Honey Mustard Pork Chops

Here's a yummy marinade for pork chops that I found in my Weight Watchers cookbook.  Anything with honey mustard satisfies my husband so he just loved this marinade!

4 tsps honey
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1 tsp cider or wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper, to taste

I mixed it all together, poured over the pork chops, and threw them in the fridge (for at least 8 hours) until Jon threw them on the grill.  They came out pretty tasty!

Asian Shrimp, Snow Peas, and Rice

This was my very first attempt to cook Asian food and it wasn't hard at all!  It has such a great flavor to it.  My only complaint is about the snow peas.  I've never cooked with these before so I didn't know there were "strings" involved.  I found some in the produce department so I put those in my buggy and continued on getting my other groceries.  I did find some prepackaged Asian snow peas, after I had the others, that stated it was without strings.  I had no clue what that meant so I continued on b/c I didn't feel like putting the others back.  Bad decision!!!!  Jon and I ended up taking the peas out of the dish b/c you can't chew those strings.  I decided to still share the recipe b/c it truly is good.....with or without snow peas.

1 1/4 cups reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 TBSP cornstarch
1 tsp vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 cups snow peas....WITHOUT STRINGS!!!!
2 TBSPS reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tsps Asian (dark) sesame oil
1 1/4 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
3 cups hot cooked long grain rice (we only used about 1 cup)

1. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the broth and the cornstarch; stir until the cornstarch dissolves.  Set aside.
2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat, heat the vegetable oil;  add the garlic and saute about 1 minute.  Add the carrots and 1/3 cup of the remaining broth; cook 2 minutes, then stir in the snow peas, 1/3 cup of the remaining broth, the soy sauce, and sesame oil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the snow peas are tender crisp, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp and the remaining 1/3 cup of broth; cook, stirring occasionally, just until the shrimp turn pink, 3-4 minutes.  Increase the heat and bring to a boil.  Stir in the dissolved corn starch and add the red pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 2 minutes.  Serve over the rice.

Chicken Fajitas

Last night we had a little Mother's Day celebration and a belated Cinco de Mayo celebration with our neighbors.  Chicken Fajitas and Margaritas it was for us!  I got the marinade for the chicken out of my Weight Watchers cookbook.  It called for the chicken to be cooked in a skillet but we grilled ours.  I love grilled veggies!

I didn't get a pic of our fajitas but I did get a great pic of my dear friend, Chris, and I enjoying our margaritas (recipe below)!  Thanks to my friend Amy for her mom's wonderful margarita recipe!

Chicken Fajitas

2 TBSP fresh lime juice

1 TBSP reduced sodium soy sauce

1 tsp chili powder

Pinch crushed red pepper

10 oz skinless boneless cihcken breasts, cut into thin strips

4 tsps vegetable oil

1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

1 onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

4 (6 in) fat free flour tortillas

1/2 cup salsa, for garnish

1/4 cup fat free sour cream, for garnish

fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. To prepare the marinade, in a zip-loc bag, combine the lime juice, soy sauce, chili powder, and red pepper; add the chicken.  Seal the bag, squeezing out the air; turn to coat chicken.  Refrigerate, turning bag occasionally, at least 2 hours or overnight.  Drain and discard marinade.
2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tsps of the oil.  Saute the bell peppers and onion until softened, 8-10 minutes.  Transfer to a plate and keep warm.
3. In the skillet, heat remaining 2 tsps oil.  Saute the chicken until cooked through, 3-5 minutes.
4. To assemble fajitas, soften tortillas according to package directions.  Divide chicken and sauteed vegetables among tortillas; garnish with salsa, sour cream and cilantro.

Margaritas

The recipe is for a frozen margarita but Chris and I just put it over ice instead.  It is delicious any way you like it!  I'll give it to you like Amy gave it to my friends and I.

12 oz Minute Maid Limeade Frozen Concentrate

Empty into the blender and then use the container for the rest of the measurements.

Fill 1/2 container with tequila and pour in.

Fill 1/4 container with Triple Sec and pour in.

Squeeze in whole lime.  Add ice then blend!!!  (or pour margarita over ice.)

Rosemary Chicken with Wild Rice

43 days left until we leave for Disney World which means lots of Weight Watcher meals! 

This one was really good.  I was a little hesitant at first because it calls for quite a bit of rosemary and rosemary and I haven't really agreed in the past.  When I was pregnant with Taylor, Jon made a chicken meal with tons of rosemary and well....lets just say it didn't sit well with me.  Since then I've stayed away from the rosemary until now. :-)

1 cup wild rice (I used a whole box of Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice)

1 TBSP olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/4 lbs skinless boneless chicken breasts, cubed

2 carrots, diced

2 TBSP finely chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 TBSP dried

1/4 cup & 2 TBSP orange marmalade

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper

1. Cook the wild rice according to the package directions.
2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil.  Add the garlic and saute until golden, about 2 minutes.  Add the chicken and carrots and saute, stirring frequently, 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the rosemary; cook until chicken is cooked through, 3-4 minutes longer.
3. Stir in the marmalade, mustard, and pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until heated through, about 3 minutes.  Add the rice; toss to combine.

per serving: (1 generous cup): 304 calories, 6 g fat, WW points: 6

Turkey Meatloaf

This meatloaf is delish and healthy!  Problem is....I don't think going back for seconds will keep it too low fat! :-)  This recipe came from the Weight Watchers website.

1 TBSP olive oil
3/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup green pepper, finely chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup low fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp ketchup
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup ketchup
1 TBSP brown sugar
1 tsp mustard

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Heat oil in a large skillet.  Saute onion, bell pepper, and garlic for about 3 minutes.  Let cool.
3. Combine onion mixture, cheese, and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl.  Toss to moisten bread crumbs.  Crumble turkey ontop of mixture and mix until all combined.
4. Place mixture into a loaf pan and bake for 35 minutes.  Combine 1/2 cup ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard in a small bowl.  Stir well.
5. Spoon ketchup mixture on meatloaf and bake an additional 5 minutes.  Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
6. Yield 5 servings.  2 slices per serving.  6 points per serving

SW Slow Cooker Chicken & Potato Soup

This is a yummy and easy soup recipe!  It's actually a Weight Watcher recipe that a friend, Jenn Davis, discovered and passed along to me.  Instead of white potatoes you actually use sweet potatoes.  Very different but very good!

3/4 lb uncooked boneless chicken breast cut into 1 inch cubes
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
29 oz canned diced tomatoes, salsa style with chilies (I forgot to get the one with green chilies so I used regular diced tomatoes and a can of 7 oz green chilies.  Jen also substitutes 3 cans of Rotel for the 29 oz can.)
14 1/2 oz fat free chicken broth
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, not thawed

1. Mix chicken, potatoes, onion, tomatoes, broth & seasonings in a 4 quart or larger slow cooker, cover & cook on low heat setting for at least 6 hours.
2. Stir in corn, cover and cook on high heat setting until chicken is no longer pink in center & veggies are tender....about 30 minutes.

Spicy Meatloaf

Here's another Weight Watchers recipe.  I'm trying to get back on track so decided to start doing my points again.  The meatloaf was ok....honestly, I thought it was a little bland but it could be b/c I didn't add the hot sauce it calls for.  It also fell apart alot easier than a normal meatloaf.  You are probably wondering why I'm blogging about it if I'm so negative about it.  It really was pretty good.  I added a little ketchup to it and made it alot better.  The main reason I'm blogging is b/c I found it really kid friendly.  It calls for veggies to be finely chopped in there so you can't even taste them.  I'm not one to like to hide veggies in order to have Taylor eat them but if that's what the recipe calls for then that's what it calls for. :-)

Spicy Meatloaf

2 tsp canola oil
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1 large egg
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary, or 1/2 tsp dried
1 tsp finely chopped fresh sage, or pinch dried
1 tsp finely chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried
1/4 tsp hot red pepper sauce
1/4 cup tomato puree or tomato sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 350; spray a 9 inch square baking pan with nonstick spray.  In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil.  Saute the mushrooms, onion. carrot, and celery until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine the sauteed vegetables, beef, oats, egg, tomato paste, worcestershire, garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme, and pepper sauce.  Shape into a loaf.  Bake 30 minutes.  Top with the tomato puree (diluted with a little water, if needed) and bake 30-45 minutes longer.  Cut into 8 slices.

Per Serving (2 slices): 275 Cal, 10 g Fat
Point value: 6

Sloppy Joes and Sweet Potato Chips

My good friend Jennifer shared a delicious WW sloppy joe recipe with me that is sooooo easy and soooo delicious! I was feeling the need to "cheat" and this was a good way to feel like I was cheating without actually doing it. I also made some "Sweet Potato Chips" to go along with it. Jon said it tasted the same as a baked sweet potato and wasn't anything special but it was just something different to try.

Sloppy Joes

2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion chopped
2 medium celery stalks chopped
1 medium bell pepper chopped
1 lb lean ground turkey
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
20 oz canned crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
1/4 ketchup
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
8 medium mixed grain hamburger rolls

1. Heat oil in large nonstick saucepan over medium high heat.
2. Add onion, celery, bell pepper and saute until tender, 3 minutes. Add turkey and saute until browned, breaking meats as it cooks, 5 minutes. Add chili powder, basil, salt, pepper, and cayenne, stir to coat. Add crushed tomatoes, ketchup and mustard. mix well
3. bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover and simmer stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.
4. Stir in corn and simmer 2 minutes to heat through. Spoon mixture onto rolls and serve hot.

5 points and YUMMY! Makes 8 servings

Sweet Potato Chips

1 lb sweet potatoes (about 2 large), peeled and very thinly sliced
1/2 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt

1. In a medium bowl, combine the potatoes, sugar, 1/4 tsp of the salt, and cold water to cover. Soak 30 minutes; drain and blot dry.
2. Preheat the oven to 350; spray 2 nonstick baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Place the potatoes in a single layer on the baking sheets. Bake, turning the potatoes over frequently so that they color and crisp evenly, 35-40 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 tsp of salt.

Per serving (1/4 of chips): 118 cal, 0 g fat, 3 g fiber. Points: 2

Meatloaf and Taco Salad

Here are two more WW recipes that we tried this week that were really good. I'm really enjoying trying to lose weight again. It makes me feel so good about myself. So far the scale hasn't done too, too much (thanks to me being female) but I can just feel it. I'm not as bloated as normal and my shorts and shirts are fitting better. It does get frustrating at times b/c of the scale but I have to keep telling myself that I can survive the first two weeks which is always the hardest. One week down....one to go!

Parmesan-Turkey Meatloaf

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/4 lbs ground skinless turkey
4 slices whole-wheat bread, made into fine crumbs
1/2 cup fat free milk
1 egg white, lightly beaten
3 tbsps ketchup
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil OR 1/2 tsp dried
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350; spray an 8x5 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. In a small nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute the onion until tender, 4-5 minutes.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the onion, turkey, bread crumbs, milk, egg white, ketchup, cheese, garlic, basil, thyme, and pepper; blend well. Shape into a loaf and transfer to the pan. Bake until browned and cooked through, 50-60 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes, then cut into 8 slices.

Per serving (1 slice): 181 cal, 9 fat, 1 g fiber Points value: 4

Taco Salad

1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup water
4 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 carrot, shredded
4 (6 in) corn tortillas, lightly toasted and cut into 4 triangles each
3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

1. To prepare the dressing, in a small bowl combine the yogurt, cilantro, sour cream, crushed garlic, and salt; let stand 30 minutes.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil. Saute about 2/3 of the onions and the minced garlic until the onion is translucent, 6-8 minutes. Add the chopped carrot, bell pepper, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne; cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add the beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the beef is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates, about 15 minutes longer.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl combine the lettuce, shredded carrot,, and 1/4th of the cilantro dressing; toss to coat.
4. To serve, divide the lettuce mixture among 4 plates; top with the meat, then surround with the tortilla triangles. Serve, sprinkled with the cheese and remaining onion and drizzled with the dressing.

Per serving (1 salad): 357 cal, 12 g fat, 9 g fiber Points value: 7

Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken

This dish was surprisingly very good. The breading is made with cornflakes so I was a little skeptical but it goes to show you that you need to try different things and you'll be surprised with what you get. The whole time I was cooking it Jon kept teasing me saying that he can't believe we were about to eat cereal covered chicken. If you know him then you can just hear the things he was telling me. I was very pleased when he ate 4 pieces! (they were small)

I adjusted the recipe just a little. It calls for "chicken parts" so I used "boneless skinless thighs" and I added more breading mix b/c I didn't feel like what they called for was enough. Of course the nutritional value was a bit different but not by much.

Here's the recipe from the cookbook....

Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken

1/2 cup fat free buttermilk
1/2 cup cornflakes, crushed
3 tbsps all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
2 lbs chicken parts, skinned
4 tsps canola oil

1. Preheat the oven to 400. spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Pour the buttermilk into a large shallow bowl. On a sheet of wax paper, combine the cornflake crumbs, flour, salt, and pepper. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk, then dredge in the cornflake mixture, coating completely. Place the chicken on the baking sheet; drizzle with the oil. Bake 30 minutes, then turn the chicken over. Bake until cooked trough, 15-20 minutes longer.

Per serving (about 2 pieces): 229 cal, 10 g fat, 11 g carb, 0 g fiber

Points: 5

My recipe lovers

I've gotten a lot of people tell me how much they've enjoyed the recipes I've posted and to keep posting them. Well, there is some good news and some bad news for those people. The good news is I will continue posting recipes but the bad news is they will all be healthy, low fat recipes. LOL

I've officially started Weight Watchers again this past week. I gained 5 lbs while my inlaws were here and decided enough is enough. You would think that with all the walking we did in NYC I would have lost but we ate way too much!!!! I need to start losing the remaining baby weight and need to start now. So Jon and I decided that we are starting this together which makes it soooo much easier b/c we have each others support. I'm also going to be starting with a trainer at the gym in a couple of weeks and I'm super excited about that. I met with him yesterday for the first time and he kicked my butt in just 15 minutes. It was hard but I persevered it and am feeling sore but great this morning!

So far I've tried a couple of the WW recipes but it wasn't anything to write about. They were just "ok". Last night we did turkey burgers that were actually pretty good and were very low in points. (if you don't know anything about WW you go on a point system instead of actually counting calories.) So here's the recipe.....

Monterrey Jack Turkey Burgers

3/4 pounds ground skinless turkey breast
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp ketchup
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup shredded MJ cheese
4 strips turkey bacon, cooked until crisp
4 hamburger buns, split and toasted
1 tomato, cut into 4 slices

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, shallots, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, and pepper. Blend in the cheese, then form into 4 burgers and cook. Serve the burgers in the buns with the bacon and tomato slices.

Per serving: (1 burger) 306 cal, 9 gram fat, 4 gram sat fat, 1 gram trans fat, 77 mg chol, 707 mg sodium, 26 gram carb, 2 gram fiber, 31 gram protein, 130 mg calcium.

6 points (for other WWs)