjoyed these for dinner tonight. It is a recipe that can be played with and changed up to get different flavors. Kris liked them and said he would like to have them again. One change that I did make to this recipe is that I used regular rolled oat instead of the instant (it's just what I had on hand). I rolled over the oats with a rolling pin to break them up a little so they would spread farther over the onions. They are yummy and NOT full of grease! We dipped these in ketchup. I'm sure
any dipping sauce would be good (keep in mind some dipping sauces will add points). I have a recipe for zucchini fries that I want to try too. I'll post that recipe when I get around to making them. I got this recipe from WeightWatchers.com. They have free recipes that you can get off their site as well as in their free newsletters. I always like trying their recipes.

13 July 2009

Bean Burrito

1 spray cooking spray
1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1-1/8 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (I used the corn, green bean, carrot, Lima bean mix)
1 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped (or 1 tsp dried cilantro)
1 cup fat free canned refried beans
4 large burrito-size wheat flour tortillas
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-style cheese
1/2 cup salsa

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat; add oil and heat until it sizzles.

Saute onions for about 3 minutes and then add mixed vegetables and cilantro to skillet; saute until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes more. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Spread about 1/4 cup of beans down the middle of a tortilla and sprinkle with cheese; top with a heaping 1/4 cup of vegetables.

Fold ends of burrito in and then fold one side of tortilla to center; fold in other side (like and envelope). Repeat with remaining burritos.

Rinse out skillet, and lay burritos in it on medium heat to toast each side. Top with 2 Tbsp of salsa ans serve.

Yields 1 burrito per serving (5 points each)

I really like this burrito. When I first read the ingredients I wasn't sure about it but I tried anyways and we really like it. I've changed it up from time to time...using garlic, omitting salsa and using taco sauce instead, sometimes I use fat-free sour cream, oh and I use mozzarella cheese instead of the Mexican mix because that is what I have on hand...there are a variety of ways to mix it up. I always double the recipe because then there is enough for my husband to make a few burritos for his lunch the following day. Also, there are Don Pancho Wraps that are 1 POINT per wrap and sometimes I use those to keep the POINTS lower.

12 July 2009

Strawberry Yogurt Cake

1 white cake mix (dry)
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 egg whites
2 weight watchers strawberry yogurt (6 oz. each) or light yogurt (it's 1 point for 6 oz).
1 tub fat free whipped topping (8 oz.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray and flour a 9 x 13 cake pan. Beat cake mix, water, applesauce, egg whites and one container (6 oz.) yogurt. Beat for 2 minutes. Pour into pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely. Fold remaining container (6 oz.) of yogurt into the whipped topping and spread over cake.

Serves 12-18 12 - 4 points each 18 - 3 points each

This is a yummy treat! It was moist and very delicious. FYI - I'm not sure what the reason was but the top of my cake started to burn after being in the over for a little while. I had it on the middle rack where I always put my cakes but it was going black. So I moved the rack down to the second to last rack. I was thinking this would be yummy with fresh strawberries on top or even mixed in with the cake mix. Also, if you wanted to try a different flavor of yogurt (blueberry, raspberry, etc) that could be yummy too. This is definitely a cake I will make again!!! I cut mine into 12 pieces for 4 points because I wanted a bigger piece. Oh, and I froze the left overs and ate a frozen piece the next day and it was kind of yummy frozen. (this recipe was given to me by a friend)
Spinach-Pasta Toss

1 can(14-1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups multi-grain penne pasta, uncooked
1 cup water
1 pkg. (9 0z.) baby spinach leaves (more or less for your liking)
1 cup Shredded mozzarella cheese

Bring tomatoes, pasta and water to boil in large saucepan; stir. Cover; simmer on medium-low heat 10 minutes. Uncover; simmer 1 min, or just until pasta is tender.

Add half the spinach; simmer, covered 2 minutes or until wilted. Stir. Repeat with remaining spinach.

Serve topped with cheese.

2.5 POINTS per 1 cup serving.

This recipe is really easy and yummy. I always use less than the 9 oz. of spinach called for. Also, I've used different varieties of canned tomatoes (lime with cilantro) and that can really change the flavor of the dish. This is a good meatless recipe and my family loves it! You could easily add meat if you want to 'beef' it up...of course that would change the POINTS value.

06 July 2009

Santa Fe Chicken

1 large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove
spray of Pam
1-1/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 cup uncooked long grain white rice
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 oz each)
shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Spray a large skillet with Pam and saute onion and garlic until tender. Add broth and salsa; bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Place chicken over rice; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn chicken; cook 10-15 minutes longer or until meat juices run clear and rice is tender. Remove from the heat.

Sprinkle with cheese and cilantro if desired (point value does not include cheese).

Yields: 4 servings - 5 points each

This is a recipe that I found a while ago in a Taste of Home recipe book. It was submitted by a lady from Texas. It is very easy to make and it only takes one pan to make it...I'm all for less mess and less dishes! The cilantro adds a nice flavor. Last night when we ate it, Kris sprinkled the top with lime juice as well as the cilantro and cheese and he said it was really good. I eat mine without the cheese because it's lower points that way. If you want to measure out a small serving of cheese and add the extra points you can easily do that.

01 July 2009

Three Cheese Chicken Pasta Bake

1-1/2 cups multigrain penne pasta, uncooked
1 pkg. (9 oz) fresh spinach leaves
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces (16 oz raw/11 oz cooked)
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 jar (14-1/2 oz or 2 cups) spaghetti sauce
1 can (14-1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, drained
2 oz Neufchatel cheese, cubed
1 cup (3 oz) shredded mozzarella cheese (low-moisture part skim)
2 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta, adding spinach to boiling water for last 1 min.
Cook and stir chicken basil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 3 min. Add sauce and tomatoes; bring to boil. Simmer 3 min. or until chicken is done. Stir in Neufchatel cheese.

Drain pasta mixture; return to pan. Stir in chicken mixture and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Spoon into 2 qt. baking dish.

Cover and bake 20 min. Sprinkle with remaining cheese (1/2 cup mozzarella and 2 Tbsp parmesan) and bake uncovered for about 3 more minutes.

Makes 6 servings (1 c. each) = 5 points per serving.

I made this for dinner last night and it was YUMMY!!! For something different I may add broccoli in with the spinach next time. This recipe came from a Kraft magazine...I did change a few things to make it healthier (less points). Kraft has an assortment of healthy recipes. Visit Kraft Foods and look around...you may find some other yummy recipes. ENJOY!!!

30 June 2009

Chicken Veggie Casserole

1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups cubed cooked chicken (I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
1 can (15-1/4 oz) whole kernel corn, drained
2 cups frozen cut green beans, thawed (or canned)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the soup, milk, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir in the chicken, corn, beans and potatoes.

Pour into a greased 1-1/2 qt. baking dish. Bake uncovered, at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until heated through.

If I have time, I precook the potatoes and chicken earlier in the day. Then when I'm ready to cook dinner I can just throw it together really quick!

Servings: 6
Points per serving: 4 points

Recipes, Recipes, Recipes...

I'm creating this blog so I have a place to share recipes with family and friends. I am always on the lookout for yummy recipes...main dishes, snacks, desserts...anything! So if you have a recipe you want to share, I would love to have it! Since I am a member of Weight Watchers, I will also be including the POINTS value for each of the recipes that I add to this blog. Hope you enjoy!