There are a few recipes that are so completely delicious that they make their debut on our dining table often.  I have made these Cheesy Chicken Stuffed Pasta Shells for years with several variations including making them vegetarian and vegan.  They are easy to make and packed with tons of cheesy goodness. Serve them up with a 3 points+ Alexia Garlic Baguette and a nice salad for a complete dinner that your entire family will love. They taste even better the next day and freeze well too!

CHEESY CHICKEN STUFFED PASTA SHELLS (print it!)

INGREDIENTS

• 12 shells uncooked jumbo shells
• 1 1/2 cups marinara
• 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 3/4 cups fat free ricotta cheese
• 4 oz chicken breast, cooked, skinless, diced – Make it yourself or use rotisserie chicken
• 16 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained of excess water
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 Tbsp dried Italian seasoning
• 4-5 basil leaves, chopped
• 1/4 tsp black pepper and sea salt
• 1 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cups grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2) Cook manicotti shells in salted boiling water according to the package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to prevent them from cooking further. Set aside.

3) Coat a 9 x 13-inch pan with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup of sauce evenly over bottom of pan and set aside.

4) For filling, in a large bowl, stir together egg whites, ricotta cheese, chicken, spinach, garlic powder, salt, pepper, basil and Italian seasoning. Stir in 1/4 cup each of mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.

5) To assemble, spoon cheese mixture into manicotti shells and place filled shells in a single layer in baking dish. Spread remaining sauce on top. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses and bake about 30 minutes.

Makes 6 servings, 2 stuffed shells for 7 points+

* Make it VEGETARIAN by using chickenless chicken and/or omitting the chicken.

** Make it VEGAN by omitting the chicken, using Veggie Shreds Mozzarella and clicking HERE for recipes for “mock” Ricotta or using tofu for the ricotta.

Nutritional information per 2 stuffed shelled serving calculated at caloriecount.com

Make up your filling while you boil your noodles according to the box directions.

Spray a 9×13 pan with your olive oil mister (nonstick spray) and spread a small layer of your marinara sauce ~ 1/2-3/4 cup. Stuff your shells and place them in the pan.  Then,top with remaining sauce and remaining cheeses.

Bake at 350 for ~ 30 minutes.

This was one of the first recipes I added to my site during my first year blogging.  Bringing it up from the archives reminds me that I NEED to make it for us again soon.

Last chance to enter my Get Fit Giveaway ~ The winner will be drawn tomorrow night.

Night all!

Happy Wednesday all!  Thanks for sharing your Laughing Cow ideas.  I had NO IDEA that they now have Cinnamon and Buffalo flavored Laughing Cow Cheeses.  I seriously NEED to find them now.

This morning I couldn’t decide what sounded good for breakfast.  I actually packed a banana and hard boiled egg plus another Fage 0% Yogurt with granola and fruit like yesterday.

As I walked to work from the train in the rain, I decided I NEEDED something warm LOL.

Not just anything, but, my one of my FAVORITE dishes that is custom made at our café.

Veggie Egg White Omelet without cheese with 2 slices of bacon on the side (6 points+)

Topped with a bunch of homemade fresh green salsa.  The grilled veggies add a delicious smoky flavor.

Mid morning, I snacked on a banana and Trader Joe’s Lite String Cheese (1 points+).

I had meetings ALL DAY today so I didn’t have a chance to get out for a walk.  It is days like today that make me “glad” that I walk to/from the train and am working on ALWAYS taking the stairs.

Lunch was the rest of the Penne with Sausage, Veggies & Spicy Queso Fredo.  It is just as tasty the next day (7 points+).

I actually packed a side salad to go with my lunch, but, when I sat down and thought about what I really wanted, it was more of these Tia Sweet BBQ Chips.

So, I went with it ~ sometimes you just need that salty crunch. (4 points+)

Remember the Sea Salt & Vinegar Almonds?! I opened another can and had 1/2 an ounce with an apple for my afternoon snack (2 points+)

When I walked in the door The Husband surprised me with Dum Dums and Jolly Ranchers!!! Remember how I said I wanted to get some yesterday….he saw that and went out just to get me some today ~ LOVE!

He also whipped up one FANTASTIC delicious dinner with his spin on my 20 Minute Crunchy Buffalo Chicken Salads.

We both LOVE BBQ anything, Buffalo Chicken, “Southern Fried Chicken” and Ranch.  This salad takes all of these piled high with a bunch of crisp vegetables to make one amazing crunchy, sweet, spicy, cool ranch salad you would never guess is healthy. 

What more can I say other than you NEED to try this!

BBQ BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD (print it!)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups organic romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup organic mixed greens
• 1/4 cup red cabbage
• 1 celery stalk, sliced
• 1/4 cup orange or red bell pepper, sliced
• 1/4 cup cucumber, sliced
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 2 Trader Joe’s Breaded Chicken Breast tenders (3 points+ each)
• 2 Tbsp Frank’s Hot Sauce
• 1 Tbsp BBQ Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Bolthouse Ranch Dressing (2 points+ for 2 Tbsp)
• 1 Tbsp Black Pepper Sliced Almonds, optional (1 points+)

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Cook chicken tenders according to the packaged instructions.

2.  Toss romaine, mixed greens and cabbage together.  Top salad mix with celery, bell pepper, cucumber and tomato slices.

3.  Toss cooked chicken tenders in the Frank’s Hot Sauce, then place on top of salad.  Drizzle with BBQ sauce, ranch and sprinkle with almonds if using.

**NOTE: Make this VEGETARIN by using Chickenless Tenders, breaded or fried tofu.

Makes 1 HUGE @$$ Crispy BBQ Buffalo Chicken Salad, 9 points+

Nutritional information for the ENTIRE salad calculated at caloriecount.com

STEP – BY – STEP

The “secret” is totally in THE SAUCES!  I LOVE Bolthouse Ranch ~ it’s one of the few bottled dressings that doesn’t taste like bottled.  The ranch blends perfectly with the sweet BBQ sauce and helps to cool off Frank’s Hot Sauce.

While the chicken cooks, build your salad.

Toss the chicken tenders in the Frank’s Hot Sauce then drizzle the entire salad with BBQ sauce.

Sprinkle with almonds & croutons (tossed on at the last minute).

Drizzle with ranch and dig into this completely healthy CRISPY, BBQ Buffalo Chicken Salad.

Dessert ~ 2 Dum Dums ~ Root Beer & Fruit Punch (1 points+).

Night all!

One of my favorite ingredients in any dessert is Lemon and my favorite type of cookie is a snicker doodle sugar cookie.  Each year my Grandmother grows AMAZING Meyer Lemons and they make me want to bake all things lemon…Lemon bars, lemon cake, lemon bread, lemon cupcakes, lemon COOKIES, you name it!  She grows a lot of lemons and we even freeze the juice as ice cubes to use throughout the year.

Meyer lemons have such vibrant color and smell, yet, they are slightly sweeter than your average lemon.  You can tell the difference at the store because their color is very similar to an orange.

Did any of you ever get those Healthy Meals in Minutes Sample Recipe Cards in the 90’s?  I had a few and a Light Lemon Cookie recipe was one of them.  I LOVED them and have to admit that yes, I have kept them all these years and made them several times over the years. (I am old at the ripe at of 38 you know )

Anyway, last year, I knew I wanted to make these cookies with the lemons my grandmother gave me.  I looked high and low for my long, lost recipe card, but, it was no where to be found. 

Sooooo….long story short, I developed this recipe based off of what I could remember of the lemon cookies I used to make and my FAVORITE snicker doodle recipe (sans the cinnamon)

The result is just short of AMAZING if you are a lemon person like me.  They are crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and you can taste every ingredient from the lemon peel to the butter to the sugar.

LIGHT MEYER LEMON COOKIES (print it!)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 tbsp. grated lemon peel
• 1/4 cup freshly squeeze lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine 3/4 cup sugar and all the remaining ingredients until combine.  If dough is not firm enough, chill 1 hour.

2. Place the 1/4 cup remaining sugar on a plate and set aside.  Form the cookies into 1 inch balls, roll each in sugar and place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

3.  Bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Cool 2 minutes and remove from cookie sheet.

Makes approximately 40 cookies, 1 points+ each

Add this recipe to your recipe collection by clicking the SpringIt Button

Nutritional information per cookie calculated at caloriecount.com:

These are definitely cookies I do not feel guilty about having more than one….because, let’s be honest, who eats just ONE cookie?!

Today I climbed over 40 stories thanks to my co-worker’s scheduling meetings 8 floors down!  I have decided going down is SO EASY but going up not so much. 

I will catch up with you all tomorrow with the details of this week’s Wordless Wednesday and a quick daily. 

Night all!

Happy Weekend all!  I am back today with the Grand Finale Recipe to my Eggland’s Best Brunch Recipes.  I am not sure which recipe is my favorite in the series since everything was pretty darn tasty, but, I might have just saved the BEST recipe for last.  I have been looking for ways to use my “Cake Pop Maker” ever since I made these Cinnamon Glazed Donut Holes in the fall.

These tasty little balls are super moist with hints of coconut and topped with a delicious vanilla glazed that melts in your mouth. The BEST part about them ~ they are totally healthy for you and….You get one Donut Hole for ONLY 1 POINTS+!

COCONUT DONUT HOLES (print it!)

INGREDIENTS

Donuts

• 1 cup 100% white whole wheat flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 6 oz 0% greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup fat free milk
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp coconut extract
• 1/3 cup shredded coconut

Icing

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp real vanilla extract
• 2-3 tsp water or until desired consistency is achieved
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Prepare and heat the Cake Pop Maker according to the packaged instructions.

2.  In a large bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients. In another bowl stir together egg, milk, yogurt, butter, vanilla & coconut extracts.

3.  Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the hole.  Gently fold everything together until combined.

4.  Put all of the batter into the other Ziploc bag. Cut off the end. Pipe into the cake pop pan, only filling 3/4 of the hole. Bake 4-6 minutes and remove to cooling rack.

5.  Once cooled, drizzle with vanilla icing, sprinkle with coconut and enjoy!

Makes 36 donut holes, 1 points+ each

Nutritional information per donut hole calculated at caloriecount.com

I LOVE that you can taste the vanilla and coconut inside and out as these little donut holes melt in your melt.

1 points+ each so you can have more than one! (3 for 3 points+ – deal!)

If you are looking to host your own Eggland’s Best Brunch, you can check out all the Brunch Recipes in this series below.

• The Brunch Menu Line Up
• Ham & Cheese Crepe Roll-Ups, 1 points+
• Bacon, Egg & Sausage Pizza, 6 points+
• Coconut Donuts ~ Above!

We are off to climb rock walls for my nephews birthday ~ gahhh, wish me luck since I never have!

Have a fantastic Saturday all!

As much as I LOVE salads, there are a few that seem to get repeated in our house over and over again like this VEGAN, Harvest Grain Salad.  The thing that makes this “pasta salad” amazing is the texture you get from combining all of the deliciously nutty, Harvest Grains.  They have a nice crunchy, chewiness that is offset by the tangy marinated artichokes and sweet sun dried tomatoes. 

Feel free to mix and match any of your favorite things ~ I know Tracey LOVES using marinated mushrooms, roasted red peppers and sometimes olives…..the options are endless!

Just make sure you finish with WHITE balsamic (brown makes it a funky color) to balance the salad out and give it that tangy, sweet finish.

This recipe only uses 1/2 the bag, but, I often double it whenever I am going to share it with others. 

HARVEST GRAIN SALAD (print it!)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Vegetable Broth
• 1 1/4 cups Harvest Grain Blend (Trader Joe’s or Make Your Own!)
• 7 oz marinated artichokes, roughly chopped
• 2/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup chives, minced
• Big Dashes of TJ’s 21 Spice Salute, optional
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  In a medium soup pan, bring broth to a boil.  Reduce heat and add Harvest Grain Blend.  Boil for 10 minutes or until the sauce is almost absorbed.  The mixture may stick to the pan slightly and that is ok.

2.  While the Harvest Grains Boil, prepare the ingredients above.  Remove the cooked Harvest Grains from the heat and toss with the remaining ingredients (artichokes through black pepper).

3.  Serve warm or chilled.

Makes six 1/2 cup servings, 4 points+ each

Nutritional information per serving calculated at caloriecount.com

STEP – BY – STEP

This is probably one of the easiest pasta/grain side dishes you will ever make.  I LOVE this Trader Joe’s Harvest Grains Blend because it has a fantastic texture and is packed with so many nutritious grains.

No worries, if you do not have a Trader Joe’s near you to buy it!  At the request of all my Florida fans, last year, I re-created this mix from scratch. 

Check out this post If you would like to Make Your Own Harvest Grain Mix!

I LOVE all the different grains and such that are included ~ who knew they made Baby garbanzo beans?!

4 points+ per 1/2 cup serving, prepared!

Simply start by portioning out 1/2 the Harvest Grain bag (approximately 1 1/4 cups) and boil it for 10 minutes in the broth to cook it.

After the grains are cooked, remove them from the heat and all your favorite additions.  For this recipe, I LOVE using tangy marinated artichoke hearts, sweet sun dried tomatoes and chives for color! 

Feel free to mix and match any of your favorite things ~ I know Tracey LOVES using marinated mushrooms, roasted red peppers and sometimes olives…..the options are endless!

Just make sure you finish with WHITE balsamic (brown makes it a funky color) to balance the salad out and give it that tangy, sweet finish.

This salad can be enjoyed hot or cold ~ either way, it’s absolutely delicious.

One of my tell tale signs that healthy recipes pass the test is when The Husband LOVES them too.  He refuses to eat couscous (he says it’s just plain weird), but, he LOVES this salad and requests it all year long!

I will catch up with you all tomorrow with the recipe for my Strawberry Mini Muffins, Soup or My daily ~ it all just depends on how much time I have.  It is going to be a LONGGGGG day!

Night all!

I am a big fan of CHEESY BREAKFAST casseroles, especially quiches.  This recipe puts a healthy spin on a a classic Broccoli Quiche by using low fat cheeses, buttermilk (for a rich creamy buttery flavor) and whole wheat flour.  I LOVE having the crust mixed IN the quiche because it makes it dense, creamy, cheesy and crunchy with the FRESH broccoli.

My inspiration for this recipe comes from my Weight Watcher’s Slow Cook It cookbook.  I modified their Broccoli Frittata Bite recipe to make it into a crockpot broccoli and cheese quiche.

The key to making this recipe a success in the slow cooker is to remember ONE RULE ~ when it comes to eggs, cook them slow and low.  High heat tends to burn the outsides before the inside has a chance to cook.

Feel free to mix this up with any vegetable you love, just make sure you use fresh or if you use frozen, unthaw and pat dry to remove the water.

Enjoy!

SLOW COOKER BROCCOLI CHEESE QUICHE (print it!)

INSTRUCTIONS

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 10 oz FRESH broccoli, chopped
• 1 1/4 cups 1% buttermilk
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 tsp of your favorite Hot Sauce, optional
• 1 cup low-fat sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
• Crockpot liners (recommended if your eggs tend to stick) or nonstick cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Spray a large 3-4 quart crock pot dish with nonstick spray or line with a crock pot liner and spray with nonstick spray.

2.  Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.  Reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and very soft, about 15 minutes.  Add broccoli and cooking, stirring occasionally, until all the flavors are blended, about 2-3 minutes.

3.  Whisk buttermilk and eggs in a medium bowl.  Whisk in flour, baking soda, sea salt, black pepper and hot sauce just until blended.  Stir in broccoli mixture and 3/4 cup cheddar cheese until combined.

4.  Transfer mixture to slow cooker; sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese over the top.  Cover and cook until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, 6-8 hours on low.   Crock pots do vary on temperatures so be sure to adjust the time according to your crock pot settings.

 NOTE: Using the HIGH setting does not work with this recipe as it cooks unevenly (burned on the edges and soggy in the middle)

5.  Transfer stoneware to rack and let quiche cool slightly, about 15 minutes.  Slice a butter knife around the edges to loosen.  Cut into 10 slices.  Serve warm.

Makes 10 servings, 3 points+ each or 8 servings, 4 points+ each

Nutritional information 1/8th of the recipe calculated at caloriecount.com

STEP – BY – STEP

INGREDIENT NOTE:  As part of the FoodBuzz Tastemaker program, I received a carton of Eggland’s Best Eggs to taste test.   I figured this quiche recipe would be a perfect way to “test them out”.

I am not sure that I buy into the whole adding things to your eggs, especially when your eggs are not organic.  However, if you are going to add things, why not have them be good things for you like Vitamins and Omega-3’s   I do like that they treat their chickens humanely, they are vegetarian fed with no hormones added.

I did smile when I saw that they stamped EB on each egg ~ funny, my eggs are branded.

Start off by heating your olive oil over medium heat and adding your onions to caramelize.  I LOVE caramelizing onions because it really brings out their sweetness.

After your onions are soft and caramelized, add your broccoli for a few minutes to mix the flavors.

While you veggies cook, whip up the egg part.  The Eggland’s Best eggs look like normal eggs and they taste like regular eggs too 

Add your buttermilk.

Whisk in your whole wheat flour, pepper and pink sea salt.

Plus some heat!  I LOVE pretty much every egg dish with a little hot sauce.

Stir your veggie mixture into your egg mixture.

Stir in 3/4 cup of your low-fat cheese.  I used low fat Monterey jack because it is what I had on hand.

Pour your mixture into your prepared crockpot and top with your remaining quarter cup cheese.

Cook it slow & low for 6-8 hours or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow to cool slightly, slice a butter knife around the edges, cut and serve.

You can get really creative with this recipe by mixing it up and using different vegetables or flavored cheeses each time.  You can put this in the crock pot before bed  and wake up to a delicious breakfast that took not time at all to prepare.    Another option is to put it on a Sunday morning and enjoy it for dinner.

This is another favorite recipe from my archives that I think I just may have to make for breakfasts this week!  I am off to spend the day with my Sis and Mom getting pedicures, having lunch and going to the movies for the grand finale of my birthday week.  If I am not back tonight, I will catch up with you all tomorrow with The Husband’s first Weight Watchers Meeting and my weekly menu!

Happy Weekend!

Happy Wednesday all!  I definitely saw a few ideas on your menus yesterday that I think I NEED to borrow ~ thanks for for sharing!  Yesterday morning I was up at 5 AM to get my workout in since I knew my day was going to be super busy. 

I spent 32 minutes doing a 2:1 walk/jog combination on the treadmill then grabbing a banana before getting to work on BREAKFAST!

Do you all remember that 1 points+ Asparagus Tortilla my leader made us in our meeting last week?  I can honestly say I have been dreaming about it ever since…..

Her version definitely looks prettier (I think she might not have sliced her asparagus first?), but, both were completely delicious.  The secret is definitely in “frying” the asparagus before hand in a little olive oil, sea salt and black pepper.

I sauted my asparagus bites in 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until crisp tender.  Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper. 

Reduce heat to low and let the pan cool off for about 2 minutes.

She did tell us the “secret” to this recipe she used to get whenever she went to Spain was all about the technique.  You could this similar to a frittata by slowly cooking the eggs and slightly lifting/tilting the pan and eggs to allow the excess eggs run to the bottom on the pan to cook.

Then, instead of putting the eggs in the oven to cook, you take a plate (yup, that’s my BIG plate LOL) and flip the pan and slide them back into the pan to finish your cooking.

You need to make sure your dish makes it easy to slide your eggs back into your fry pan or you will end up with scrambled eggs (still good though!)

Slice into 8 pieces and enjoy!

ASPARAGUS TORTILLA (Print it!)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb asparagus, stems removed and sliced into 2 inch sections
• 4 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 cups Egg Beaters or the equivalent eggs

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  Preheat oil in a NONSTICK pan over medium heat.  While the oil heats, prepare asparagus.  Add asparagus and saute for for 5 minutes, until crisp tender.

2.  Reduce heat to low and allow pan to “cool off” for 1-2 minutes. 

3.  Slowly pour in egg beaters and cook over low until the eggs are set, tilting your pan and carefully lifting the “egg tortilla” letting the uncooked eggs run to the bottom of the pan, about 7-8 minutes..

4.  Once the eggs are set and there is very little runny egg on top, place a plate over the frying pan and carefully flip the egg tortilla on top of the pan.  Slide the egg tortilla back into the frying pan and finish cooking about 4-5 minutes.

5.  Slice into 8 sections and enjoy!

Makes 8 servings, 2 points+ each or 16 slices for 1 points+, 100% Simply Filling

Nutritional information per serving calculated at caloriecount.com:

I actually had 2 slices stacked on top of each other, then topped with Sriracha for 4 points+

I had actually planned my day differently yesterday for lunch since The Husband made up a beautiful Tri Tip Salad.

Since I never had a chance to break for lunch, I ended up grabbing the snacks I packed instead.

A perfectly Hard Boiled Egg for 2 points+.

Trader Joe’s Lite String Cheese (1 points+)

And Pineapple!!!

All would be power foods and part of Simply Filling if you used Fat Free Cheese.

I had a “moment” while at my co-workers desk since we were working late and snacked on these Lemon Heads.

It DID sorta make me laugh that my candy said “Made with Real Fruit Juice” ~ really?! LOL…..1 points+ for the bag.

I didn’t end up getting home last night until 9 pm so we ended up grabbing Chipotle since by that point I honestly just NEEDED to eat real food.

decided to go with the 3 Crunchy Chicken Tacos because they fill them so much that you end up with a salad after you eat them.  I LOVE that! (15 points+ or 5 points+/taco)

3 crunchy corn taco shells with chicken, pico de gallo, corn salsa, cheese & lettuce

I LOVE Chipotle!

Q’s

Did anyone watch The Biggest Loser last night? What do you think of the new season so far?

Catch up with you all tonight!

Happy Sunday all!  How are you all doing??  I completely & totally unplugged this weekend turning everything off.  I cannot remember the last time I went an entire weekend without turning the computer on or checking email.  It is kind of crazy how much we got done even if I am completely and totally behind with you all now.  I will be playing catch-up all week, but, it was totally worth it.

I DID miss you all, but, I can say, I am back in action and have so many FANTASTIC things to share….like this delicious Salad Party we hosted today!

The folks at Wish Bone asked over the summer if I would like to host a Salad Savvy Party and create some tasty new recipes using their new dressings. I am a pretty big fan of Wish Bone Dressings because they are truly versatile.  I LOVE using them for quick marinades, pasta salads and of course on my BIG SALADS since they are only 1 points+ each.

We thought it would be fun to have our nephews over to our salad party and let them Build a Better Salad!  This was definitely a stretch since our 7 year old nephew pretty much only likes ranch with sunflower seeds and lettuce.  I definitely think it helped get them both excited about “cooking” in the kitchen because we let them pick out all the ingredients they thought would be fun in salad.

The goal of each of our salads was to make sure they were delicious no matter what new Wish Bone Salad Dressing you used.

A special Thanks to Wish Bone for providing us with everything we needed to host our Salad Party including the dressings, plates and gift cards to buy the ingredients.

The first salad up was our “GROUP” salad.  The first thing that came to the boys mind when we told them it didn’t have to be ALL vegetables was pasta salad.

I absolutely LOVE this pasta salad ~ it might be my favorite in the group.  The Bruschetta dressing is slightly sweet and slightly tangy, so we decided to include all of those delicious flavors in our pasta salad.  I think the thing that makes this pasta salad fun is all the little “treats” you come across as you eat it….from the mozzarella balls to the sun dried tomatoes and garlic stuffed green olives. 

BRUSCHETTA PASTA SALAD (print here)

INGREDIENTS

• 6 oz ratatouille pasta
• 2 oz fresh mozzarella balls
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1 cup snap peas, diced
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced
• 10 black olives
• 5 garlic stuffed green olives
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
• 4 artichoke hearts, sliced in half
• 1/3 cup Wish Bone Bruschetta Vinaigrette
• Sea salt & black pepper to taste

INGREDIENTS

1.  Cook the pasta according to the packaged directions.  Rinse in cold water and place in a large bowl.

2.  Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently to combine.

3.  Chill for 1 hour and enjoy!

Makes 8 servings, 1 1/2 cups, 5 points+ each

Nutritional information per serving

Salad # 2 included all of my FAVORITE things in a salad.  Your first bite is the crisp greens and sweet beets, followed up with the smoky bacon, sweet & nutty pecans and salty feta cheese.  This salad is actually perfect “naked” without dressing, but, adding in the Mediterranean or SuperFruit Berry Vinaigrettes really make this one FANTASTIC salad.

MEDITERANNEAN BEET, BACON & PECAN SALAD (print here)

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups organic mixed greens
• 1 cup roasted, fresh beets, quartered (I used Trader Joe’s roasted & fresh beets!)
• 1 oz fat free feta
• 1/4 cup roasted pecans, roughly chopped
• 2 pieces turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/4 cup Wish Bone Mediterranean Italian Dressing

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  In a large bowl, build your salad starting with the mixed greens and finishing with the turkey bacon.

2.  Toss with dressing just before serving.

Makes 4 servings, 1 1/4 cups, 3 points+ each

Nutritional information per serving

Salad #3 was developed entirely by our middle nephew who is 11 years old (can you tell even by the title?!) He put everything into the bowl that he LOVES but made sure to balance out the rich mozzarella & garlic stuffed green olives with sweet and tangy pomegranate seeds & salty sunflower seeds. 

GET ME TO THE “GREEK” SALAD (print here)

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups organic mixed greens
• 2 oz fresh mozzarella balls
• 4 garlic stuffed green olives
• 4 black olives
• 2 artichoke hearts, sliced in half
• 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1 Tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 cup Wish Bone Greek Vinaigrette

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large bowl, build your salad starting with the mixed greens and finishing with the pomegranate seeds.

2. Toss with dressing just before serving.

Makes 4 servings, 1 1/4 cups, 3 points+ each

Nutritional information per serving

Who says that you can’t have salad as dessert?  The Husband had the “grand finale” salad and he really did take this Waldorf inspired fruit salad over the top.  The soft butter leaf lettuce was the perfect addiction to all the crunchy, sweet fruit and rich nuts.  The SuperFruit Berry Vinaigrette actually brings together all of the flavors in the salad with a little tang and a little sweetness.

WALDORF INSPIRED FRUIT SALAD (print here)

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cup butter leaf lettuce
• 1/2 cup English cucumber, quartered and sliced
• 1 nectarine, diced
• 1 large pluot, diced
• 1/2 cup large red grapes
• 2 Tbsp roasted walnuts, chopped
• 1 Tbsp sliced almonds
• 1 Tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 1/4 cup Wish Bone SuperFruit Berry Vinaigrette

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large bowl, build your salad starting with the butter leaf lettuce and finishing with the pomegranate seeds.

2. Toss with dressing just before serving.

Makes 4 servings, 1 1/4 cups, 3 points+ each

Nutritional information per serving

The BEST PART about having a Build a Better Salad Salad Party……

Having fun making the salads, getting to try them ALL and knowing they are all less than 5 points+ per serving!

Want more salad party ideas? Wish Bone has a TON of recipes and ideas on their site.

HERE IS WHAT IS ON THE MENU THIS WEEK

I AM cooking ~ Now that I have week 1 under my belt, it’s time to find my routine again! Recipes to post when I make them for the items not linked.

• Italian Sausage & Pepper Pasta, garlic bread, salad
• Ginger Teriyaki Shrimp Skewers, Brown Rice, Cucumber Salad
• Grilled Soy Honey Glazed Pork Chops with Jicama Hashbrowns & stuffed zucchini or green beans
• Lazy Chicken Enchiladas with salad
• BREAKFASTS ~ Summer Vegetable Frittata
• LUNCHES ~ Ginger Soy Chicken & Edamame Stir Fry with Brown Rice

Get READY TO WIN your own Wishbone Salad Savvy Kit coming up tomorrow.

Night all!

Happy Biggest Loser Day all!  It’s sort of crazy to think it’s “that” time for the show again.  I can honestly say that this is the first time since I’ve been watching The Biggest Loser that I am not sure if I really want to watch it.  I LOVED watching Jillian & I think it just worked with her/Bob.  I am not too excited for the “new” trainers, but, I am going to give them a one to two show chance.

Are any of you watching this season?  What do you think?

I started my day with a banana plus a Venti Iced Nonfat Latte with caramel drizzle (3 points+).

When I got home, I got to work on whipping up the Banana Nut Dark Chocolate Chunk Bread I have been thinking about ever since I received this Ghirardelli Intense Dark Chocolate as part of the Foodbuzz Taste Maker Program.

The folks over at Ghirardelli challenged us to come up with some mouth watering recipes using their Intense Dark Chocolate.  My first instinct was to go for the Sea Salt Soiree, but, I resisted and decided on using the Twilight Delight 72% Cacao.

REAL ingredients that you can recognize!

2 points+ a square which isn’t too bad since a little richness goes a long way.

I decided to use my FAVORITE Brown Sugar Banana Nut Bread Recipe as my base but decided to lighten up the recipe by reducing the fat & sugar by half so I could layer in an entire bar of chocolate chunk goodness.

If you LOVE chocolate walnut covered bananas, then, you are going to LOVE this bread.  It’s slightly dense from the bananas, crunchy from the roasted walnuts and decadent from the rich dark chocolate chunks you get in every single bite.  I am pretty sure once you try it, you won’t believe it’s a Weight Watchers friendly recipe.

BANANA NUT DARK CHOCOLATE CHUNK BREAD (Print Recipe Here)

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup golden brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 oz 0% Greek yogurt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 4 small bananas, mashed
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup dry roasted chopped walnuts
• 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts for topping
• 3.5 oz Ghirardelli Intense 72% Dark Chocolate, chopped into chunks

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9×5 pan with nonstick spray.

2.  Cream butter, Greek yogurt and brown sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time. Stir in vanilla and banana.

3.  Mix in flour, baking powder and salt until combined. Fold in 1/2 cup walnuts & chocolate until combined.

4.  Pour in pan, top with additional 2 Tbsp chopped walnuts and bake 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Want to make Banana Nut Muffins? Follow the instructions above including sprinkle the muffin tops with chopped walnuts. Spray 14 muffin tin cups with nonstick spray and bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Makes 14 slices, 5 points+ each

Nutritional information per slice

It really IS as good, if not better than it looks.  Ghirardelli is offering up a $1.00 coupon on their website if you want to buy some chocolate ~ go here!

I planned my lunch today around having some of this Rosemary Sea Salt Focaccia I picked up at Sam’s Club yesterday (don’t mind The Husband’s nibble lol).

This bread is almost the size of a cookie sheet and you get 4 points+ for 1/7th of it!

I am pretty sure I might be the ONLY person wanting soup today since it was over 100 degrees…I totally blame my cold and the fact that I CRAVE this simple Butternut Squash Soup.

Soup + Bread = LOVE! (8 points+ for lunch)

After lunch, I spent the afternoon organizing  our closet, getting rid of old clothes and putting away the new clothes, then, organizing and cleaning out our guest room. 

Dinner involved my NEW salad addiction ~ 4 Bean Salad with Sunflower Seeds over greens with 1 Tbsp Balsamic Dressing (2 points+). 

It’s sweet, tangy, nutty, crunchy and doesn’t feel like you are eating a “diety” salad.

I picked up a bunch of heirloom tomatoes at the Farmer’s Market on Sunday.  I decided to combine them with some garden cherry tomatoes to make up a big batch of Summer Garden Pasta with “No Cook” Tomato Basil sauce. 

The verdict ~ I think it tastes better with cherry tomatoes, but, we both totally gobbled it up. 

1 1/2 cups for 5 points+.

Dessert is going to be a slice of that Banana Nut Dark Chocolate Chunk Bread!

Q’s:

What is on your FALL MUST SEE TV agenda?

I know I want to watch The Next Iron Chef and probably The Biggest Loser….I think I “need” more ideas…. Share away….

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!