Tomato with Shrimp and Basil

Perfect for hot summer days, this is a light and tasty dish!  If you have tomatoes fresh from your garden, this is a great way to use some up.  Fresh basil is very important for this dish, so don't cut corners with dried.

Ingredients

• 4 c. (3/4 inch) cubed whole wheat French bread baguette
• 5 c. ripe tomato wedges (about 4 large)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 c small basil leaves

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Place bread cubes on a baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes or until crisp and golden brown, turning cubes once.
3. Combine tomatoes and 1/4 tsp salt in a large bowl.  Sprinkle shrimp with remaining black pepper and salt.  Heat olive oil, red pepper, and garlic in a large non-stick pan over low heat; cook 5 minutes or until warm and fragrant.  
4. Increase heat to medium high.  Add shrimp to pan; saute 2 minutes or until shirmp are done, stirring frequently. Stir in lemon juice.  
5. Add bread, shrimp mixture, and basil to tomatoes; toss gently to coat.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

It's summer, and it's WAY to hot to cook! I really love salads in the summer so I'm always looking for new dressings. This is delicious!

Ingredients

• 1/2 c balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 c honey
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1 tsp soy sauce

Directions

1. Whisk together the vinegar, honey, olive oil, and soy sauce until the honey has dissolved, and the dressing is smooth.

No Mayo Ranch

I'm a huge ranch dressing fan. HUGE! I like to eat it on baked potatoes, french fries, veggies, my hamburgers, and of course, salad. I even conveniently 'forget' it's made from mayo (which I used to love but after the birth of my fourth child, could no longer stomach if I smelled it, go figure) to enjoy it. Except recently, I came to the horrifying realization that there are MEGA calories in my favorite dressing. So I had all but cut it out....until! This dressing.

Ingredients

• 1 cup low-fat sour cream
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

Directions

1. Place sour cream and buttermilk into a mixing bowl. Season with parsley, chives, garlic powder, dill, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk together until smooth. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. You can whip this again before serving for a thicker texture.

Marinated Garden Tomatoes

These have been a family favorite for years now. Even my daughter, who is not a lover of tomatoes, enjoys this tangy side dish. It will go perfectly with our Memorial Day barbecue of grilled cheeseburgers and Chipotle Ranch Pasta Salad!

Ingredients

• 6 large tomatoes, sliced to a 1/4 inch thickness
• 1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions
• 2/3 c. olive or canola oil
• 3/4 c. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 c. fresh minced parsley
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp salt (kosher is wonderful for this!)
• 1 TBS fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp coarsely ground pepper

Directions

1. Place the sliced tomatoes and onions in a shallow bowl. 11x13 works well.
2. In a small mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, garlic, salt, thyme, and ground pepper. Mix well.
3. Pour over tomato. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours - overnight is best if you have the time.

Serves 10

Healthy Asian Lettuce Wrap

I enjoy finding healthy substitutes to foods that normally aren't so healthy. This is a favorite for both me and my husband! If you prefer a more traditional style, substitute ground pork for the turkey and jasmine rice for the brown rice.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 TBS light soy sauce
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 2 tsp minced fresh ginger root
• 1 c. brown rice
• 1 c. water
• 16 large lettuce leaves
• 1 c. shredded carrots
• 1 c. green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 c. sliced red bell pepper
• 1/3 c. light soy sauce
• 1/3 c. water
• 3 TBS rice vinegar
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 TBS minced fresh ginger root
• 1 tsp sugar

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix together ground turkey, 1 TBS soy sauce, 1 tsp minced garlic and 2 tsp ginger. Form into 16 meatballs and roll into ovals. Cover and refrigerate.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine rice with 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until rice is tender. (or use your rice cooker for perfect rice every time - just remember that brown rice takes more liquids and needs to cook longer)
3. Preheat the grill or broiler. Arrange rice, lettuce leaves, carrots, scallions, and red peppers onto a serving platter or place each into a small bowl. In a medium bowl, mix together 1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/3 c. water, rice vinegar, 2 tsp garlic, 1 TBS ginger, and sugar. Divide into 4 small dipping bowls.
4. Thread two meatballs onto each 10 inch skewer. Grill or broil for 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally to brown all sides. If broiling, line the broiler pan with aluminum foil and drain fat after 6 minutes.
5. To eat, place a leaf of lettuce onto the palm of your hand, spoon on a little rice, then a meat roll, and a few of the vegetables. Roll up and dip in dipping sauce or spoon sauce over.

Serves 4

Green Bean Fries

Yes, it's fried, so it's not "as" healthy as it could be. But my kids love these, which speaks volumes in my house! See the notes below about making a healthier version, that I actually love for myself!

Ingredients:

• oil for frying
• 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups italion seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or electric skillet to 375 degrees.
2. Combine the green beans and water in a saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook until the beans are bright green, about 4 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Cover with cold water and set aside.
3. In one bowl, whisk the egg and milk together. In a separate bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder. Drain the green beans and toss with flour to coat, shaking off the excess. Dip the beans into the egg mixture and then into the bread crumbs, coating thoroughly.
4. Fry beans in batches so they are not touching. Cook until golden brown and crispy, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Healthier Alternative:

Use fresh, frozen green beans (I get the organic ones in the frozen section of Costco). Skip the pre-cook directions. Follow step 3, but instead of frying, spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray, then place the beans on top. Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes. You could use an egg substitute as well, to cut back on cholestrol.

Marinated Garden Tomatoes

I am not a big fan of raw tomatoes. I cook with them all the time, but 'fresh' tomatoes usually do nothing for me. Except this recipe!!! I could eat these tomatoes 3-4 times a week and never get tired of them. I know that tomatoes are going out of season for much of the US, but I had to post this anyway.

Ingredients:

• 6 large tomatoes, cut into slices or wedges
• 1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions
• 1/3 c. olive or canola oil
• 1/4 c. red wine vinegar
• 1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 TBS fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. coarsely ground pepper

Directions:

1. Place tomatoes and onions in a shallow serving bowl.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, parsley, garlic, salt, thyme, and pepper. Mix well.
3. Pour over tomatoes.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight

serves 10

Glazed Apple Strudel

Today, I heard that there is supposed to be rain in our forecast by the end of the week. Our fall like weather continues (OK, it's 88 here, but after 110 all summer, 88 is fantastic) here, and so I was inspired to look for a fall desert that was a little more Weight Watchers friendly. Ta da! Of course, I may have cheated a bit - it's in my weight watchers magazine :o)

Ingredients:
1 granny smith or Winesap apple, peeled and thinly sliced
1 golden delicious or Fuji apple, peeled and thinly sliced
3 TBS granulated sugar
3 TBS dried cranberries
2 TBS all purpose flour
1 TBS grated lemon zest
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
6 (9x14) sheets frozen phyllo, thawed
6 TBS confectioners sugar
2 tsp apple cider

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray
2. To prepare the filling, combine the apples, granulated sugar, cranberries, flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Keep the thawed phyllo dough covered with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.
4. Lay 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a work space; lightly spray with nonstick spray. Repeat, layering the remaining 5 sheets and spraying each one lightly with nonstick spray. Spoon the filling in a 3-inch wide band evenly across the long side of the phyllo near you, leaving a 2-inch border on each short side. Fold the short sides over the filling and gently roll up to enclose the filling.
5. Place the strudel, seam side down, on the baking sheet. Lightly spray with nonstick spray and with a sharp knife lightly score the top of the strudel diagonally to indicate 4 portions, being careful not to cut all the way through. Bake the strudel until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, to make the glaze, combine the confectioners sugar and cider in a small bowl; beat with a whisk until smooth. Drizzle over the strudel; slice and serve warm!

201 calories,

serves 4 - 4 points per serving.

** Note! To thaw phyllo dough quickly, cut one end of the wrapper. Microwave on Defrost for 1 minute. Cover the open end and let stand for 30 minutes.

Tortellini Primavera

I recently made this yummy dish for my family. By making a few simple changes to the basic recipe, I made a healthier version for my family. Even my kids enjoyed it!

Ingredients:
(1) 19 oz. package frozen cheese tortellini
1/2 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBS olive oil
2/3 c. 1% milk
1 package low-fat cram cheese, cubed
1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 TBS Italian seasoning
1 large tomato, chopped
1/3 c shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. cook the tortellini according to the package directions.
2. While the tortellini are cooking, heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Saute the mushrooms, onion and garlic until tender. Stir in the milk; heat through. Stir in cubed cream cheese until well blended. Add the spinach and Italian seasoning; heat through.
3. Drain the tortellini. Add to sauce mixture and toss well to coat. Add chopped tomatoes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

341 calories for every 1.25 cup serving.

Grilled Pork with Avacado Salsa

WOW, was this delicious!! Usually I'm gracious, and let DH take the leftovers to work for his lunch, because being at home, I have a much wider variety to choose from - whatever is in the fridge/pantry! But this time, I claimed seconds for myself.

Ingredients

• 1/2 c chopped sweet onion (I used sweet vidalia)
• 1/2 c lime juice
• 1/4 c chopped seeded jalapeno peppers
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 4 tsp ground cumin
• boneless pork chops - enough to feed your family (6 chops is about right for this, or you will need to double the marinade)

Salsa

• 2 medium ripe avocados, peeled and chopped
• 2 plum (Roma) tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 small cucumber, seeded and chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 TBS minced fresh cilantro
• 1 TBS honey
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 3 TBS jalapeno pepper jelly

Directions

1. In a small bow, combine the first five ingredients. Pour 1/2 c. marinade into a large Ziploc bag; add the pork. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 45 minutes to 2 hours. Reserve 1/3 cup of remaining marinade. Place the rest of the marinade in a large bowl and add the avocados, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, cilantro, honey, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the jelly and reserved marinade. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened.
3. Prepare your grill. Drain and discard marinade from pork. Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until juices run clear, brushing occasionally with jelly mixture. Serve with avocado salsa. Yields 6 servings.

Grilled Basil Chicken and Tomatoes

My biggest challenging with eating better is vegetables. I am simply not a fan of them. I have a few that I like (and the odd ones at that) but for the most part, if I never eat another veggie, I would be fine with that. That, of course, will not help my weight go down. So I'm looking for meals that actually taste good, veggies and all.

Which is why this recipe is fantastic!! I wasn't sure, but I decided to try it. Delicious. Not only did I enjoy it, but the kids AND the DH gave it a thumbs up. How often does that happen?

8 plum tomatoes
3/4 c. balsamic vinegar
1/4 c. tightly backed fresh basil - no substitutions
2 TBS olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 TSP salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

1. Cut four tomatoes into quarters and place in a food processor. Add vinegar, basil, oil, garlic and salt; cover and process until blended.

2. Pour 1/2 c. dressing into a small bowl; cover and refrigerate until serving. Pour remaining dressing into a large Ziploc bag; add chicken. Refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

3. Prepare grill rack. Drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Cut remaining tomatoes in half; grill for 2-3 minutes on each side or until tender. Serve with chicken and reserved dressing.

Caribbean Grilled Chicken

1 limed, juiced
1 TBS apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Dole Peach Orange Mango Juice
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 TSP salt
1 TSP pepper
1 TBS chili powder
1 1/2 TSP onion powder
1 1/2 TSP garlic powder
1 TBS paprika
1/2 TSP ground cumin
1 TSP ground ginger
1 pinch red pepper flakes
3 TBS olive or canola oil
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1. Whisk together lime juice, vinegar, fruit juice, wine, and honey in a bowl until the honey dissolves. Add salt, pepper, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, ginger, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and olive oils; whisk to mix. Place chicken breasts into a resealable plastic bag, pour in marinade, and coat well. Marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

2. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil grate. (I use a Foreman Grill sometimes!)

3. Remove chicken from marinade and shake off excess. Use remaining marinade to baste chicken on grill. Cook chicken on preheated grill approximately 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until juices run clear and there is no signs of pink in the meat.

Chicken with Fresh Tomato Sauce

This was AMAZING! I was expecting it be sort of italian tasting, which is ok, but this was way better. Again, even my kids enjoyed it. High praise indeed.

Chicken with Fresh Tomato Sauce (WW recipe)

1 tsp. olive oil4
(1/4 lb) skinless boneless chicken breasts
2 tsp. chopped
/2 tsp. salt
1 large shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
3 T. balsamic vinegar
6 plum tomatoes, diced
1/4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 c. chopped basil

Directions:
Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the rosemary and salt, then add to the skillet. Saute the chicken until browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the shallot and garlic to the same skillet. Cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, stirring to scrape up the browned bits and cook until the vinegar is almost evaporated.Stir in the tomatoes and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the tomatoes just begin to soften,about 3 minutes. Stir in the basil. Spoon the sauce over the chicken.Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 167 calories and 4 points5 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 62 mg cholesterol, 360 mg sodium, 5g total carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, 26 g protein, 31 mg calcium

Hot Gazpacho

I made this the other night for dinner. My husband and 2 out of 4 kids just loved it. We don't eat many vegetarian meals, but this was really good.

1 medium green pepper(s), seeded and chopped
1 small cucumber(s), peeled, seeded and sliced
1 medium onion(s), chopped
3 medium tomato(es), seeded and chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, packed leaves
3 cup mixed-vegetable juice, tangy
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
1 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp hot pepper sauce, or to taste
1 oz fresh sage

Directions:
In a food processor, finely chop pepper, cucumber and onion and transfer to a large nonstick saucepan. In a food processor, finely chop tomatoes and cilantro and add to pepper mixture. Stir vegetable juice, vinegar, oil and garlic into tomato mixture. Add ground pepper and stir. Heat soup to serving temperature then add hot pepper sauce.

***I served this with a loaf of fresh french bread from the market and a side salad

Healthy Cheese Enchiladas

This is great meal, and is vegetarian to boot! Who knew that enchiladas could be made healthier and still taste good!

10 oz. chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
15 oz. part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 TBS dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 medium whole wheat tortillas, low fat
1/2 cup salsa (I use Rojo's Fire Roasted, it's divine!)
1 cup shredded reduced fat Mexican cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 13x11 pan with cooking spray

Combine spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, onion, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl; mix well. Spoon 1/4 cup of spinach mixture onto center of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas, fold in ends and place side by side in prepared baking pan. Spoon salsa over tortillas and sprinkle with Mexican cheese.

Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese is golden.

Serves 8

White Bean & Ground Turkey Chili

I am not a fan of chili with beans, usually. Probably because I detest kidney beans. I made this for Super Bowl Sunday, so my family could graze all day. It was gone in a matter of minutes! I will be doubling this next time. We really enjoyed this healthier chili.

2 lb. ground turkey
1 lg. onion, finely chopped
3 medium cloves of garlic, minced
3 cans of vegetable broth (I used Swanson's)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
30 oz. canned white beans, drained and rinsed
3 TBS fresh lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro, fresh, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Cook the turkey, onion, and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat, for about 10 minutes or until done. Drain off any fat

Add turkey and remaining ingredients to a large pot or slow cooker. If cooking on the stove, bring to a rolling boil; lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes. In a slow cooker, cook on low for 4 hours.

1 cup per serving.

BBQ Turkey Joes

I've always had sloppy joes from a canned mix...and didn't like it. Then I came across a homemade version, and discovered how good they could be. Except my new recipe wasn't compatible with my diet program (and if I'm going to splurge on points, it's going to be on chocolate!) So I came across this recipe, and I think it's a yummy alternative.

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 15 min

-1 pound lean ground turkey
-1/2 medium bell pepper(s), chopped
-1/2 medium sweet red pepper(s), chopped
-1/2 medium onion(s), chopped
-1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
-1 cup barbecue sauce (BullsEye Sweet & Sticky is yummy)
-4 medium whole wheat hamburger roll(s), sliced in half

Instructions

Brown turkey in a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain off liquid. Add peppers and onion and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add barbecue sauce and cayenne pepper; heat thoroughly, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes. Top bottom half of buns with turkey mixture; cover with top half of bun and serve.

Hamburger Soup

I know, you're thinking "how is this healthy"? Not only is it healthy, it's delicious!

Cook: 1 1/4 hours

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

- 1.5 lbs lean ground beef

- 1 medium onion, chopped

- 1 can 28 oz. diced tomatoes, undrained

- 3 cans low sodium beef broth

- 1 cup water

- 4 celery ribs, thinly sliced

- 4 large carrots, thinly sliced

- 10 whole peppercorns

- 1 teaspoon dried thyme

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 cup quick-cooking barley***

- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Instructions:

In a large saucepan (a Dutch oven is great if you have one), cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, broth, and water. Add celery and carrots.

Place peppercorns on a double thickness of cheesecloth**; bring up corners of cloth and tie with kitchen string to form a bag. Add to beef mixture.

Stir in thyme and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender.Return to a boil. Stir in barley. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until barley is tender. Remove from the heat; stir in parsley. Let stand for 5 minutes. Discard spice bag.

***I couldn't find quick cooking barley at my store. Instead, I soaked regular barley in the beef broth the night before. It cooked up perfect that way, and the regular barley is really inexpensive, an added bonus!

***I realized half way through making this that I was out of cheesecloth. I let the peppercorns float on the top, and pulled them out towards the end. This was more than a little time consuming. Next time, I'll put fresh cracked pepper in, and skip it.

Spaghetti with Tomato Meat Sauce

Ah, the first of the year. Like many of you, my resolutions this year include loosing some weight (ok, it's actually my ONLY resolution, but that's a mute point) I have gone back on weight watchers, and joined a gym

So for now, my recipes will be HEALTHY recipes. Now now, no groans. You know you all made the same resolution on weight loss. At least I can share recipes that taste good while your loosing weight (with myself and family as the test subjects!).

2 tsp olive oil
1 large onino, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. uncooked lean ground beef (preferably 7% fat)
28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, crushed
1/2 tsp dried basil
3 cups cooked whole-wheat spaghetti

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet (I actually use an electric skillet) over medium high heat. Add onion and carrot. Cook, stirring constantly. When onions are becoming translucent, add garlic. Cook for another minute or two.
2. Add ground beef to skillet. Cook until meet is well crumbled (use a spatula to help break up clumps).
3. Stir in tomatoes, salt and pepper, red pepper flakes and basil. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, simmering sauce for 5 minutes. Sauce should slightly thicken after simmering.
4. Spoon sauce over cooked, hot pasta

***For my family of six voracious eaters, I increase the ground beef to 1.5 lbs and two cans of crushed tomatoes. Adjust seasoning to taste!