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Mixed Greens with Apples, Irish Cheddar, Dried Cranberries and Toasted Walnuts

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Mixed Greens with Apple, Cranberries, Irish Cheddar and Toasted Walnuts
Mixed Greens with Apple, Cranberries, Irish Cheddar and Toasted Walnuts

Mixed Greens with Apple, Cranberries, Irish Cheddar and Toasted Walnuts

I was craving salad for lunch yesterday. I wanted something light, yet tasty and satisfying. For me a nice big salad usually fills the bill. I’m a huge fan of salad, especially at lunch. It’s a great way to fill yourself up with a healthy dose of fresh vegetables and fruit.

But for a salad to really satisfy me it’s got to have enough interesting flavors and textures for my taste buds to say, “YUM,” not scream “DIET.” This means including ingredients with big flavors – nuts, seeds, dried fruit and/or strong cheeses – in moderate quantities as a garnish. And most of the time I opt for a tasty homemade dressing made with healthy oils and flavorful vinegars or citrus, instead of nonfat bottled dressing.

So, as I was walking Francie I found my mind wandering to what I had available to turn into a satisfying salad. This is what I came up with: mixed greens, chopped Pink Lady apple, Craisins, chopped toasted walnuts and shredded Kerrygold Irish Cheddar Cheese tossed with a simple vinaigrette.

Providing a combination of crunchy, crispy, savory, sweet, and chewy flavors and textures, I found every bite a delight. Being able to savor my lovely lunchtime creation on the patio under brilliant blue skies with birds providing background music didn’t hurt either :-)

(Through the years I’ve discovered that paying attention to how and where I eat is just important as what I eat when it comes to living happy, healthy and slim.)

This salad of mixed greens, apples, Irish Cheddar, dried cranberries and toasted walnuts has 5 or 7 Weight Watchers PointsPlus values depending on how you do your counting.

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: 5 PointsPlus, 7 PointsPlus, Salads Tagged With: , , ,

St. Patrick Irish Cheddar Soup

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St Patrick Irish Cheddar Soup
St Patrick Irish Cheddar Soup

St Patrick Irish Cheddar Soup

Temperatures have begun to rise into the 80s here in Phoenix which means another soup season is quickly winding down. So I took advantage of what remains of March to make this Saint Patrick Irish Cheddar Soup for St. Patrick’s Day.

Creamy and flavorful, I served it with smoked salmon and whole grain Irish soda bread for a light yet satisfying Sunday night supper.

The recipe for this Saint Patrick Irish Cheddar Soup is from Twelve Months of Monastery Soups by Brother Victor Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette, my favorite soup cookbook, filled with the kind of easy, delicious, nourishing recipes that I find a joy to make. Arranged by month, it’s a seasonal celebration of the art of soup making.

I’ve been enjoying the leftovers this week for lunch.

Each 1-1/4 cup serving has 7 Weight Watchers PointsPlus if made with whole milk and full fat cheese. I’ve been experimenting with adding a bit more fat to my diet lately with really good results. But if you prefer, you can use skim milk and reduced fat cheese, which will decrease the PointsPlus value to 6.

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: 6 PointsPlus, 7 PointsPlus, Soups, Stews & Chilis, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,

Spinach Quiche

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Slice of Spinach Quiche
Spinach Quiche

Spinach Quiche

I adore quiche. There’s something magical about the combination of creamy custard filling and pastry crust.

But quiche isn’t a dish I indulge in often. As a lifetime Weight Watcher, I tend to think of it as “fattening” which I guess it is. But it’s also simple to make and deliciously satisfying to eat. And perfectly fine when enjoyed in moderation.

Sometimes a girl just has to have real eggs, real cream and real cheese encased in real pie crust!

So, when I spied a pie crust in the freezer that had been hanging out since the holidays, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. Make a quiche. (I know. I know. Homemade crust is preferable, but sometimes it’s just not practical.)

Deciding what kind of quiche to make was easy since I had spinach and cheese in the fridge. Choosing which quiche recipe to use was a little more involved. I consulted Fannie Farmer, The Joy of Cooking and How to Cook Everything before opting for the Spinach Quiche Recipe in The Bonne Femme Cookbook: Simple, Splendid Food That French Women Cook Every Day by Wini Moranville.

Who would ever guess that the spinach quiche recipe from a French cookbook would be the most restrained of the bunch, calling for fewer eggs, less cheese and a mixture of cream and milk? Certainly not moi! Although I’ve long been intrigued by the weight loss secrets of the French and am coming to believe it has a lot to do with a sensible, balanced approach to food and life.

The results? Perfect.

If you are looking for a simple  make ahead lunch or supper, this savory deep dish spinach quiche is just the ticket. Served with a salad or two it makes for a satisfying meal.

This spinach quiche recipe is infinitely adaptable too. You can make it with fresh or frozen spinach, use different kinds of cheeses and add bacon or cubed ham if you desire. You can even bake it without the pastry for an easy crustless spinach quiche with fewer calories.

Cut into 8 servings, each slice has a respectable 8 Weight Watchers PointsPlus. For bigger appetites, 1/6th of the quiche has 11 (very worth it) PointsPlus.

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: 10+ PointsPlus, 8 PointsPlus, Make Ahead, Pies, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , ,

Chicken Flatbread with Salsa Verde, White Beans and Corn

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Chicken and Corn Flatbread
Chicken and Corn Flatbread

Spicy Chicken and Corn Flatbread

Thin crust flatbread dough topped with salsa verde, white beans, chicken, corn and Monterey Jack cheese. This Tex-Mex inspired flatbread is a great example of the delicious things you can do with the quick flatbread dough I posted yesterday. Both the flatbread dough and this chicken flatbread with salsa verde, white beans and corn are from The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight and Eating Great by Pam Anderson, one of my go-to cookbooks for quick and easy healthy meals.

Loaded with Weight Watchers power foods including chicken breast, white beans, and corn, this flatbread is an easy, healthy way to satisfy a pizza craving. I made it one night when I had everything on hand, including leftover rotisserie chicken. Because the flatbread dough has no yeast it can be rolled out as soon as you make it, in about a minute in the food processor. It’s the kind of fast food you can feel good about eating.

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: 10+ PointsPlus, Pizza & Sandwich Tagged With: , , , ,

Weight Watchers Skinny Cheese & Black Bean Nachos

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Weight Watchers Cheese & Black Bean Nachos
Weight Watchers Cheese & Black Bean Nachos

Weight Watchers Cheese & Black Bean Nachos

When you’re craving nachos, here’s a yummy skinny option you: cheese and black bean nachos, from the Weight Watchers Power Foods cookbook (which is currently available at Weight Watchers Centers here in Arizona).

What makes these nachos lighter? Baked low-fat tortilla chips, reduced-fat monterey jack cheese, and a healthy dose of black beans instead of more fattening seasoned ground beef or chili.

Nachos have been a longtime family favorite since Mom began making them when I was a kid. She used canned chili and lots and lots of cheese back then. I thought they were delicious. Through the years I’ve eaten tons of nachos (both good and not-so good). My current favorites – super nachos from Richardon’s here in Phoenix – are hard to beat. Loaded with cheese, beans and chorizo, they’re certainly not what you would ever call Weight Watchers friendly.

Sometimes I want the flavor of nachos done lighter and healthier.

That’s where these Weight Watchers Skinny Cheese & Black Bean Nachos come in. They’re an easy, tasty and delicious lighter alternative that won’t weigh your down.

I made them for dinner recently when I was craving a nacho fix that wouldn’t blow the PointsPlus budget. I made a few changes to the recipe (as usual) which I’ve noted. Rod loved them too so I’ve added them to my recipe “favorites.”

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: 5 PointsPlus, Appetizers, Mexican, Vegetarian Tagged With: , ,

Laughing Cow Cheese Raspberry Toast

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Toast with Raspberries, Laughing Cow Cheese, & Honey
Toast with Raspberries & Light Cheese

Toast with Raspberries & Light Cheese

Looking for a quick and easy breakfast recipe that’s also healthy and delicious? How about toast with Laughing Cow Cheese, fresh raspberries and drizzle of honey? (My mouth is beginning to water just thinking back to this Laughing Cow Cheese Raspberry Toast breakfast.)

This quick and easy breakfast, perfect when fresh raspberries are readily available, is my interpretation of a recipe appearing in Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients (Martha Stewart and the editors of  Whole Living Magazine), which called for whole grain toast, goat cheese and raspberries, and sounded delicious.

Unfortunately, I was out of goat cheese and decided to substitute a wedge of laughing cow (which is from cow’s milk – not goat, produced in France, and a favorite all time food find among the Weight Watchers set) instead. I also used sourdough instead of whole grain bread, since it’s what was available.)

Even with these major changes, the toast with cheese, raspberries and honey turned out delicious!

This is the kind of dish that hardly needs a recipe, but I’ve jotted it down here just in case I forget. And I still intend to try it someday, as originally written with the whole grain toast and goat cheese, should the day come that all the right ingredients have assembled in the kitchen :-)

If you ask me, this Laughing Cow Cheese Raspberry Toast would make a yummy afternoon snack or dessert too.

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: 5 Ingredients or Less, 5 PointsPlus, Breakfast & Brunch, Easy Healthy, Snacks Tagged With: , ,

{38 Power Foods} Skinny Broccoli Cheese Muffins

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Skinny Broccoli Cheese Muffins
Skinny Broccoli Cheese Muffins

Skinny Broccoli Cheese Muffins

Skinny, healthy, and delicious broccoli cheese muffins.

If you’re one of those people who thinks that muffins and quick breads have to be sweet to be good, I hope these savory broccoli cheese muffins help change your mind!

Looking for something a little different to highlight broccoli, this week’s 38 Power Foods group ingredient, I happened upon a recipe for fresh broccoli Parmesan muffins, in what has to be the best muffin cookbook of all time, 750 Best Muffin Recipes: Everything from breakfast classics to gluten-free, vegan and coffeehouse favorites. (You can read my full review here.)

Fridays, a group of bloggers,led by Mireya of My Healthy Eating Habits, is posting recipes using the healthy ingredients from Power Foods: 150 Delicious Recipes with the 38 Healthiest Ingredients, by Martha Stewart and the editors of  Whole Living Magazine.

If you haven’t seen the book, it’s definitely worth taking a peek. I’m more pleased with it with each passing week. The 38 Power Foods are categorized into 5 chapters: 1) Vegetables; 2) Fruits; 3) Grains and Legumes; 4) Nuts and Seeds; and 5) Eggs, Yogurt and Fish. Along with recipes for each ingredient, there’s interesting health information, as well as buying, storing, and preparation tips, making it a useful resource for anyone wanting to eat healthier.

This week’s Power Foods Ingredient is you guessed it – broccoli.

Not a week goes by when we don’t eat broccoli or broccolini at least once or twice, which turns out to be a good thing for our health. Packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants that act like a broom to sweep away all kinds of cancer-causing free radicals, broccoli is the most nutritious cruciferous vegetable you can eat!

Since I love broccoli and muffins, combining the two seemed like a winning idea. I adapted the recipe slightly to make it Weight Watchers friendly and divided it in half to make 6 muffins instead of 12. (Portion control is one of my favorite strategies for staying slim.)

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: 5 PointsPlus, Breads & Muffins Tagged With: , , ,

Weight Watchers Friendly Tip: 24 Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss

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Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss
Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss

Healthy Snacks for Weight Loss

When you are trying to lose weight, it’s tempting to try to see how long you can go without eating. But, it’s really not a great idea since there are so many ways it can backfire on you.

Going too long between meals can make you tired and cranky. (It sure does me, anyway.) It can also work against your weight loss efforts if you end up overeating later. What’s the point of starving yourself all day if you end up eating a whole day’s calories and more from dinner through bedtime?

That’s where healthy snacks come in. I’m not talking about mindless munching on junk. The key is to be strategic with your snacking.

When you are really hungry, the right kinds of snacks can give you the stamina to power through your day and lose weight, instead of getting caught in the chocolate and caffeine trap. (Or even worse, the starve and binge cycle.)

3 Basic Rules for Healthy Snacking

1. Never snack if you are not hungry.

2. Include some protein in your snacks. Protein keeps you feeling fuller longer than fat or carbs.

3. Choose real foods, not highly processed manufactured snack packs.

Here are some healthy snacks that will help you you feel energized and satisfied for hours. All have no more than 6 WW PointsPlus Value; most with just 2 to 3 WW Points+. By keeping a few of these easy healthy snack options around, you’ll avoid falling victim to the vending machine or convenience mart danger zones.

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Filed Under: 1 PointsPlus, 2 PointsPlus, 3 PointsPlus, 4 PointsPlus, 5 PointsPlus, 6 PointsPlus, Healthy Eating, Healthy Weight Loss Tagged With: , , , ,

Slim & Healthy Cream of Broccoli Cheese Soup

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Slim & Healthy Cream of Broccoli Cheese Soup

Here’s a satisfying nutritious version of cream of broccoli cheese soup that’s just as delicious at it is healthy. It’s filling enough to be a main course, especially when served with some whole grain bread and/or a salad.

It’s super thick and creamy and full of broccoli, potatoes and cheese -pureed until smooth. A simple one-pot meal that can be ready in about 30 minutes that your whole family will love.

Slim & Healthy Cream of Broccoli Cheese Soup

Slim & Healthy Cream of Broccoli Cheese Soup

I make easy healthy soups for dinner on a regular basis. They’re nourishing without being too filling.  And such a delectable easy way to boost your daily dose of vegetables too.

Even people who don’t like broccoli usually like creamy cheesy broccoli soup – making it a great way to get all of broccoli’s health benefits in a bowl. (It’s naturally low in calories and a great source of vitamins, minerals and fiber.)

I read recently that the French have soup for supper quite often – another French weight loss secret worth copying – I think.

You can serve this savory soup with a sprinkling of shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese, a dollop of yogurt and/or a sprinkling of sliced scallions or chopped basil.

For a quick and easy lunch or dinner on the go, why not make a big batch of this soup and then freeze it in individual portions that you can microwave as needed?

Slim & Healthy Cream of Broccoli Cheese Soup
 
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A slim and healthy cream of broccoli cheese soup you and your family will love
Author:
Recipe type: Soup
Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 cups chopped broccoli
  • 3 small all-purpose potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 carrot chopped
  • 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • 3 cups skim milk
  • ¾ cup shredded reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions
  1. Spray a large nonstick soup pot or Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the onion begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
  3. Add the broccoli, potatoes, carrot, broth and basil. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil then turn the heat to low and simmer, with the pot covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
  4. Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. (Or use a stick blender to puree the vegetables right in the pot.)
  5. Pour the puree back into the soup pot. Add the milk and stir occasionally until heated through.
  6. Remove pan from the heat and let cool for about 1 minute. Add the cheese and stir until it’s melted. Adjust salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Notes
Nutritional Estimates per Serving (1/4 of recipe about 1-1/2 cups): 280 calories, 5 g fat, 40 g carbs, 5 g fiber, 20 g protein, 5 WW Points, 7 WW Points+ I used 1 can of evaporated skim milk and 1-1/2 cups fresh skim milk. The evaporated milk adds some richness without extra fat. If the soup seems too thick, you can thin it with a little more milk. For a chunkier soup, just puree part of the soup.

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More Healthy Broccoli Soup Recipes

Cooking Light Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe- found at MyRecipes
Broccoli, Cannellini Bean & Cheddar Soup Recipe – found at Eating Well
Broccoli, Cheese and Potato Soup Recipe - found at Skinny Taste

 Related Posts:

Curried Zucchini Soup - a simple soup that is surprisingly good
Creamy Broccoli Cauliflower Soup – A simple basic cream of vegetable soup that can be modified lots of ways
Jamie Oliver Vegetable Soup with Beans – One of the best vegetable soups I’ve ever tasted
Skinny Potato & Leek Soup – easy, healthy and delicious with 4 WW PointsPlus Value

Filed Under: 7 PointsPlus, Soups, Stews & Chilis Tagged With: ,

A Quick Easy Dinner Recipe: Whole Wheat Fettuccine with Brie and Tomatoes

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Tomatoes

Here’s a quick easy dinner recipe that requires only minimal cooking — just boiling pasta — and is ready in twenty minutes or less. I made this easy healthy recipe for dinner last week and everyone agreed that it’s a tasty creamy keeper!

This is one of those quick dinner recipes you’ll never tire of – simple and sophisticated at the same time.

This is perfect easy summer recipe, since it requires minimal cooking, and ingredients and calls for fresh tomatoes.

I couldn’t wait till summer to try it so I used canned diced tomatoes, instead.

I can’t wait to try it again when fresh tomatoes are at their peak of flavor and ripeness.

With just 5 ingredients (not counting oil), this is one of those easy quick dinners you can make for dinner again and again. I think your family will love it the way mine did.

Recipe for Whole Wheat Fettucini with Brie and Tomatoes

Tomatoes

Vine Ripe Tomatoes


Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 to 3/4 pound Brie cheese
(room temperature or softened for 30 or so seconds in microwave)
4 large ripe tomatoes, diced (around 4 cups), or 2 15-ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 cup fresh basil, torn or cut into strips
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound whole wheat fettuccini

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until it’s al dente.

2. While the water is coming to a boil and the pasta is cooking prepare the ‘sauce. Remove the Brie rind and cut or tear the cheese into pieces and place them in a large serving bowl. Add the tomatoes, basil, garlic, and oil to your serving bowl.

3. As soon as the pasta is done, drain and dump it into your serving bowl. Toss all ingredients together until the brie is melty. Serve immediately.

Variation: If you’re not a fan of Brie, I think this quick and easy dinner recipe would be great with fresh mozzarella instead.

Serve with Suggesions: A simple mixed green salad like my favorite chopped romaine and dill, sauteed zucchini, or green beans to up your daily veggie quotient.

Adapted From: The Six O’Clock Scramble: Quick, Healthy, and Delicious Dinner Recipes for Busy Families by Aviva Goldfarb

More Easy Dinner Ideas and Quick Easy Dinner Recipes

Mediterranean Chicken – Another great easy dinner recipe with chicken, pasta, tomatoes, olives and feta cheese
Italian Sausage & Pasta Recipe - One of my favorite easy healthy dinner recipes from one of my favorite old Jacques Pepin Cookbooks, Cooking with Claudine.
Tomatoes, Basil and Brown Rice Salad - a great easy healthy recipe for rice salad that would make a great easy dinner served with grilled chicken or fish.
Shrimp & Pasta Recipes Easy and delicious – easy dinners using pasta and shrimp, some with only 5 ingredients or less (not counting oil or salt and pepper.)

Do you have any quick dinner recipes or quick easy dinner recipes you’d like to share? I would love to learn about your favorite easy and quick recipes and other easy recipe ideas.

Filed Under: Dinner, Easy Healthy, Pasta Tagged With: , , ,