Grilled Pizza with Sausage, Onions and Peppers

Oh man, you NEED to try this. I can't do whole wheat tortillas usually, but this way can't be beat. And it is super quick and easy. We were thinking it would make an awesome appetizer at a BBQ as well. Plus, the topping possibilities are endless.

Grilled Pizza with Sausage, Onions and Peppers (from WW website)
Serves 4

* 1 small red onion(s), cut into thin slivers
* 1 small yellow pepper(s), cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
* 1/2 cup pizza sauce, or tomato sauce
* 4 medium whole wheat tortilla(s)
* 1 tsp dried oregano
* 3/4 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
* 3 oz turkey Italian sausage

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium (or a grill pan over medium-high heat). Place sausage, onion and pepper on grill in a grill basket; cook, flipping once, until sausage is golden and vegetables start to brown, about 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from grill and set aside until ready to use.

To prepare pizzas, spread 2 tablespoons of sauce on each tortilla. Sprinkle each with 1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano and then top each with 1/4 of sausage-vegetable mixture; top each with 3 tablespoons of cheese.

Place pizzas on grill (or as many as will fit on grill pan at one time) and cook until edges begin to brown, about 3 to 5 minutes; rotate pizzas. Continue cooking until cheese is bubbly, about 2 to 4 minutes more. (If all 4 pizzas do not fit on grill pan at once, repeat with remaining ingredients.) Yields 1 pizza per serving.

Points per serving: 3

Grilled Trout

Ok, so speaking of summer and grilling....

I have a friend at work that has picked me as the person to unload his trout catch upon. His last trip to Canyon Ferry lake was a good one apparently and he caught 30-some rainbow trout. These trout feed on fresh-water shrimp all year long, so their meat is a reddish color, like salmon. Now, I'm not a fish eater at all, but I am told that this recipe is a pretty good one. Plus, it's an excuse to use the grill! I imagine this would work very well over the campfire too.

(Now, the trout I grill is a whole fish and it's about 2 to 3 lbs, so for the sake of figuring out points, the recipe just says 32 oz of the fish. But, since we're stuffing it and not cooking the fillets, just read it as one whole fish. So, to figure out points when serving, it's basically 5 points for every 6 or 7 oz fillet. Completely confused yet? Also...I remove the head before I cook it, but I know some weirdos like to eat the trout cheeks, so do whatever floats your boat. )

Grilled Stuffed Trout
Serves: 6

• 32 oz raw rainbow trout
• 1/2 medium onion(s), sliced
• 1 tsp garlic clove(s), minced
• 2 tsp lemon pepper
• 5 sprays olive oil cooking spray
• 1 Tbsp butter, sliced into thin pats
  
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 medium lemon(s), sliced
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley

Take whole, cleaned trout and stuff with onions, lemon garlic and pats of butter. Season with parsley, lemon pepper, salt and pepper. Lay on piece of aluminum foil that has been sprayed with olive oil spray and sprinkled with lemon pepper. If there is remaining onions and/or lemon, just throw remainders in foil on outside of fish. Wrap fish up tightly in foil.
Put fish on grill over medium to medium high heat. Cook for 7-10 minutes and turn over for another 7-10 minutes (depending on size of trout). Take off grill when meat becomes flakey and before it becomes mushy.
To serve, carefully remove skin and bones and place on platter, trying to keep fillets intact. Garnish with onions, garlic and lemon from stuffing. (Unless you're camping, then just throw the whole fish at them and tell them to de-bone it themselves. Oh, and maybe give them a fork or a stick to help them out a bit.)

Points per serving: 5

Stuffed Chicken Breast

Stuffed Chicken Breast
Serves 4

• 4 uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 4 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Creamy French Onion
• 1/4 cup onion(s), finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped red pepper
  
• 1 tsp garlic clove(s), minced
• 1 tsp dried chopped basil
• 1 Tbsp dried bread crumbs
• 10 sprays olive oil cooking spray
• 1 tsp table salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Mix cheese, onions, garlic, peppers, basil and bread crumbs together in bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
In each chicken breast, cut a pocket lengthwise in the side. Stuff each chicken breast with 1/4 of the mixture.
Lay out four pieces of tin foil. Spray each piece with olive oil. Sprinkle the oil with salt and pepper. Lay each chicken breast on each piece of foil and wrap them. Grill for 6-10 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165-175 degrees. Take out of foil and serve.

Points per serving: 6

Whole Grain and Italian Sausage–Stuffed Cabbage

Ok, this recipe is straight out of the cooking light magazine. It's pretty yummy. I made it, however, and did some things a little different. I omitted the butter and oil completely and just browned the sausage with the veggies, so the oils in the turkey helped soften them up. I also just used some leftover plain mushrooms that I had in my fridge (instead of porcini). I also bought a head of cabbage that was WAY too small, so there was no way I could fit 1/2 cup of filling in each roll. So, I still half of my filling sitting in the fridge waiting for more cabbage. So, my alterations changed it so that now it yields more like 20 cabbage rolls at about 2 points a piece. Not bad. I'm not sure it's officially one of my favorite recipes, but it was fun to make. I've never cooked with bulgur before, so just finding it in the grocery store was a challenge (psst....natural foods section).

Whole Grain and Italian Sausage–Stuffed Cabbage (from Cooking Light magazine)

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms, crushed (about 1/2 ounce)
• 1 1/4 cups uncooked bulgur
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2/3 cup finely chopped celery
• 2/3 cup finely chopped carrot
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound hot turkey Italian sausage
• 12 large Savoy cabbage leaves
• 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in mushrooms; cover, remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes.
2. Uncover pan; bring mushroom mixture to a boil. Stir in bulgur; cover, remove from heat, and let stand 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Spoon bulgur mixture into a large bowl.
3. Heat butter and oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic to pan; sauté 7 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Add vegetables to bulgur mixture; cool slightly. Stir in salt and pepper. Remove casings from sausage. Crumble sausage into bulgur mixture; stir well to combine.
4. Add water to a large Dutch oven to a depth of 2 inches; set a large vegetable steamer in pan. Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add cabbage leaves to steamer. Steam cabbage, covered, 6 minutes or until tender and pliable. Remove cabbage from steamer (do not drain water). Rinse cabbage with cold water; drain and pat dry.
5. Working with one cabbage leaf at a time, place 1/2 cup bulgur mixture in center of leaf. Fold in edges of leaf; roll up. Repeat procedure with the remaining cabbage leaves and bulgur mixture to form 12 cabbage rolls. Stack rolls evenly in steamer.
6. Return Dutch oven to medium-high heat; bring water to a boil. Steam rolls, covered, 30 minutes, adding more water if necessary.
7. Combine tomatoes, red wine vinegar, and sugar in saucepan; cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in parsley. Serve sauce with rolls.

Yields: 6 servings (serving size: 2 cabbage rolls and about 1/3 cup sauce)

Nutritional Information:
CALORIES 322(30% from fat); FAT 10.9g (sat 3.3g,mono 4.1g,poly 2.3g); PROTEIN 19.6g; CHOLESTEROL 48mg; CALCIUM 86mg; SODIUM 839mg; FIBER 10.3g; IRON 4.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40.2g

Pan Seared Chicken Sandwich with Garlic Aioli

I have never roasted garlic before, so this was really fun for me. I made the garlic aioli ahead of time, and that made making the sandwiches really quick later on. Plus, I still have some leftover, which has been fun to add to other sandwiches. Plus, this is another great grillin' option!

Pan Seared Chicken Sandwich with Garlic Aioli (from old WW cookbook)
Serves: 4

• 2 bulb garlic clove(s)
• 1 sprays olive oil cooking spray
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• 1 lb uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
  
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 4 leaves romaine lettuce
  
• 4 slices tomato
  
• 4 whole grain sandwich buns

1. Remove white papery skin from garlic heads (do not peel or separate the cloves). Coat each head with cooking spray; wrap separatelyh in foil. Bake at 350 for 2 hour. Let cool 20 minutes. Separate cloves; carefully snip or cut 2 end of each clove. Squeeze cloves over a small bowl to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins.
2. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over garlic pulp; mash with a fork until blended. Stir in mayonaise. Cover tightly with plastic wrap pressed onto surface of aioli; chill.
3. Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap or wax paper; fatten to 1/4 inch thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin (if chicken breasts are very large, cut in half, crosswise). Sprinkle salt and pepper over 1 side of each chicken breast.
4. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Coat chicken breasts with cooking spray; place in skillet, cut sides down , and cook until lightly toasted.
5. Spread 2 Tblsp garlic aioli over toasted sides of each bun. Divide chicken evenly among bottom halves of buns; top with lettuce, tomato, and top halves of buns. Serve immediately.

Points per serving: 8

Smoked Turkey and White Bean Soup

Yummy yummy. The smokey flavor is this soup is hard to beat!

Smoked Turkey and White Bean Soup (from old WW cookbook)
Serves: 6

• 2 cup water
• 3/4 cup onion(s), chopped
• 3/4 cup carrot(s), chopped
• 1/4 cup celery, chopped
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 can fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cans of 15.5 oz great northern beans
• 16 oz smoked turkey breast, chopped
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients except vinegar in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar; discard bay leaf.

Points per serving: 4

Grilled Portobello and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

Dude. This is awesome. I even convinced my veggie-phobe hubby that this was a good meal. This is a perfect meal to break in the grillin' season. I also paired it with some grill tomato wedges that weren't half bad. Plus, eating goat cheese makes me feel fancy.

Grilled Portobello and Goat Cheese Sandwiches (from Cooking Light magazine)
Serves: 4

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, cut in half and seeded
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut in half and seeded
• 4 (4-inch) portobello mushroom caps
• Cooking spray
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 (2-ounce) Kaiser rolls
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) soft goat cheese

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
2. Combine balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and garlic in a large bowl. Add bell peppers and portobello mushrooms; toss gently to coat. Remove vegetables from vinegar mixture, and discard vinegar mixture.
3. Place bell peppers and mushrooms on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side. Remove vegetables from grill; cool slightly. Cut bell peppers into thin strips. Combine bell peppers, basil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl.
4. Cut rolls in half horizontally; spread cheese evenly over cut sides of rolls. Arrange 1 mushroom cap on bottom half of each roll; top each serving with about 1/3 cup bell pepper mixture and top half of roll.
5. Place sandwiches on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Place a cast-iron or other heavy skillet on top of sandwiches; press gently to flatten. Grill 3 minutes on each side or until bread is toasted (leave cast-iron skillet on sandwiches while they cook).

Points per serving: 6

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

I love me some enchiladas...mmm....
I tried this recipe a few nights ago. It was pretty good! I cooked the chicken breast meat in one of those steam bags, which also made this recipe really quick and easy. And I also normally do not like whole wheat flour tortillas, but if they are covered in cheesy enchilada goodness, you can't tell the difference. This is a little different from the original WW recipe as I did not put olives or cheddar cheese on it, and I added chillies. This gets a yummy 4 stars from me!

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas (adapted from WW website)
Serves: 6

• 8 oz Kraft Velveeta Light Reduced-Fat Pasteurized Processed Cheese Product
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
• 1/4 cup fat-free evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 1/4 cup scallion(s), green part only, minced
• 3 cup cooked chicken breast, chopped*
• 1 sprays cooking spray
• 6 medium whole wheat tortilla(s), 7-inches each
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 Tblsp chopped mild green chillies
  

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine cheese product and sour cream; cover and microwave on high power until cheese melts, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove half of melted cheese to a small bowl and stir in evaporated milk; set aside. Add scallions, red pepper flakes, chillies and chicken to remaining cheese mixture; stir to coat.
Spoon about 2/3 cup of chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; fold in sides of tortilla to cover filling and place tortillas in a single layer in prepared dish; spoon remaining cheese sauce over top.
Bake until cheese topping is bubbly, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve with salsa. Yields 1 enchilada per serving.

Pts per serving: 6

Italian Peasant Soup with Cabbage, Beans and Cheese

My sister sent me this recipe, but I have yet to try it. I hope to this weekend while the weather still qualifies soup as a suitable dinner.

Italian Peasant Soup with Cabbage, Beans and Cheese
Serves: 8
2 19-ounce or 15 1/2-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
4 cups shredded Savoy cabbage (1/2 medium head)
3 cloves garlic, minced, plus 1 clove garlic, halved
3 14 1/2-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth or 5 1/4 cups vegetable broth
Freshly ground pepper to taste
8 1/2-inch-thick slices day-old whole-wheat country bread
1 cup grated fontina cheese or 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1. Mash 1 1/2 cups beans with a fork.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cabbage and minced garlic; cook, stirring often, until the cabbage has wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth, mashed beans and whole beans; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer until the cabbage is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with pepper.
3. Shortly before the soup is ready, toast bread lightly and rub with the cut side of the garlic clove (lightly or heavily depending on taste). Divide toast among 8 soup plates. Ladle soup over the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon oil over each serving. Serve immediately.

Points per serving: 4

(Omit cheese to make servings 3 points a piece)

Chicken Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich

I'm not sure why I was skeptical of this recipe, but it turned out a lot tastier than I thought. I've had it for lunch and dinner the last two days. Today, I ran out of hoagies, so I'm eating it on a tortilla with a little salsa and I'm omitting the cheese. It's a really yummy and versatile dish. I can easily add it to my favorites and give it 4 stars. I want to also mention that everything except the cheese and the bread in this recipe are core foods on the WW core plan. Score!

Philly Chicken Cheese Steaks
Serves: 4

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp table salt

1 tsp dried minced garlic (1 tsp fresh)

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 medium sweet red pepper, thinly sliced

1 medium green pepper, thinly sliced

4 slice american cheese

2 uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded, cut into strips

4 steak rolls

olive oil cooking spray

In a medium nonstick skillet, spray with olive oil cooking spray and place over medium-high heat. Saute onion until browned and very soft, about 10 minutes. Add chicken, peppers and garlic and saute until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about to 5 to 8 minutes; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toast buns; spoon chicken mixture down center of each one. Place a slice of cheese in each bun and and close bun to help cheese melt slightly. Yields 1 cheese steak per serving.

Points per serving: 7

(Use low calorie bread or omit cheese to lower points)

Paula Dean's Rene Coleslaw - Dietified

My mom made this coleslaw for Easter dinner, and I loved it. So, I plugged it into Recipe Builder and made some substitutions and it turned out not to be that bad. I totally guessed on the number or servings though. I really think you could get more out of it (which would obviously make the points value per serving smaller). It's a 4 star sidedish, in my opinion.

Rene's Coleslaw
Serves:10

1 tbsp sweet pickle relish

1/2 c green peppers or red peppers, sliced

1/2 c celery, sliced

salt & pepper, to taste

1 c cranberries, dried

1 tbsp honey mustard

1/2 c reduced calorie mayonnaise

1 tbsp honey

1/2 c almonds, toasted (optional)

5 c cabbage, shredded

1/4 c green onions, sliced

Combine all the vegetables & cranberries in large bowl. Stir together dressing ingredients & mix well with vegetables. Serve & enjoy.
Points per serving: 3

Sloppy Joe's ala Houghtelling

I didn't have much time to whip up dinner last night and my grocery supplies were pretty depleted, so this is what I came up with. Jerod suggested the addition of the pinto beans, and I was very skeptical. But, I'll admit that it turned out pretty good. It was a nice way to fiber-up the dish. I give it a 4.

Sloppy Joe's ala Houghtelling
Serves: 6
1 lb lean ground turkey
1 beef bouillon cube
1 1/2 cup water
1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
1 packet sloppy joe seasoning.
6 oz tomato paste
6 slices Wonder Wheat bread

Dissolve beef bouillon in 1/2 water. Pour it over turkey as you crumble and brown it. After turkey is done, pour in the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over bread (or toast) open-faced sandwich style.

Points per serving: 5

Adding shredded cheddar cheese on top might also be good if you can spare the points.

Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Cauliflower

I love love love this new way to cook Cauliflower. Dude. They has garlic and parmesan on them. How can you go wrong? I'm totally burnt out on canned veggies and steamed veggies, so I'm always open to new yummy and healthy ways to cook veggies. So this gets an obvious 5 stars from me.

Roasted Garlic and Parmesan Cauliflower (from my desperate-to-find-a-good-way-to-cook-veggies mind)
Serves 2
* Olive Oil Cooking Spray
* 2 cups cauliflower
* 1 pinch salt
* 1 pinch pepper
* 1 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves minced garlic) (or BOTH!)
* 1 oz fresh parmesan cheese, shredded

Wash cauliflower (Don't soak it as acts just like a sponge! Just rinse it under a stream of water.) Cut you cauliflowers into bite-size florets. I like to cut mine so that it has a flat edge so that it lays flat in the pan. That way it gets a little crusty on the bottom...because we all know that crusty is good. Spray cookie sheet or casserole dish with a thin coat of olive oil cooking spray. Lay your cauliflower in the coated dish with the flat side down. Spray a quick coat of olive oil spray over the top of the cauliflower. Sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic over cauliflower. Put in oven at 425ºF degrees for 20 minutes or however long it takes to get to your desired tenderness or brownness (I know brownness is not a word). Take out of oven and sprinkle with parmesan cheese while hot.

Points per serving: 1

BBQ Chicken and Black Bean Pizza

I love experimenting with different types of pizza toppings. It is one of the easiest ways I've found to get my veggies servings. Because anything covered with cheese is good, right? So, I got this recipe off of Weight Watchers and I edited it a little to fit what I had in my fridge and cupboards. This recipe is a yummy 5 stars for me!

BBQ Chicken and Black Bean Pizza (adapted from ww recipe)
Serves 8
* 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
* 1 Tbsp cilantro
* 1/2 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
* 7 1/2 oz canned black beans
* 1 crust Boboli Original Pizza Crust, 12
* 1/2 cup chopped red onion
* 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
* 1/2 cup chopped chilies
* 1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
* 1/4 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Place rack in center of oven. Preheat to 400ºF.
Spray a nonstick skillet and stir-fry chicken over medium-high heat, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to medium-size bowl and toss with half barbecue sauce.
Place pizza crust on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese. Arrange chicken and black beans over crust; sprinkle with onion, mushrooms, chilies and cilantro. Drizzle with remaining barbecue sauce; add remaining 3/4 cup cheese.
Bake 15 minutes or until cheese bubbles. Cut into 8 large slices and serve immediately.

Points per serving: 5

Turkey Noodle Casserole

Jerod came up with this recipe this week and asked me to add the ingredients to the shopping list. It sounded yummy to me and I'm always up for a casserole! I cooked a full turkey breast in advance and measured and weighed it out to get it ready for this recipe. That is definitely the healthier and cheaper route to go. You could also probably easily make the portion sizes smaller, but we have found that our lunches have been too small so we are STARVING by the time we get home, so we split the casserole into 4 servings rather than 6. For 6 servings, the points value per serving is only 5. I give it a solid 4 stars. It made awesome lunches this week.

Turkey Noodle Casserole (from Jerod's creative mind)
Serves 4
* 1/2 tsp table salt
* 6 oz roasted turkey breast
* 1 cup mushroom(s), chopped
* 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
* 1 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
* 10 1/2 oz canned cream of mushroom soup
* 1 cup green peas
* 3 cup uncooked egg noodles
* 1 cup water, with chicken boullion cube dissolved

Cook noodles. Combine turkey cubes and noodles in 2 or 3 quart casserole dish. Saute mushrooms and onions until tender and then combine with remaing ingredients except bread crumbs and cheese. Pour over turkey noodle mixture. Just before cooking, sprinkle with bread crumbs and cheese. Base, uncovered in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Fast and easy, can do ahead and refrigerate up to a day.

Points per serving: 8

Chicken Parmigiana

I made this the other night for Jerod's birthday. This has always been one of my favorite recipes and it's totally easy. I use the plain bread crumbs and make my own spices by adding fress herbs, dried onions or garlic, or whatever I feel like. It makes me feel so chef-y. Yummy Yummy. It gets a 5 from me. You can add spaghetti, salad, bread, or whatever you want just because it's such a nice low-point main course.

Chicken Parmigiana (from ww website)
Serves: 4
1 sprays olive oil cooking spray
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly pounded (four 4-oz pieces)
2 large egg white(s), lightly beaten
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste
1 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.
Place egg whites in a shallow bowl. Combine bread crumbs with Italian seasoning and salt; pour into another shallow bowl. Dip chicken in egg whites; turn to coat. Dip chicken in bread crumb mixture; turn to thoroughly coat.
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and add oil; heat over medium-high heat. When hot, add chicken and cook until lightly browned and no longer pink in center, about 4 minutes per side.
Pour 1/2 cup of sauce into prepared baking dish; place chicken in dish and pour remaining sauce evenly over chicken. Sprinkle with cheeses and bake until chicken is cooked through and cheese is bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Points per serving: 5

Garlic Chicken Pizza

Garlic Chicken Pizza (from Cooking Light Magazine)
Serves: 8
1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
4 minced garlic clove(s)
1 cup mushroom(s), chopped
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1 cup plum tomato(es), chopped
8 oz Chicken cooked breast, skinless, boneless, cubed
1 crust Boboli Original Pizza Crust, 12
1 oz crumbled low fat feta cheese
3 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 oz grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400.
Combine first 3 ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Place crust on a baking sheet; brush vinegar mixture over crust. Top with chicken, tomato, and mushrooms; sprinkle with cheeses and green onions.
Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until cheeses melt and brown.

Points per serving: 5

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Chicken Cordon Bleu (adapted from the ww website)
Serves 4

• 4 sprays cooking spray, or enough to coat chicken
• 1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, butterflied into four 4-oz fillets
  
• 3 oz Boar's Head Smoked Ham, or other brand, four 3/4 oz slices
• 3 oz low-fat Swiss cheese, four 3/4-oz slices
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup honey mustard
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs, Italian-style

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.

Place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4-inch thickness; remove plastic wrap. Arrange 1 slice of ham and 1 slice of cheese on each chicken breast.

Starting from shorter end of chicken, roll up breast into a tight pinwheel. Tuck in ends. Secure with toothpicks.

Place flour, honey mustard and bread crumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls. Add chicken to flour; turn to coat. Transfer chicken to honey mustard; turn to coat. Place chicken in bread crumbs; turn to coat.

Transfer chicken to prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Bake until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 40 minutes. Remove toothpicks and serve.

Points per serving: 7

Banana Pudding

Banana Pudding (from the noggin-de-moi)
Serves: 4

• 2 cup fat-free skim milk
• 2 medium banana(s), sliced
• 16 items reduced-fat vanilla wafer(s)
• 4 serving fat-free sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
• 8 Tbsp fat-free whipped topping, thawed

Mix pudding and milk.
Place one to one and a half vanilla wafers in bottom of 4 water goblets or other serving glasses. Arrange one-third of banana over cookies. Spoon one-third of pudding mixture over banana; repeat procedure with remaining cookies, banana and pudding, ending with pudding. Spoon whipped topping over pudding. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

(Reduce bananas or wafers to lower point value.)

Points per serving: 4

Chicken Noodle "Soup"

Chicken Noodle "Soup" (from my own noggin)
Serves: 6

• 1 breast uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 4 uncooked skinless, boneless chicken thigh
• 5 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 medium onion(s), chopped
  
• 1 cup carrot(s), chopped
  
• 1 cup celery, chopped
  
• 3 garlic clove(s), minced
  
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tblspn fresh basil
• 1 tsp dried cilantro
• 6 cups uncooked egg noodles

Put everything together in a crockpot except the noodles. Cook for 4-5 hours on high or until the carrots are at your desired softness and chicken is fully cooked. Remove any remaining bone or skin from chicken thighs and shred the chicken meat. Add noodles and cook for 1/2 hour more.

Points per serving: 6

Baked Turkey and Jack Cheese Chimichangas

Baked Turkey and Jack Cheese Chimichangas (from WW website)
Serves: 8

• 2 sprays cooking spray
• 1/2 pound lean ground turkey
• 16 oz fat-free canned refried beans
• 1 3/4 cup salsa
• 4 1/2 oz canned green chili peppers, mild, drained and diced
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 3 Tbsp scallion(s), thinly sliced
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese
• 8 large burrito-size wheat flour tortilla(s)
• 1 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Coat a 13- X 9- X 2-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Add turkey to skillet and cook over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Drain any excess liquid from pan and then add beans, 1 3/4 cups of salsa, chili peppers, chili powder and scallions. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes; stir in cheese.
Meanwhile, wrap tortillas in foil; warm in oven for 10 minutes.
Assemble chimichangas by spooning about 1/2 cup of turkey mixture onto each tortilla; fold in sides and roll up.
Place chimichangas, seam-side down, in prepared baking dish. Bake, uncovered, until tortillas are crisp and browned, about 20 minutes. Serve each topped with 2 tablespoons of salsa and 1 tablespoon of sour cream.

Points per serving: 5

Light Cheeseburgers

I made real life cheeseburgers for lunch yesterday. With the real ground beef and everything! A cheeseburger has never tasted so good. It is a rather high point meal, but totally worth it. Plus, with all the extra stuff in the meat, it made my quarter pound of meat seem HUGE. To spoil myself more, I even heated up some leftover roasted mustard potatoes for my "fries". Heaven, let me tell ya. Hea. ven. BEST 13 points ever.

Deluxe Cheesburgers(adapted from WW website)
Serves: 2
8 oz extra lean ground beef
1 tbsp minced onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 eggwhite
3 tbsp dried bread crumbs
1/8 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 high fiber hamburger buns
desired veggie toppings

Mix first six ingredients together and form into two hamburger patties. Grill in skillet. Top with cheese and cover to let cheese melt. Serve on buns with desired veggie toppings.

Points per serving: 10ish(depending on your pt value of your hamburger buns.)

Chili Cheese Mac

Chili Cheese Mac (from the WW website)
Serves: 8
* 1 sprays cooking spray
* 2/3 pound raw extra lean ground beef
* 2 medium onion(s), chopped
* 29 oz canned stewed tomatoes, Mexican-style (undrained)
* 2 1/2 cup canned tomato juice
* 4 oz canned green chili peppers, diced, drained
* 2 tsp chili powder
* 1 1/2 cup uncooked macaroni, elbow
* 31 oz canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed
* 1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

* Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Cook ground beef and onion over medium-high heat until meat is browned, about 10 minutes; drain off fat.
* Stir in undrained stewed tomatoes including juice, tomato juice, chili peppers and chili powder; bring mixture to a boil.
* Stir in macaroni and beans; return to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until macaroni is tender, about 15 minutes. Spoon chili into bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Yields about 1 cup of chili and 1 tablespoon of cheese per serving.

Points per serving: 5

Baked Turkey Ziti

Baked Turkey Ziti (modified from WW website)
* 1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
* 1/2 tsp black pepper
* 1 tsp dried rosemary
* 1/2 tsp table salt
* 1 tsp olive oil
* 2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
* 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
* 1 tsp dried oregano
* 1 tsp dried thyme
* 12 oz uncooked ziti
* 8 oz lean ground turkey

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon as it cooks, about 3 to 5 minutes; drain off any fat and set pan back over medium heat.
Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Spoon a small amount of beef-tomato mixture into bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover surface); top with half of cooked ziti. Next, layer with half of remaining beef-tomato sauce and half of mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining ziti and then top with remaining beef-tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving.

Points per serving: 5

Dijon Dinner

Dude. I made the best lunch today.

Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms
Serves: 4
2 tsp vegetable oil
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 large garlic clove(s), crushed
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4-oz pieces
2 cup mushroom(s), small, halved
1/3 cup canned chicken broth
1/4 tsp dried thyme, crumbled

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 3minutes 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.

Points per serving: 3

Mustard Roasted Potatoes
Serves: 10
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 clove garlic clove(s)
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 sprays cooking spray
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp lemon zest
3 pound potato, red, white, 1- to 1 1/2-inch-diameter mixed unpeeled red-skinn

Position 1 rack in top third of oven and 1 rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 425F. Spray 2 large rimmed baking sheets with nonstick spray. Whisk mustard, olive oil, butter, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, lemon peel, and salt in large bowl to blend. Add potatoes; sprinkle generously with freshly ground black pepper and toss to coat. Divide potatoes between prepared baking sheets, leaving any excess mustard mixture behind in bowl. Spread potatoes in single layer. Roast potatoes 20 minutes. Reverse baking sheets and roast until potatoes are crusty outside and tender inside, turning occasionally, about 25 minutes longer. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2hours ahead. Let stand on baking sheets at room temperature. Rewarm potatoes in 425F oven 10 minutes.
Transfer potatoes to serving bowl.

Points per serving: 3

I served these with some green beans and it was an awesome 6 point meal. I also halved the potato recipe because I didn't really want to be stuck with 3 lbs of potatoes, in case the recipe was gross. I think I will always half it though since reheating potatoes really are never as good. I give both recipes an A+!

Light Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes

This recipe is from the WW website, but I had to edit it a little, just because of the supplies I had on hand. For example, the original recipe calls for 12 oz of turkey and 8 of beef, but I had to switch that around because of what I had thawed in my fridge. But, thanks to WW genius recipe builder feature, it was simple to switch around and still make it easy to calculate points. The original recipe also has 6 points, compared to my edited version, which has 8. Oh, and I have to mention....I mixed the meatloaf up last night so that I could pop it in the oven right away when I got home from work tonight, and it can EASILY be split into 8 servings rather than just 6. It's quite large.

Meatloaf with Chive Mashed Potatoes
Serves 6

• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 large egg white(s), beaten slightly
• 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup fat-free skim milk
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1 Tbsp hot pepper sauce
• 1 Tbsp chives, minced
• 1 medium onion(s), chopped
• 4 large potato(es)
• 8 oz canned tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup uncooked old fashioned oats
• 8 oz lean ground turkey
• 12 oz lean ground beef

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray loaf pan with cooking spray. Combine beef, turkey, onion and oats in a large bowl. Mix together tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, egg whites, salt and pepper. Add to meat mixture and mix well with hands. Press into pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes. (Note: Add an extra egg white if meatloaf does not hold together properly.)
Peel potatoes and cut into large chunks. Cover with salted water and bring to the boil. Cook until tender when pierced by a knife. Remove from heat and drain.
Mash potatoes. Combine with milk, yogurt, sour cream and chives. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Do not overbeat or potatoes will become gummy.
Serve potatoes with meatloaf.

Points per serving: 8

Dressed Up Potato Skins

We had this as a side dish tonight. I've been craving potatoes lately, so this was perfect. It was a fun dish to make it and it far out-shined the main dish.

Pepperoni Pizza Potato Skins (from Weight Watchers website)
Serves 4
1 sprays cooking spray
2 large potato(es), baked, cooled completely, quartered lengthwise*
1/3 cup pizza sauce
2 oz pepperoni, finely chopped
1/3 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/8 tsp dried oregano, red pepper flakes or garlic, or to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Slice top half or two thirds of potato flesh off each potato quarter. (Reserve potato flesh for soup or mashed potatoes, if desired). Spoon about 2 teaspoons of pizza sauce over each potato wedge; sprinkle wedges with pepperoni and then with cheese.
3. Carefully place potato skins on prepared baking sheet. Bake until cheese melts and potatoes are hot, about 6 to 8 minutes. Season to taste with oregano, red pepper flakes or garlic. Yields 2 potato skins per serving.

*Make sure the potatoes are cooled completely before slicing and scooping out the flesh or you may have a hard time forming the skins.

Points per serving: 4

Turkey Taco Soup

Turkey Taco Soup (From Recipezarr)
Serves 6
1 1/4 lbs ground turkey
1 medium onion
1 (30ish ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes & chilies
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, undrained
1 cup frozen corn
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package dry ranch dressing mix

1. Brown the turkey and onion.
2. Add to a pot with the remaining ingredients.
3. Cook over medium low heat for 30 minutes.
4. Serve with shredded lettuce, cheese, corn chips, olives, tomatoes and sour cream on top.

(I put minimal cheese(1/2 ounce) on mine, fat free sour cream(1 tblspn), lettuce and a few chips. I skipped the olives because that's wasted calories in my opinion. I LOVE this recipe. It is so tasty and it's like having a big fat fiber-filled taco salad.)
Points per serving: 8