It’s almost Super Bowl Time and several of you have asked me for some Weight Watcher Points Plus Friendly Recipes.  I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite blogger recipes and to browse my recipe section to give you all a bunch of ideas you could make or take to your Super Bowl Party!  I picked out everything from Grab & Go Appetizers to healthy salads, Main Dishes, grilling options, Slow Cookin’ and, of course, dessert!

The best part about these recipes ~ they are all points+/calorie friendly, easy to make and deeeeliciooouuus!!!!

TWO things I highly recommend that EVERY Weight Watcher have at their parties in addition to any of the treats below are BIG POWER FOODS TRAYS!! 

These two options give you something you can go back to over and over again!

VEGETABLE TRAY ~ Mix Fat Free Greek Yogurt with Ranch for a quick dip

FRUIT TRAY ~ Use your FAVORITE flavored Chobani Greek Yogurt for dip!

COCKTAILS!!

• All you NEED are these Summer Berry Pomtini’s ~ with or without alcohol, 3 points+
• Alternate 1 glass of water for each beer you drink to stretch your points+!

GRAB ~ N ~ GO

• Pizza Puffs, 1 points+ each!
• Taco Salad Cups, 1 points+ each!
• Pesto & Sun Dried Tomato Cream Cheese/Pesto Spread, 1 Point+ for 2 Tbsp
• Janetha’s Healthy Stuffed Mushrooms ~ 5 MUSHROOMS for only 2 Points+
• Low-Fat Lasagna Cups, 2 points+
• Spicy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, 1 Point+ each
• Meatball Sliders, 3 points+ each!
• H-O-T Boneless Buffalo Chicken Bites, 3 points+
• The REAL DEAL, Baked Buffalo Wings, 2 points+
• Gina’s Skinny Baked Jalapeno Poppers, 1 Points+ each
• Marisa’ Breaded Cheese Stuffed Zucchini, 2 HALVES for 3 points+
• Better than Shrimp Cocktail ~ Shrimp Scampi, 6 shrimp for 3 points+
• TJ’s Mini Pizza Pockets, 10 for only 7 Points+
• Holly’s Garbanzo Guacamole 2 Points+ per 1/4 cup
• Susan’s Simple Salsa, 0 points+
• Spicy Bean Dip, 2 points+
• Party Bean Dip with Baked Tortilla Chips, 4 Points+
• Crispy Chipotle Potato Skins, 5 points+

HEALTHY SALADS

• Build a Better Salad ~ 4 Super Easy Ideas!
• Crunchy Feta, Bacon & Pecan Salad, 4 points+
• A Healthier Potato Salad, 3 points+ per 1/2 cup
• Creamy Dill Macaroni Salad, 4 points+
• VEGAN Pasta Salad, 5 points+
• Harvest Grain Salad, 4 points+
• Sunomono, 1 Point+ per 1/4 cup
• Elise’s Very Berry Salad with 1 Tbsp dressing, 4 points + (count additional for AVOCADO & Goat Cheese)

MAKE IT A MEAL

• Build your own 7-Layer Dip, Personalized, 8 points+ each
• Lazy Chicken Enchiladas with Red Sauce, 6 Points+
• Biz’s Buffalo Chicken Chili, 6 points+
• Bubble Up Pizza Casserole, 10 Points+
• Sweet Potato BLTA Nachos, 11 points+
• Not-Cho Average Nachos!, 11 Points+ for an entire plate!
• Veggie-Terrains Cheese-less VEGAN Flat Bread Pizzas, Points+ depend on which you make, but, all are low.

SLOW COOKIN’

• Janetha’s Crockpot Taco Soup, 7 Points+
• Zesty Cook’s BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders with Asian Slaw, 8 points+ each
• Quick & Easy Slow Cooker Baked Beans, 4 points+
• Slow Cooked Chipotle Beer Baked Beans, 4 points+

EASY DESSERTS!

• Meyer Lemon Sugar Cookies, 1 points+
• Allie’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cereal Bars, 4 points+
• Easy Rocky Road Squares, 3 points+
• Just for fun ~ A RAINBOW CAKE OR CUPCAKES!  Make using the colors of your favorite team

Don’t forget, you can always COOK with BEER & drink it too!

RECIPES ~ QUICK TIP

If you click any of the recipe names above, it will take you to the recipe to Print it! or to the post if I have not added it to my recipes tab.  If you want to get the step-by-step for the recipe, then, click the Full Post on the recipe page as noted in yellow in the picture below.

What is your FAVORITE “Treat to Eat” On Super Bowl Sunday? 

Let’s all build one awesome list we can use to give each other ideas to be successful this “Football Season”!

Catch ya’all later!

Happy Biggest Loser Day or what should be Biggest Loser Day if the wind didn’t mess up your cable, internet and phone!  Oh well, it totally gives me something to look forward to tomorrow.  Since I managed to leave my camera at work on my way to rush out to catch the train, tonight’s post is going to be all about the super fun and delicious dinner we had.

I am really trying to be good about using up our leftovers in creative ways versus just freezing everything or tossing it out.  We still had a package of Won Tons leftover from the Creamy Pumpkin Pie Bites and a bunch of containers in the fridge from our Taco Salad Pizza night.

Put them both together and you come up with these fantastic crunchy, totally stuffed Taco Salad Cups that might just be better than Healthy Nachos & Sweet Potato BLTA Nachos!

I am a FAN of anything that is bite sized and mini, but, especially when they come in low points+ bites that are loaded with all of my favorite nacho toppings. Crunchy “taco shells”, spicy turkey taco meat, creamy beans, sweet cherry peppers, cheese, olives, hot sauce and more ~ Yes, please!

Did I mention that it takes less than 30 minutes to make these cups from start to finish??? What are you waiting for ~ go get your Taco Salad Cups on!

INDIVIDUAL TACO SALAD CUPS (print it!)

INGREDIENTS

• 10 Thin Won Ton Wrappers (New Hong Kong Won Tons have the lowest points+!)
• 1/2 cup fat free refried beans, warmed
• 1/2 cup ground turkey taco meat, cooked
• 1 oz low fat sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 cup romaine lettuce, shredded
• 1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
• 1 Tbsp black olives & sweet cherry peppers, sliced
• 1 Tbsp 0% Greek Yogurt, drizzled (it’s your sour cream!)
• Hot sauce and cilantro to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a large muffin pan with nonstick spray and line with won ton wrappers.  Bake for 3-4 minutes or until golden and browned.  Make sure to watch the won tons because they cook quickly.

2.  Layer up your taco salads!  Start by placing 1 tsp of beans and meat into each “taco shell”.  Then, top with lettuce, tomatoes, olives, cherry peppers and cheese. 

3.  Place Greek yogurt into a Ziploc baggie and cut off a small corner.  Drizzle over taco salads.  Top with a dash of hot sauce and cilantro, if using, and dig in.

Makes 10 Individual Taco Salads, 1 points+ each

Note ~ For those wondering ~ It is 10 points+ for the ENTIRE plate ~ DEAL!

Nutritional information per Individual Taco Salad

STEP – BY – STEP

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Spray each muffin cup with nonstick spray, then, line with one won ton pressing down to for a mini taco shell.

Bake for 3-4 minutes, remove, plate and your taco shells are ready to be filled.

Divide the refried beans evenly among the taco shells.

Layer on your taco meat ~ this is excellent when you want something different after you had tacos, burritos or nachos the night before.

Make if vegetarian using Soy Crumbles or Soyrizo!

Bulk up your salads with some green….

Then, layer in all your favorite toppings ~ I went with pickled sweet cherry peppers (like jalapenos), crunchy, fresh sweet yellow peppers, cilantro and olives.

Drizzled with my 0 points+ Greek Yogurt Sour Cream and hot sauce.

Don’t forget the cheese!!! I added it at the end because I did which might be a sign you don’t need it.

These are just as fun to make as they are to eat ~ they can work as an appetizer or make it a meal and eat the entire plate.

Q’s

As you all know, I have a pretty big fascination with Won Tons and finding all the different ways I can use them.  So, tonight’s question is…..if you had a crunchy won ton shell sitting in front of you right now, what would you put in it?

One thought came to mind….bananas and nutella!

On that note ~ Night all!

Hi everyone!  I am finally back in action with another fun fall recipe that uses my ingredient of choice lately ~ Pumpkin!  If you LOVE pumpkin, then, I am pretty sure you will LOVE these Creamy Pumpkin Pie Bites. These little bite sized pumpkin pies might just be better than the real deal. 

The cream cheese adds a nice richness to the cinnamon pumpkin-y goodness in the middle while the won tons add a nice crunchy “pie” shell.  Did I mention that each bite in ONLY 1 points+ so you don’t have to feel bad when you reach for another “slice” bite.

They are perfect to make ahead of time to have as a dessert or an appetizer (sometimes dessert should come first, right?!)  Just plan out all the fun toppings you want to serve up to your guests and I guarantee these will be what everyone talks about on their way home from Thanksgiving dinner.

CREAMY PUMPKIN PIE BITES (print here)

INGREDIENTS

• 24 New Hong Kong Thin Won Tons
• 2/3 cup pure pumpkin
• 1/3 cup low-fat cream cheese
• 3 Tbsp golden brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg

OPTIONAL TOPPERS

• Homemade whipped cream
• Crushed cinnamon graham crackers
• Cinnamon Sugar or powder sugar
• Dry roasted chopped candied walnuts

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a mini nonstick muffin pan with nonstick spray.  Press 1 won ton wrapper into each mini muffin cup, folding the edges as needed.  Bake the won tons on the bottom rack in the muffin tin for 5 minutes and remove from the oven.

2.  While the won tons are cooking, prepare your creamy pumpkin pie filling.  Combine pumpkin through egg in a large mixing bowl.  Beat until combined with a hand mixer or an electric mixer.

3.  Using a 1 Tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop 1 Tbsp of the creamy pumpkin pie filling into each won ton.  Return the pumpkin cream cheese won tons to the oven and bake on the bottom rack for an additional 10 minutes until the filling is set and the won tons are golden. 

Be careful to watch them as the won tons can burn quickly.

Makes 24 Creamy Pumpkin Pie Bites, 1 points+ each (excluding toppings)

Nutritional information per Creamy Pumpkin Pie Bite

STEP – BY – STEP

Awhile back the folks over at Foodbuzz partnered with OXO, tools you can hold onto and sent several Tastemakers some fantastic OXO products to use for recipe development.

OXO sent us some pretty fantastic things…..

* Good Grips Food Scale

* Good Grips Pop Containers (my personal favorite before trying out everything)

* Good Grips Measuring Bowl and Measuring Cups

* Good Grips Zester

* Their latest product ~ Good Grips Egg Beater!

I figured what better way to put my new fun kitchen gadgets to use than to create a fun new fall recipe involving……Won Tons!

You don’t have to worry about pressing your won tons perfectly into the pan.  The goal is just to form little cups which means 1-2 little creases as they are pushed into the tin.

This is the MOST IMPORTANT step in my opinion because pre-baking them for 5 minutes help to give them a crispy shell on the bottom and the top.

While the won tons bake, “beat” your creamy pumpkin pie mix.

Action shot!

I honestly think this egg beater works better than my electric mixer. It goes so fast and is super smooth without splashing everything all over.

Scoop 1 Tablespoon of mix into each won ton just enough to “almost” fill them.

Bake on the BOTTOM rack for 10 minutes being sure to check on them during the last 2-3 minutes to make sure they do not burn.

Remove to cooling rack and cool at room temperature.

Whip up your toppings while your creamy pumpkin pie cups cool.

One thing I LOVE about the OXO measuring cups is that having the numbers on the top makes it easier to see what you need to measure.

Another use for their Egg Beater ~ 1 Minute Homemade Whipped Cream!

Simply combine 1 cup heavy whipping cream with 2 Tbsp Agave Nectar & q1 tsp pure vanilla extract.

Whip effortlessly for 1 minute…..Tadah!!! 1 Tbsp = 1 points+.

I thought it would be fun to let guests decorate their own creamy pumpkin pie cups by plating the cups and toppings separately.

Served up with homemade whipped cream and crunchy, crushed cinnamon graham crackers.

Quite possibly better than pumpkin pie ~ the BEST PART ~ since they are only 1 points+, you can go back for another!

Q’s

What is one FALL recipe or ingredient you are LOVING at the moment?

Aside from pumpkin, I cannot get enough butternut squash or sweet potatoes!

See you all later tonight or tomorrow with my weigh in, weekly menu & one pretty cool giveaway!

Night all!

Happy Friday all!!! I woke up this morning feeling “almost” normal again ~ like a real person that isn’t sick and eats something other than soup & fruit LOL. I was actually really excited for my day today because it started off watching my FAVORITE Weight Watchers Leader share her ideas for having a Perfectly On Program Week.  Then, she surprised me by demonstrating how my Taco Egg Muffins using Morning Star Sausages to the group ~ a recipe she tried & loved this week…..so cool!

The quote of the day totally stuck with me too.

It’s not a matter of what you CAN do, it’s a matter of what you WILL do!

The BIGGEST thing I struggle with is consistency ~ I can be great one week, not so great the next, sorta great the next and so on.  So, this week ~ I am CONSISTENTLY tracking & focusing on my good health guidelines….no half way tracking.

I still didn’t have much of an appetite though so breakfast was a banana and a big mug of Echinacea tea with honey.

Tracey of TJ’s Test Kitchen & I decided that it has been wayyyyy too long since we have cooked together.  We actually brainstormed our menu during our Weight Watchers meetings

I was actually CRAVING greens (not soup, I know you are shocked!) so we made up big simple salads.

* Romaine, red cabbage & carrots

* 1 1/2 Tbsp Garbanzo Beans (0 points+)

* 1 Tbsp Sunflower Seeds (1 points+)

Plus 2 Tbsp of this new to me Lemon Hummus Vinaigrette that she picked up at Fresh & Easy.

I LOVE the ingredient list ~ the flavors are so fresh & vibrant with the tang of the lemon, creamy garbanzos and bite of cilantro.  If you have ever had Trader Joe’s Jalapeno Cilantro Hummus, it tastes just like this dressing.

The BEST part ~ it’s only 1 points+ for 2 Tbsp, 2 points+ for 4 Tbsp if you like a lot of dressing.

Next up ~ Mexican Inspired Stuffed Sweet Potato Skins!  We both were talking about how much we loved the stuffed sweet potato skins & Sweet Potato BLTA Nachos.  This time we combined the two…We knew Trader Joe’s Peppered Turkey Bacon (1 points+ a slice), along with some delicious low-fat sharp cheddar cheese were a must.  We sort of just layered on the rest with fresh veggies, creamy avocado and hot sauce!

MEXICAN INSPIRED STUFFED SWEET POTATO SKINS (Print the recipe here!)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, about 1 lb
• 4 oz low-fat sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
• 4 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1/2 medium avocado, diced
• 1 Tbsp fat free sour cream
• Hot sauce, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Rinse sweet potatoes, slice in half and microwave for 8 minutes to pre-cooked them.  Preheat oven to 425.

2.  When cool to the touch, scoop out 2/3 of the sweet potato insides and set aside for use at another time.  Spray the insides with nonstick spray, season with salt & pepper (if desired) and bake for 10 minutes.

3.  Divide the cheese and bacon among the 4 halves.  Return to oven and broil for 1-2 minutes, until the cheese is melted and slightly golden.

4.  Remove from oven and add remaining toppings (green onion through hot sauce).

Makes 4 Stuffed Sweet Potato halves, 5 points+ each

Nutritional information per half:

So simple to make…..Nuke it and scoop it ~ then bake it

Add the BEST part ~ Bacon & Cheese!

Top it and dig in! I had TWO Cheesy, Bacon Stuffed Sweet Potatoes topped with hot sauce to compliment my BIG salad (ummm, my appetite is back!) 

About 3 hours later I was ready for something “sweet”.  I snacked on a big bowl of fruit with some coconut coffee.

After work we headed out to watch our nephew play football.  The Husband packed me a snack (the BIGGEST bag of pistachios ever) since we pretty much walked in the door and back out.

FUN FACT ~ You get exactly 16 pistachios for 1 points+.

After the game, we met up with Tracey & Sean again at one of their favorite Mongolian BBQ places, Princess Garden.

The appetizer platter comes with your meal ~ I think it’s pretty cool how you get to cook part of it.

I picked a fancy beef skewer that Tracey “cooked” for us and a fried won ton with sweet & sour sauce.(3 points+)

Then moved onto their soup ~ it was sort of like a tomato beef egg drop soup.  As weird as it sounds, it was super tasty. (2 points+)

My MOUND of meat & veggies topped with ginger, garlic, BBQ sauce & honey water.

I pondered adding noodles or not but decided I would when the cook told me he could do as little or as much as I wanted.  I had him add about half a cup then topped everything off with a few peanuts and pineapple.  I LOVE Mongolian! ( 8 points+ for my bowl)

GIVEAWAYS!

* Shannon of Shannon’s Kitchen Creations is giving away some tasting Talenti Gelato.

Q’s

Do you eat Mongolian BBQ?  If so, what is your must have in your bowl?

I LOVE that you can make up a huge bowl of veggies with different sauces plus a few fun extras like the peanuts and pineapple.  If you overstuff your bowl with veggies mix it right, you don’ t always need the noodles.

Night all!

I think out of all the Won Ton Recipes I have ever made from potstickers to tiny tacos to banana nutella won tons, that these 2 points+ Low Fat Lasagna Cups might take the cake or the cupcake that is I LOVE pasta of all shapes, sizes and styles, but, lasagna is probably my 2nd favorite pasta after mac n cheese.

As I was browsing ideas for how to use up my Won Ton Wrappers aside from ravioli’s when I came across this idea for making Lasagna Cupcakes.  I was intrigued by the name and when I clicked to the recipe, I knew I had to create my own Weight Watcher friendly 2 points+ Lasagna Cupcakes.

I LOVE the idea of having little cheesy, saucy bites of vegetable lasagna.  I LOVE how the tops of these Lasagna Cups are covered with cheesy goodness and you can break off bits of the crunchy outer shell.

You could easily take a short cut and use a jarred sauce, but, if you have the time, make your own with or without meat and with RED WINE~ it’s definitely worth it!  The cups are delicious on the first day, but, as with any good red wine pasta sauce, they are even better the next day.

Did I mention they only take minutes to make and bake?!  Serve them up with a simple green salad and I bet everyone at the table will be impressed.

LOW FAT LASAGNA CUPS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups Veggie Marinara, jarred or homemade
• 3 ounce fresh spinach, minced
• 1/2 cup carrots, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup fat free ricotta cheese
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• Dashes of sea salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes
• 8 oz low-fat mozzarella cheese
• 1 oz parmesan, grated
• 24 small square wonton wrappers
• Fresh basil leaves for garnish, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a 12 cup standard muffin tin on a cookie sheet and spray each cup with nonstick spray.  Set it aside.

2.   In a medium bowl, combine spinach through crushed red pepper flakes.. Mix well then stir in 1/3 cup of the mozzarella.  Set aside.

3.  Start layering your lasagna cupcakes. Begin with a wonton wrapper and press it into the bottom of each muffin tin.  Sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese mix and mozzarella cheese. Then, top with a little marinara sauce. Use around 1-2 teaspoons of all the ingredients depending on your personal preference, smoothing the surfaces with the back of a spoon after each addition. Repeat layers ending with marinara sauce. Top with reserved Parmesan and mozzarella cheese.

4.  Bake for 18-20 minutes or until edges are brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. To remove use a knife to loosen the edges then pop each lasagna out.

5.  Garnish with basil and serve.

Makes 12 Lasagna Won Ton Cups, 2 points+ each

Nutritional information per cup, calculated using caloriecount.com

STEP – BY – STEP

I definitely think the “secret ingredient” ingredient in this recipe are these Extra Thin New Hong Kong Won Ton Wrappers.  You get 10 for 2 points+, meaning this recipe adds ONLY 5 points+ for all 24 ~ SCORE!

You could “technically” use a cookie cutter to cut perfect won ton circles to fit the tin, but, I kind of liked the idea of having crispy cheesy noodle edges hanging over the sides.

Press each won ton into the tin.

For me lasagna is ALL ABOUT the cheese so don’t be shy. Sprinkle a little mozzarella here and a little parmesan there.

Top with you fun spinach GREEN ricotta veggie mix.

Add your sauce of choice Jarred or homemade sauce and more CHEESE, please!

Then, you just layer it up all over again……I made sure my second layer of won tons crossed the other way so I had 8 edges showing instead of 4….it probably doesn’t matter either way though.

Finishing with cheese on top!

Pop them in the oven, bake for 20 minutes, then let cool for 5 minutes as you ponder how many you can have.

The BEST part about having these single serving lasagna cups is that you can have more than 1 and not kill your points+ budget.

These would be “fun” to serve as an appetizer during the holidays too because they can be red/green in December “orangy-green” in October (ok, that might be stretching it)

Anyway, you make them or serve them….try these!  If you can’t eat all 12, then, just freeze them!

To FREEZE:  wrap them in plastic wrap, place in an airtight container and freeze them for the next time you want homemade lasagna in minutes without having to cook.

Enjoy!

For my Feta-Recipe Finale, I really wanted to see if I could use that deliciously creamy Euphrates Feta Cheese in  a sweet dish. (Totally Iron Chef like right?! LOL)  I had pondered making Feta Brownies by creating a “feta cream cheese swirl” or possibly feta lemon bars.  I really wanted something “lighter” that would be a finger food.

That is when I remembered my FAVORITE Thin Won Ton Recipe of all time!

~ You get 10 of these for only 3 points+!!!!  (Tracey picked these up for me at a local Chinese Food Store).

I wasn’t really thinking that the feta would stand out against Nutella, but, knew I wanted to make it enhance our “turn overs” with salty, creamy, cheesy goodness. 

The feta really compliments the sweet crunchy cinnamon & vanilla apples in a way that makes you think are biting into a crispy apple cheesecake turnover. 

These turn overs are delicious when sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, but, feel free to get a little fancy and drizzle them with caramel or serve them with homemade vanilla been froyo!

CREAMY CINNAMON APPLE PIE WON TON TURN OVERS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 2 large apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
• 36 Thin Won Ton Wrappers
• 1 Tbsp Butter, melted
• 1 tsp sugar combined
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  In a medium size pan, melt butter, add apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract.  Cook over medium heat, stirring often until apples are tender.  place in the refrigerator to cool, about 3o minutes.  Once chilled, fold in feta cheese.

2.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line two cooking sheets with parchment paper.  Combine the remaining sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

3.  Place about 1 tablespoons of apple filling into the center of each won ton wrapper, wet edges of wrapper with water and fold in half creating a triangle and sealing the edges. Place each finished won ton onto the prepared cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

3.  Brush each won ton with the melted butter and bake for 7 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to serving plate and sprinkle with reserved cinnamon sugar mixture. 

Makes 9 servings, 4 Won Tons each, 3 points+ per serving

Nutritional information per 4 Won Ton Serving

HERE ARE THE OTHER EUPHRATES FETA – UP RECIPES:

* Creamy Feta, Dill Spinach Dip with Crispy Zucchini Medallions, 3 points+

* Crunchy Feta, Bacon & Pecan Salad, 4 points+

* Grilled Sausage, Pepper & Feta Pizza, 6 points+

GIVEAWAYS:

* Win a MONTH’S SUPPLY of 3 points+ PopChips!

You all are seriously the BEST!!!  The folks are Euphrates have been blown away by your response to get your hands on some of their stinky cheese!  I will be hosting a Euphrates Feta Giveaway in September where you all will have a few chances to win some FETA!!!

Night all!

Have you all ever heard of Euphrates, Makers of Fine Cheese?  SUPER COOL FUN FACT ~ They are owned by the same people that own Chobani Greek Yogurt!!

They sent a a whole lot of their delicious (yes, I said that about stinky cheese!) Feta and asked if I would help them develop a few recipes for their new website.

Recipe Development is one of my FAVORITE things to do because I LOVE putting a healthy spin on recipes in a way that NOBODY can tell it’s good for them.

As you saw on Sunday, Tracey of TJ’s Test Kitchen got Feta Upped with me in the kitchen!  We worked together to develop an entire FETA LINE up ~ appetizer plus dip, one of the BEST SALADS I’ve ever had in my life and Grilled Pizza!

Tonight…..I bring you TWO delicious recipes that are simple to make and can be served as an appetizer, snack or a main dish.

I really LOVED the Zucchini Corn Fritters I made awhile back and I wanted to find a way to include feta in them.  Tracey suggested we make Feta Cheese Balls which we learned only work when you deep fry them….oops.

So, we improvised ~ flattened our balls out and Zucchini Medallions were born!

FETA ZUCCHINI MEDALLIONS

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups zucchini, grated, squeezed & drained to remove excess liquid
• 2 green onions, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 2 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled
• Dashes of Sea salt, black pepper &  crushed red pepper flakes (about 1/4 tsp)
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup panko (for outside coating)
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil (for frying)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees.  Mix the zucchini through the crushed red pepper flakes just until combined.

2. Gradually mix in equal parts flour and breadcrumbs until you can work with the mixture to form 1 inch balls.  You may not need to use it all depending on how dry your mixture is.

3. Place the panko crumbs on a plate and roll each ball in the panko until coated.  Set aside on a cooking sheet and repeat until the mixture is used up.

4. Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add half of the balls using a spatula to flatten into medallions.  Continue cooking until each side is browned, about 4 minutes per side.  Repeat with remaining medallions.  Place on a cooking sheet and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

Makes 14 Medallions, 2 points+ each (excluding dip)

Nutritional information per Feta Zucchini Medallion

STEP – BY – STEP

Mix the zucchini through the crushed red pepper flakes just until combined.

Form into 1 inch balls and roll in the panko bread crumbs.

Repeat until 14 balls are formed.

Heat a large nonstick skillet with half o the olive oil over medium heat and “fry” the medallions until each side is golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.

Enjoy as is or take it one step further with this creamy, decadent Feta Dill Spinach Dip!

When we were originally thinking we were having Feta Cheese Balls, we thought a dipping sauce was a MUST.  We put our brains together and thought about all of our favorite things.

Who doesn’t LOVE Ranch, Spinach Dip and ummm, CHEESE! We combined all three flavors to make this rich dip that is completely LOW-FAT and packed with herbed veggie goodness.

CREAMY FETA DILL SPINACH DIP

INGREDIENTS

• 6 oz 0% Plan Greek Yogurt
• 3 ounces crumbled feta cheese
• 2 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 cups finely chopped fresh spinach (I used my food processor)
• 4 green onions, minced (I used my food processor)
• 4 oz water chestnuts, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh or 1 teaspoon dried dill
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Combine the yogurt through the garlic in a food processor and process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl once.

2.  Spoon yogurt mixture into a medium bowl, and stir in the spinach, green onions, water chestnuts, minced dill, sea salt and black pepper. Cover and chill.

Makes 2 cups, 16 servings, 2 Tbsp each for 1 points+

Nutritional information per 1/4 cup serving

Serve with a big side of veggies and add a dallop to the top of the feta zucchini medallions for the perfect appetizer or snack.

I think this dip would also be FANTASTIC as a sandwich spread, on burgers or with falafel.  It can be used in place of any dip or spread.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the Crunchy Feta, Bacon & Pecan Salad!

Happy Friday Eve all!  I didn’t think you all would let me get away showing you those crispy, crunchy, slightly sweet, slightly spicy Zucchini Corn Fritters and not posting the recipe until later.  So, my goal for my next two posts is to post TWO recipes I created as tasty ways to use up all the fantastic zucchini’s that are growing in our garden.

I LOVE CORN and I honestly would put it in everything if The Husband didn’t freak out about corn in his food….he likes it on the side, just not IN IT.  I realized I had never had a “corn fritter” until Tracey told me they are one of her favorite things to eat.

I decided to “bulk” them up by adding zucchini, peppers and green onion and then “fried” them in nonstick spray versus oil.  I actually think I might add a little cajun seasoning for my next go round.

The BEST part is because they are veggie based, you get 4 fritters for only 2 points+ ~ perfect as a light meal with a salad, an appetizer or a snack.

ZUCCHINI CORN FRITTERS

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large eggs
• 2 medium corn on the cob, cut of the cobb
• 2 cups zucchini, grated
• 1 poblano pepper, finely chopped
• 1 small red pepper, finely chopped
• 2 scallions, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Dashes of hot sauce, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  In a small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not glossy; set aside.

2.  In a medium bowl, lightly beat egg yolks. Add the corn through hot sauce (if using); thoroughly combine and then fold in egg whites.

3.  Coat skillet with cooking spray and warm over high heat; when skillet is hot, reduce heat to medium. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of batter onto skillet to make each fritter. (Do not press fritters down with your spatula since they are meant to be fluffy.)

4.  Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes; carefully flip and cook until lightly browned and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove cooked fritters to a serving plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat until all batter is used and then serve immediately.

Makes 16 fritters, 4 per serving, 2 points+ a serving

Nutritional information per serving calculated using caloriecount.com:

Even if you are not a fan of zucchini, you won’t notice it in these fritters.

They are totally corny with a kick if you add a little spice.

For more ideas on how to use up Zucchini ~ check out all the great suggestions you made on my How Do You Use Your Zucc Post!

Next up….that Zucchini Banana Nut Muffin Recipe you all have been waiting for!

I LOVE pizza any way you top it and any way you make.  It can be the real deal, on a pita, naan bread, on top of polenta and even as a casserole.  Pizza in my book is just Flat Out Amazing!  There is just something about the flavor combination of doughy breads, cheese, tangy sauce, crunchy toppings and crispy turkey pepperoni that tastes like BACON!

Tracey of TJ’s Test Kitchen saw this pizza puff recipe on Pinterest awhile back and said we totally NEED to make a Weight Watcher Points+ Friendly Version. 

Ummm, Little cheesy, doughy, fully loaded bites of pizza….sign me up!

The recipe originally comes from Rachel Ray. We have lightened up the recipe by using low-fat dairy and adding in a ton of FUN 0-1 points+ toppings for color, crunch and texture.

I am pretty sure you all might LOVE us after you try them…1 points+ pizza, need I say more?!

DELUXE PIZZA PUFFS

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp crushed  red pepper flakes
• Dashes of sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup 2 % milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese, 1/4 cup reserved for topping
• 1/2 cup shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

ALL OF YOUR FAVORITE LOW POINTS+ TOPPINGS:

• 9 slices turkey pepperoni, chopped (1 points+)
• Sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• Pickled sweet cherry peppers, chopped
• Pineapple tidbits
• Olive Slices
• Any veggies ~ cherry tomatoes, peppers, onions, mushrooms
• Pizza Sauce for dipping

The possibilities are endless!

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning, sea salt, pepper and red pepper flakes; whisk in the milk and egg.  Stir in the mozzarella and Parmesan, let stand for 10 minutes.

2. Stir the batter and divide among the mini-muffin cups. Mix and match your favorite toppings making sure to press them into the dough.

3.  Bake until puffed and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, microwave the pizza sauce until warmed through. Serve the puffs with the pizza sauce for dipping.

Makes 4 servings, 6 Pizza Puffs, 5 points+ each

Nutritional Information Per 6 pizza puff serving

STEP-BY-STEP

Whisk together your batter, then, stir in your cheeses.  You need the full fat mozzarella to keep the puffs moist.

Two types of cheeses = tons of ooeey, gooey cheese on top and throughout.

Season with a sprinkle of sea salt and black pepper, then, let stand while you prep your toppings.

We decided to combine our pantries and pulled out everything that sounded good on pizza.

Chopped into bite size pieces for easy topping.

Spray your mini muffin tin with nonstick spray.  Then, use a teaspoon to divide the dough into 24 mini muffin tins evenly.

It is more fun when you make these with people you think are super cool and have fun at it.

Add your toppings….Have fun with it.  We mixed and matched all our 0-1 points+ ingredients to make a variety of pizza puff flavors.  Top them off with the reserved cheese so it “melts” all over the top.

Turkey Pepperoni + Pineapple = the BEST combination ever!

Turkey Pepperoni + an Olive Slice + Sun Dried Tomatoes

Pickled Cherry Peppers + an Olive Slice

Sun Dried Tomatoes + Fresh Tomatoes

Bake at 375 for 25 minutes, until golden and puffy.

Resist eating them straight from the pan and put them on a place to serve.

Did I mention you get TWO of these for only 1 points+?!

Serve with warm pizza sauce as an appetizer or with a big crunchy salad for a complete meal.

NEW AT FRIENDS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

* Beth shares her Week 3 Progress of the Chalean Extreme Challenge!

* Katie of Will Run For Chocolate talks about Finding the Support She Needs!

Q’s

What are you going to put on the Pizza Puffs you make?

Happy Weekend all!!!

Yesterday was seriously a whirlwind, but, ridiculously FUN day! My morning was ultra-productive. 

I cleaned the house, did laundry and kept up with my commitment to my AMAZING friend to do the Couch to 5K. 

She is running her 1st 5K (Turkey Trot at Thanksgiving) and I am doing the C25K with her. SHE is the reason I get my run on most mornings and she is 100 million % rockin’ it!

After running, I was craving the craziest, but, tastiest breakfast I’ve had in a awhile.

I knew TWO things I wanted…..my FAVORITE hummus ever from The Hummus Guy.

I pick this Black Bean with Chipotle Harissa Hummus up at my local Farmer’s Market.

1 points+ for TWO Tablespoons.

Plus a “Crispy” Morning Star ChikPatty ~ I LOVE these because they really do taste like “fried chicken”. (4 points+)

All on top of two slices Trader Joe’s FF Multi-Grain Bread (8 points+).

It’s totally like a Spicy Crispy Chicken Sandwich with a creamy sauce and sweet bread.

After breakfast, I was off to pick up Tracey of TJ’s Test Kitchen to head off to the First Ever Fit Bloggin’11 Nor Cal Meet up.

The Fit Bloggin’ Local MeetUp is an extension of the annual Fit Bloggin’ Conference held by Roni.  She encouraged everyone for all over the world to host their own local meet up on July 9th to continue the fun.

Thanks to Susan ~ Foodie McBody for hosting it at her house.

Her house is absolutely amazing ~ it’s totally like being in a cabin in Lake Tahoe.

If this was my table, you would totally see so many of my food pics on it ~ I LOVE it!

Then again, I pretty much want her kitchen too   Is it funny to say that the kitchen (especially if it has a pantry) is my FAVORITE room in the house.

After everyone came back from a 3 mile hike around the park, the food came out. 

We decided to do a “Potluck” so everyone could bring and share one of their favorite HEALTHY treats.

Oh….all the cameras came out as soon as the food hit to table too.  I LOVE Food Bloggers!!!

Here is the lowdown on all the deliciousness that was served.  I WISH I had room to try it all, but, I really tried to focus on the things I couldn’t get all the time and that I really wanted.

Chobani showed up for the party too

Plus some Booty!

I was intrigued by the little notes/recipes that everyone put up to show how to eat their treats.

I am ALL over trying anything that will change my life!

I have to admit that the combination of the creamy, yet, tart greek yogurt topped with the caramel like brown sugar and crunchy, sweet strawberry is incredibly delicious.

It might just be my new thing to eat this summer.

My Vegan Pasta Salad ~ only 4 points+ a cup.

Brown Rice ChickPea Salad

I will be the first to admit I was a little scared to try Shrimp Ceviche because it made me think of Gazpacho which I do not really dig too much.

However, I have to say I am  HUGE fan of THIS Shrimp Ceviche from Cooking Light ~ it was slightly spicy, slightly sweet and totally refreshing like shrimp cocktail.

Tracey’s fantastic fruit display with marshmallow yogurt dip!

You when Tracey & I first met, I knew we were meant to be really great friends because together we have a matching place setting.

She has the bowl and I have the coffee cup, salad plate and dinner plate.  

The ironic part, we both only have one each that we bought to show food pics ~ ;like minds!

Desserts!

I do LOVE that we unintentionally put the veggie tray in the midst of all the desserts….lol.

Angel Food Cake!

Banana Nut Bread topped with Nutella!

Fresh Strawberry Pie!

Lemon Bars!

The Red, Dark & Blue + Red, White& Blue Cookies Tracey and I made (2 points+ each)

My Plate #1 ~ everything I was craving and that I knew the points+ for. (4 points+ for all of this!)

LOVE!!! I am totally making this…..I wish I could give you all a sample right here to try.

BBQ Chicken Mango Aidell’s Sausage (4 points+) plus a little taste of the brown rice salad.

Dessert!  What can I say ~ I am IN LOVE with the Red, White & Blue Cookies….(4 points+)

I think what it is that makes them so good is that it’s like having this buttery, melt in your mouth oatmeal cookie with yogurt covered cranberries and blueberries ~LOVE!

After lunch, I did my little presentation that was about Taking Your Blog To The Next Level.  It was a combination of everything I have learned from all my conferences and tips that I received to share from Zesty Cook.

I had a blast meeting everyone and having new friends that live near by to meet up with.  I cannot wait to get together with these girls again for lunch, shopping, blog chats and more.

Thanks again Susan for being a fantastic host!

Make sure you check out all their blogs ~ if I missed anyone, please let me know and I’ll be glad to add you to the list.

• TJ’s Test Kitchen
• The Healthy Engineer
• Pancakes and Postcards
• Food food body body
• Journey To Marvelous
• Marlene’s Mantra
• Attune Foods
• Terre Pruit ~ the NIA Instructor!
• Weight for Deb
• Way To Wild

Annielies at Attune gave us all these super cool BPA Free Recyclable bowls and Attune Food Pro-Biotic Chocolate Bars!

If you all know Tracey, she LOVES coffee….especially in the afternoon.  But, I learned today she LOVES The Apple Store more….she wanted to go there BEFORE we went to Starbuck’s.

Venti Iced Coconut (2 pumps with 1/2 & 1/2) Americanos (2 points+).

Tracey took me to Eco~Shoppe…I think I might be IN LOVE with store.  There are so many great, environmentally friend things.

We both ended up buying these super cool BPA Free Iced Tea Makers….but, what I LOVE is that you can use them for so much more….INFUSED Water, Lemonade, etc.

After our shopping excursions, we realized we were next to the BEST SUSHI PLACE of all time ~ Yokoso Sushi.

Even on a summer day ~ Miso Soup seems to always hit the spot (2 points+)

Japanese Miso Salad ~ Their dressing is SO GOOD I almost think I could lick the bowl the way I want to every time I have Trader Joe’s Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette…..it’s probably a good thing we were in public or I might have (3 points+)

We shared Edamame ~ I think its AWESOME you get 1/2 cup edamame in their pods for only 1 points+.

This is the roll I DREAM about…..I could eat this a couple of times a week and NEVER get tired of it.

TUNA STEAK ~ Spicy Crab Meat Topped with Ahi, Avocado, Green Onions, Tobiko SRIRACHA and special sauce made extra spicy for me = LOVE!!

I estimated this based off a Spicy Tuna Roll at 1 points+ a piece.  (8 points+) 

We are busy helping our friends move into their new house today so menu planning may happen tomorrow.  My goal is going to be to shop from our fridge/freezer!

See you all tonight over at Friends for Weight Loss for our 1st challenge to help reach our Labor Day Goals, a new tip and guest recipe.

Have a fantastic Sunday all ~ off to burn some calories movin’ it !