Ground Beef & Potato Stew

Well, I'm still getting used to my new crock pot, and I definitely over cooked this. It was a little on the mushy side as you can see in the picture, but I felt that it still deserved posting.  It had a really good flavor, and it was very filling.

Ingredients:

2 small sweet potatoes with skin
5 medium sized red potatoes with skin
1 lbs 93/7 lean ground beef
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 1/2 cups reduced sodium tomato juice
2 beef bullion cubes
1 cup water
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp pepper
3 cloves of  garlic minced

Directions:

Brown ground beef on the stove top and add to crock pot. Scrub and cut potatoes into bite size chunks; add to crock pot.  Add all remaining ingredients.  Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours or until potatoes are tender.

This yields six servings at 6 weight watcher points per serving.

The Cadillac of Crock Pots

I just purchased the Cadillac of crock pots! No joke! It does everything but eat the food for you. This weekend  a cook book fell off the top of the fridge and broke my previous crock pot. I was bummed at first, but then I realized that I would get to pick out a new one. My husband deserves props for not fainting when I told him how much I wanted to spend! He was actually very supportive about it. We rely on the crock pot at least 4 days out of the week because of our work schedules. I have dinner cooking in it right now, so tonight we will see if  it works as well I'm hoping!

Crock Pot Breakfast Casserole

I came up with the recipe last night, and I was pretty happy with how it came out.  I still feel like it could use a little more flavor.  I think next time I might substitute lean diced ham for the bacon! I also added salsa to mine because I love eggs with salsa, but you could also serve with Tabasco sauce or ketchup.

Ingredients:

10 slices turkey bacon
1 small bag (1 lb 4 oz.) refrigerated hash browns (if you use frozen, thaw first)
12 egg whites
1 1/2 cups 2% shredded cheddar
salt & pepper to taste
salsa (optional)

Directions:

Cook bacon slices in a skillet until crisp; crumble and set aside.  Spray the bottom of the crock pot with non-stick cooking spray. Layer 1/2 of the hash browns in the bottom of the crock pot; top with 1/2 of the cheese and 1/2 of the bacon.  Repeat layers one more time.  Add eggs, salt and pepper (to taste) in a bowl and mix.  Pour eggs over hash brown layers in the crock pot. Cook on low 3-5 hours or until eggs are cooked and firm.  Cut into slices and serve with salsa.

This makes six servings at 5.5 weight watchers points per serving.

Black Bean and Turkey Chili

I found this recipe the other day.  It's so different from the way I normally make chili that I was excited to give it a try. It was so good! It's a very thick chili. We decided we want to make this a monthly meal!

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey breast
1 (16oz) jar thick and chunky salsa
2 (15oz) cans no-salt-added black beans, undrained
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
¾ cup chopped onion
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
¼ cup fat-free sour cream (optional)
¼ cup 2% shredded cheddar (optional)

Directions:

Brown ground turkey on the stove top and then add to crock pot. Add next 7 ingredients. Cover with lid; cook on low-heat for 6-8 hours. Top with sour cream or cheese.

This makes 6 one cup servings at 5.5 weight watcher points per serving.  Add extra points for cheese and sour cream.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken

Tonight is a late night at work for us so I made dinner in advance, and it will be waiting for us in the fridge when we get home.  This is a new recipe. I haven't tried it yet, but it smells wonderful.

Ingredients:

1/2 Package Taco Seasoning Mix
8 oz Apricot Jam
12 oz Salsa
1 Pounds Chicken Pieces (I used boneless skinless)

Directions:

 Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Place all ingredients into a large baking dish, turn chicken to coat. Bake until chicken juices run clear (45-60 minutes for chicken pieces, or 20-30 minutes for chicken breasts).

This makes 6 servings of chicken and sauce at 4.5 weight watchers points per serving. Add additional points for rice.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

The first time I had this recipe a good friend made it as bruschetta chicken roll-ups . She found the variation of this recipe in the Kraft magazine! Matt and I both loved it, but since then I found a way to simplify it and make it into a casserole because I wasn't talented enough to try rolling it in the chicken! I usually make it with mozzarella as the recipe calls for, but at the last minute I realized I was out. Cheddar worked just fine, and I served it with side of spring veggies in a cracked peppercorn sauce!

Ingredients:

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 pkg.  (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken

1/2 cup light Italian dressing (substitute 1/2 cup of water to make recipe lighter)

2 cloves  garlic, minced

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 tsp.  dried basil leaves

1/2 cup 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese 

Directions:  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Place the chicken in a layer into the bottom of the baking dish. Stir together tomatoes, dressing/water, garlic, and stuffing mix in a large bowl; set aside to soften. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the chicken,. Spread the softened stuffing mixture on top. Bake uncovered until the chicken cubes have turned white and are no longer pink in the center, about 30-45 minutes. 

Makes four servings at 5.5 weight watchers points per serving.

Crock Pot Greek Chicken and Potatoes

This was a family favorite even before I started weight watchers!

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
4 medium sized potatoes
2 tsp lemon juice or the juice of one fresh lemon
2Tbs oregano
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup chicken stock or water

Directions:
Peel and quarter potatoes and place in crock pot.  Add chicken. Drizzle olive oil over chicken and potatoes. Sprinkle oregano, garlic powder and black pepper over chicken. Add chicken stock and cook on low 6-8 hours.

I served this with steamed broccoli.  This recipe makes 4 servings at 4 weight watcher points per serving.

Crock Pot Chicken Burrito Soup

I made this for dinner last night, and it was great. It was super easy and really low in points!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
32 oz. fat free chicken broth
1/2 of a large jar of salsa
1 can kidney beans
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup water
1 cup cooked rice or pasta
1/2 package taco seasoning

Directions:
Place all ingredients in the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken with a fork.  Serve soup with shredded cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.

This soup makes Six 1 cup servings at 3 points per cup.  Add additional points for cheese and chips. To make soup even lower in points leave out rice or pasta. *Note* this is a great meal if you are in a hurry. You can even throw the chicken in frozen! This recipe is high in sodium, so be sure to drink lots of water it!

♪ These are a Few of my Favorite Things ♪

Instead of posting a recipe today, I thought I'd share with you a few my favorite grocery staples that help me stay on track with Weight Watchers.

I promise Nabisco isn't paying me! I just love Wheat Thins and Triscuits. The Wheat Thins Fiber Selects (far left) are 15 crackers for 2 points. The Wheat Thins Reduced Fat (middle) are 16 crackers for 2 points and the Triscuits Reduced Fat are 7 crackers for 2 points

What's a cracker without cheese, right? Well, here are three of my favorite cheeses. Kraft 2% shreds (far left) are great in any recipe calling for cheese and for topping your favorite chilis, soups, and so much more. 1/2 cup is 2 points! Laughing Cow Light Wedges (middle) come in three flavors are 1 point per triangle wedge. They have the consistency of spreadable cream cheese. Fit and Active Light String cheese (right) are available at Aldi, and they are one point a piece.

Trail Mix Fruit and Nut Bars are from Aldi.  They are three points per bar and are about the size of your average granola bar.  They are full of dried cranberries and whole almonds!

My sister-in-law gets the credit for discovering this little bit of heaven! Breyers Smooth and Dreamy Fat Free Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream.  Only one point per 1/2 cup! So Yummy!!! Note: It is a little on the expensive side. I wait for it to go on sale and then stock up! (It's 2 for $5 at Dominick's right now for all of my Chicago-area readers)

Vegetables in steamer bags are the busy dieter's friend. These broccoli florets are from Aldi, but you can get a variety of steamer bag veggies at your local grocery store.

Fit and Active Light Butter popcorn is from Aldi and is 4 points for the entire bag

Clancy's Baked potato chips are also from Aldi.  They come in original and barbeque and taste exactly like Lay's baked chips for a fraction of the cost. They are 2 points for 16 chips.

Two other things I couldn't live without:  93/7 lean ground beef and boneless skinless chicken breast

Breakfast for Lunch

I must admit that I am not a morning person, so I rarely eat breakfast at breakfast time! We had breakfast for lunch the other day, and I was able to fit it nicely into my daily points.

3 pieces of Turkey Bacon
2 pillsbury biscuits (original buttermilk --the smaller ones)
3 egg whites scrambled with 1/8 cup of shredded sharp cheddar

This is whole plate is 6 weight watcher points.

Rachel's Fajitas Over Cilantro Lime Rice

I thought I would showcase one of my sister-in-law's weight watcher meals because she has been such a help  and encouragement to me in my weight loss journey! She has us over for a point-friendly meal every Saturday, and this week we had fajitas with a side of sauteed green beans and asparagus! Yummy :-)

Fajita Ingredients:
2lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (trimmed of fat and cut into strips)
1 Red & Green bell pepper cut into thin strips (or one bag frozen mixed bell peppers)
1 onion cut into thin strips
1 package chicken fajita seasoning
1 package chicken taco seasoning
2tsp olive oil
2/3 cup water

Directions:
Sauteed vegetables in 2 tsp of olive oil until tender. Set aside.  Add chicken to pan and cook until no longer pink. Return veggies to pan and add seasoning and water.  Bring to a boil and then allow to simmer until water is almost gone (about 10mintues)

Cilantro Lime Rice Ingredients:
3 cups cooked white rice
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
juice of one lime
1/4 tsp salt

Directions
Mix all ingredients together

Serve Fajitas over rice and top with 2% cheese or low fat sour creams

Fajitas make 6 servings at at 6 weight watcher points each. 1/2 cup of cilantro lime rice is 2 weight watcher points. Add additional points for cheese and sour cream.

Stawberry Mocha Trifle

Well, I didn't have as much time to spend on presentation as I did with the fruit trifle in a previous post, but this one turned out SO YUMMY! Of course, I tend to be biased whenever coffee is involved! :-)

Ingredients:
1/2 pint fresh strawberries
1 box angel food cake mix
1 container fat free cool whip
1 small box chocolate pudding
2 cups skim milk
1 package Starbucks Via Italian Roast instant coffee or 2 Tsp any kind of instant coffee
2 Tbs warm water
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
5-10 chocolate covered espresso beans (optional)

Directions:
Mix angel food cake according to package directions adding 1/3 cup of cocoa when you mix the ingredients. Bake according to package directions and allow to cool.  Cut into bite size pieces. Dissolve Starbucks Via into 2 Tbs water. Mix dry pudding, skim milk and coffee liquid into a bowl.  Whisk for 2 minutes and allow to set in fridge for 5 minutes. After pudding is set, fold in entire container of cool whip. Wash and slice enough strawberries to make a pattern around the side of the bowl.  Place a layer of cake in the bottom of the bowl and top with mocha pudding. Continue layers until you reach the top.  Garnish the top with sliced strawberries and chocolate-covered espresso beans.

Makes 10 servings at 3 weight watcher points per serving (170 calories, 0.3 grams of fat, 1 gram fiber)
Note: I had 1/3 of the angel food cake leftover.  Nutrition facts are for trifle using only 2/3 of the angel food cake.

How Charming!

One thing I've learned through starting this blog is that I am not a good photographer! lol I bought the charm for my bracelet today and failed at every attempt to take a clear picture of it. So, I'm posting the stock picture from the company's website. I thought a sparkly, rhinestone-studded purse was perfect for my first charm! :-)

Taco Salad

This recipe is certainly nothing new or innovative, but I thought I would just share how I fix one of our family-favorite meals (tacos) and keep it within my points range!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup 93/7 lean ground beef prepared with taco seasoning
1/2 cup fat free re-fried beans
1 tablespoon warm water (optional)
1/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup 2% shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tbs low-fat sour cream
Shredded iceberg lettuce

Directions:
Fill plate with desired amount of shredded lettuce. This next step is optional, but I hate how thick re-fried beans are out of the can. So, I mix fat free re-fried beans with 1Tbs of water and heat in the microwave. The water makes them thin enough to spread over the lettuce. Spread the beans over the lettuce and top with the ground beef.  Add a layer of salsa and top with cheese and sour cream.

This makes one very large taco salad at 7  weight watcher points.  Some additional yummy add ins: chopped tomato, diced black olive, onions, crumbled baked tortilla chips.

Chicken Breast in Parma Rosa Sauce

This sounds fancy, but it's definitely not! This is a last-minute, throw-together meal for nights when Matt and I both work late. I'm definitely about convenience some evenings! I served mine over rice (you could substitute pasta) with a side of sauteed baby green beans.

Ingredients:
1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast trimmed of fat and cut into bite-size pieces
1 Package Parma Rosa Sauce Mix (dry packet-- I purchased at Aldi near the chili mix packets)
1 1/4 cups Skim Milk
1 Tbs Brummel and Brown Yogurt Spread (or other low-fat margarine spread)
2 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pepper to taste

Directions:
Add 2 Tsp of EVOO to skillet.  Add chicken pieces and sprinkle with pepper to taste.  Cook until chicken is no longer pink and slightly browned on the outside.  Remove chicken and set aside.  In the skillet whisk together sauce packet and skim milk.  Add Brummel and Brown spread. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 4 minutes. Add chicken to sauce and cook until warm. Serve or rice or pasta.

Yields 4 servings at 6 weight watcher points per serving (for chicken and sauce only. Add additional points for rice or pasta)

Black Bean Brownies

I know what you're thinking!!! I do!  But don't write these off until you try them! I PROMISE they are really, really good, and I guarantee you will not taste beans! I know you're skeptical.....I was too! :-) They aren't the texture of your typical brownie mix, so don't expect them to be.  We decided that they taste a lot like the packaged Little Debbie brownies, and they are really yummy warmed up with a scoop of low-fat ice cream or with a dollop of fat free cool whip!

Ingredients:
1 box brownie mix
1 can (15 oz) black beans

Directions:

Open the can of black beans, rinse well. With beans back in the can, add enough water to cover beans. Put in blender or food processor and puree. Add puree to brownie mix, and then bake according to package directions.

DO NOT add any other ingredients listed on the brownie mix, JUST the black bean puree!

Makes 20 brownies-- 2 Weight Watcher Points each! (Add extra points for ff cool whip and cherry)

Retraining My Brain

Today is 2 months since I started weight watchers, and I have lost 25 pounds! If I had my way it would come off much faster, but I don't think I can complain about 25lbs in 2 months. One thing I'm really focusing on is thinking in a new way.  I have always rewarded myself with food. Obviously, if I rewarded my weight loss with food (which, by the way, is still my first instinct) I would be getting nowhere. So instead I've been trying to find a new way to reward myself when I reach weight loss goals.  I came up with the idea of an Add-a-Bead Bracelet. I set goals and buy myself a bead whenever I reach those goals. For larger goals I will buy a charm for my bracelet. I actually earned a charm today for hitting the 25 lb mark, so I will be picking that out soon! I've found that it's really working for me. I actually have to ask myself if that dessert is worth not getting that bead I want for another week. I hope to have this bracelet full by the end of the year! :-)

Lightened-Up Egg Salad

I love egg salad, and I was really hoping to find a way to lighten it up so I wouldn't have to give it up. I've been playing around with my original recipe, and I've come up with a light version that I really enjoy.  I eat it with Wheat Thins Fiber Selects for a low-point, satisfying meal.

Ingredients:
1 hard boiled egg
3 hard boiled egg whites (discard the yolks)
1 Tbs Light Mayonnaise
1 Tbs Spicy Brown Mustard
Dill Pickle Relish to taste
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:
Boil, cool and peel eggs being sure to discard 3 of the yolks. Mash eggs with a fork.  Mix in remaining ingredients. Egg salad tastes best if allowed to sit refrigerated for at least 30 minutes.

The entire batch of egg salad is 4 points. Add an additional 2 points for 15 Wheat Thin Fiber Selects (Garden Flavor).

Fruit Trifle Nutrition and Points (more point-friendly than I thought! YAY!)

After some figuring, I'm pleasantly surprised by the nutrition facts for the trifle. My calculations came out to: 206 calories, 2.6 grams of fat, and 1 gram of fiber for 1/12 of the of trifle.  So that means 4 weight watchers points per serving! I should mention that I only ended up using 1/3 of the angel food cake because I ran out of room in the bowl.  If you were to use the entire cake the nutrition facts would be:  298 calories, 2.6 grams of fat, and 1 gram of fiber or 6 weight watcher points per serving.

Fruit Trifle (Maybe not so Weight Watcher Friendly!)

Matt and I are to going to a small group Bible study tonight, and this is the dessert I made for the pot luck.  I haven't figured out the points yet.  I will try to post them later when I have time to do the calculating. It's probably not too bad, but you could lighten it up by using sugar free pudding.  That just didn't sound too appetizing to me! :-) I should note that I did make the recipe lighter than it originally was by using ff cool whip, low-fat sour cream and skim milk to make the pudding.

Ingredients

• 1 (12 ounce) container fat free frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 (8 ounce) container light sour cream
• 1 (9 inch) angel food cake (I made homemade, but you can use a store bought one)
• 1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
• 3 kiwis, peeled and sliced
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
• 3 bananas, peeled and sliced
• 1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, fold sour cream and prepared pudding into the whipped topping.
2. Cut the cake into thirds, horizontally.
3. Line a large trifle or other glass serving bowl with kiwi and strawberry slices, reserving two whole strawberries and two kiwi slices. Place one layer of cake in bottom of bowl, top with 1/3 of bananas and pineapple, and 1/3 of whipped topping mixture. Repeat layering until all ingredients are used.
4. Make fan garnishes of whole strawberries by slicing from just below the stem. Garnish assembled trifle with fanned strawberries and reserved kiwi slices. Refrigerate until serving.

I also made a fruit salad out of the leftovers and an orange

Provolone Stuffed Chicken

Made this for supper tonight.  It was great and easy! I served it with mashed potatoes and sauteed mushrooms

Ingredients
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (trimmed of all fat)
Slices of Provolone Cheese
1 Egg White
Bread Crumbs

Directions
Pound chicken breasts to make them thinner
Add half a slice of provolone cheese to each chicken breast
Roll chicken breast from the small end to large (secure with a toothpick if necessary)
Dip chicken breast in egg white and dredge in bread cumbs
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes in a baking dish

The weight watcher points for this meal depend on the size of the chicken breasts.  (1 point per ounce of chicken plus 1 point for the half slice of cheese and 1 point for the bread crumbs) Side dishes in the picture are not included in the points.

Pineapple Angel Food Cake Muffins

I brought these to a family gathering, and we all enjoyed them! If you make them be prepared to feed a crowd because the recipe will make about 36 muffins! This recipe is easy, inexpensive and YUMMY! :-) Next time I plan to top them with fat free cool whip and strawberry slices!

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package angel food cake mix
• 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 375
  
• Mix pineapple and dry cake mix
• Fill muffin cups 3/4 of the way full
• Bake until tops are golden and cracks feel dry

Yields about 36 muffins at 1 Weight Watcher point apiece

Weight Watcher Friendly Cream of Potato Soup

I made this for dinner last night! SO YUMMY! I will definitely add this to the monthly rotation! :-)

Ingredients
1 package Ora Ida Frozen Potato Hash Browns (chunks not shredded)
3 16 oz cans of Chicken Broth
1 package Pioneer Country Gravy Mix

Preparation

Place entire package of potatoes in crock pot. (or make on stove top in sauce pan)
Add 2 cans of chicken broth.

Mix third can of chicken broth with gravy package and whisk until dissolved.

Add gravy mixture to potatoes and broth, stirring until blended.

Cook on low for 6 hours.

Serve with 2% shredded cheddar and oyster crackers.

Serves 6
3-4 points per 1 1/2 cup serving (depending on the brand of gravy mix)

My Intro to the Blogging World

I thought at first that I probably wouldn't have any use for a blog, but this afternoon I was struck with a great idea! I've been doing Weight Watchers for almost 2 months now, and I try out at least one new recipe a week. I thought this would be a good place to share my recipes and reviews. Some may be great....some may be flops, but this is a good place to keep track of which recipes I'd like to make again and which ones I'd like to avoid!