Surimi (Imitation Crab Meat) Mock Sushi Bowl

Course: main meals

PointsPlus™ Value:    6
Servings:  1

Preparation Time:  15 min
Cooking Time:  0 min
Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Not much cooking involved. Easypeasy. Not sure why it’s 6 points., but it’s healthy.

I know it’s not real sushi, nor in a bowl, but hey… whatever.

Ingredients:

•  2 cups cabbage, finely sliced  
•  1 small carrot, diced very small (or two baby carrots)
• 1 tsp onion, grated
• 1 tsp carrot, grated
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tsp fresh garlic, grated
• 1 tsp Sriracha (more if you like it hot)
• 1 mushroom cap, sliced thin
• 1/4 medium English cucumber, diced very small
• 1 tbsp sweet pepper diced.  (about 1/8 of a small red pepper)
• 2 oz imitation crab, sliced thin or shredded  
• 1 Tbsp Pickled Sliced Ginger, minced (Gari)
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar  
• 1/8 tsp toasted sesame oil  
• 1 tsp sesame seeds  
• 1 scallion, sliced thinly (diagonal)  
• 1 tsp reduced-calorie mayonnaise  
• 1 tsp wasabi, prepared
• 6 snow peas, sliced thin  
• 2 tsp tamari sauce   

Instructions:

To begin the dressing, in a small bowl mix the rice vinegar with grated onion, garlic, carrot and ginger.  Let that sit while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Slice the cabbage as thin as possible (you can option to dice it). Next prep the veggies by dicing, as small as possible, the carrot, cucumber and red pepper. Julienne the snow pea pods. Quarter and slice the mushroom (you can use any mushroom you want). Put those veggies in a bowl and mix them together.  Next slice the scallion on the diagonal into small pieces, put aside. Chop, slice or shred the Surimi (imitation crab).

To build the salad, plate the cabbage on the bottom, add crab and diced veggies and spread evenly over the cabbage.

In the same bowl you have the rice vinegar and grated veggies; add the wasabi, tamari and sesame oil, Sriracha and mayo. Mix the dressing to incorporate those ingredients. Mince the pickled ginger and add to finish the dressing.

Pour dressing over the salad and mix thoroughly. Finish off with the sesame seeds and scallions over the top.

Poor Man’s Pasta Carbonara

Course: main meals
PointsPlus™ Value:  7
Servings:  2

Preparation Time:  15 min
Cooking Time:  15 min
Level of Difficulty:  Easy

 This is a great meal to start off the day, with 7 power food ingredients. Always eat your carbs early in the day.  For only 2 points more add 1 more ounce of noodles.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp parsley, chopped  
• 1/4 cup(s) green pepper(s), diced  
• 1/4 lb mushroom(s), sliced  or diced
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes  
• 2 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced (medium)  
• 1 shallot, finely chopped  
• 1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped  
• 2 tsp Filippo Berio Extra virgin olive oil  
• 3/4 cup(s) fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth  
• 2 item(s) egg  
• 2 oz uncooked whole-wheat spaghetti  
• 1 tsp black pepper, cracked  
• 2 tsp shredded parmesan cheese  
• 1 slice(s) uncooked reduced-fat bacon  
• 1 tsp fresh oregano  
• 4 leaf/leaves basil  
• 1/4 cup(s) frozen green peas
• Salt

Preparation:

Cook pasta according to directions, al dente. In the meantime set up a small soup pan for poaching. Bring water to the point of slow boiling (barely bubbling). Add a little salt and white vinegar to the water. Once the pasta is done, drain (setting aside 1/2 cup of pasta water) and cool, set aside for later. Microwave or cook bacon to a crisp, crumble or chop and set it aside for topping.

In 1 tsp of olive oil, sauté all the vegetables, leaving the garlic for last. After a few minutes, add the peas, green and red peppers, pepper flakes and cook for a minute or two. Add stock, ¼ cup of pasta water and the cooked spaghetti mixing well, reduce by half. Then lower the heat and add rosemary, basil and oregano and simmer. We’re almost done… Now toss the pasta with the mixture to coat the noodles. Turn off heat and mix in parmesan cheese.  There should be some liquid left in the pan, if not add a little pasta water.

To poach the egg: Swirl the water in your poaching pot in a clock ward motion, carefully crack your egg into the poaching liquid while slowly rotating the water around it. Poach for about 4 minutes or until the egg whites are firm.

It’s time to plate the pasta. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over equal servings of noodles. Remove the egg with a slotted spoon (drain) and lay it on top of the pasta. Drizzle, ½ tsp of olive oil over the top of each serving and garnish with chopped parsley and crumbled bacon. Add salt if you want, however, it’s probably not necessary.  Crack pepper over the egg. The sauce will thicken when you break the egg yolk and mix it into pasta.

Weight Watches Asian Inspired Vegetable Soup

Course: soups

PointsPlus™ Value:  1
Servings:  16

Preparation Time:  20 min
Cooking Time: 60 min
Level of Difficulty:  Easy

An Asian spin on a Weight Watchers favorite. Double the recipe and freeze it in 1 cup servings for a late afternoon snack or dinner-time starter.

Ingredients:

• 2 cup(s) bok choy, chopped  
• 2 cup(s) your favorite cabbage, chopped  
• 3 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced (medium)  
• 1 lb small raw oyster mushrooms, chopped  
• 2 cup(s) scallion(s), chopped  
• 1 cup(s) canned water chestnuts, sliced (8 oz can)  
• 1/2 cup(s) sweet red pepper(s), thinly sliced  
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes  
• 2 cup(s) snow peas, stringed  
• 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce  
• 1 cup(s) carrot(s)  
• 1 cup(s) ginger root, minced  
• 1 medium green pepper(s)  
• 6 cup(s) Pacific Natural Foods Organic Broth Organic Low Sodium Chicken Broth  
• 4 cup(s) water  
• 1 cup(s) bean sprouts
• cilantro to taste (optional)

Preparation:

Begin with a sweating the garlic and ginger in a large stock pot. Put bok choy, mushrooms, carrots, water chestnuts, red pepper flakes, water and broth into the soup pot; stir to combine. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered, for about 15 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook for an additional 15 minute. Toss in snow peas, scallions, green & red peppers, bean sprouts finish for 15 more minutes of simmering. Stir in soy sauce and (optional) cilantro. Finish at low simmer an additional 10 minutes.

Creamy Mushroom Chicken Primavera

Course: main meals

PointsPlus™ Value:    6
Servings:  2

Preparation Time:  15 min
Cooking Time:  15 min
Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Ingredients:

• 1/2 small raw onion, finely chopped  
• 1/4 cup (s) sweet red pepper(s), diced  
• 1/2 small carrots, julienne  
• 6 oz. broccoli Florets (plain)  
• 1 lb mushroom caps, sliced and diced
• 4 oz cooked whole wheat pasta
• 1/4 cup(s) pasta water  
• 1-1/2 cup(s) fat-free chicken broth  
• 3 clove(s) garlic clove(s), minced (medium)  
• 1/2 cooked chicken breast, 1/4 inch cubes  
• 1/8 cup(s) water chestnuts  
• 4 tbsp condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 2 scallions finely sliced on the diagonal
• 1 tsp Argon Corn Starch  
• 1/4 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
• 2 tsp reduced grated parmesan cheese
• parsley

Preparations:

Boil pasta, drain and reserve ¼ cup of pasta water. Cool and put aside for later.  Fill the sauce pan again with water and bring to a slow boil. Keep it on standby while you prepare the sauce.

In a nonstick skillet start cooking mushrooms until the mushrooms release water and shrink. Once you see the mushrooms have darkened and shrunk, it’s important to add the garlic. After about 1 minute or so, add ¼ cup of the chicken stock to the pan to stop the garlic from burning.  Toss in the onions and carrots, cook for 3 minutes. Throw the broccoli, water-chestnuts into the pool next. After sautéing for about 2-3 minutes add red peppers.  Mix in the rest of the chicken broth, skim milk and condensed soup to the pan and stir to work out any lumps. Toss in the cooked chicken breast, reduce to thicken.

Turn up the water on the pot you have standing by.  Mix corn starch and pasta water together in a small cup. Turn up the heat to medium, adding half of the mixture at a time to adjust the thickness. Continue at this temperature for a few minutes to cook out the starch flavor.

Portion out equal amounts of pasta per person.  Drop the serving of pasta back into the boiling water you have on standby. Strain out the portion and plate. Repeat this for the second plate. Let both pastas sit for a minute to evaporate the surface moisture. Then pour the sauce over the pasta on each plated serving.  Garnish with parmesan cheese, parsley and scallions.  There will be a high veggie to pasta ratio …is that a bad thing?

Do You Like Black Bean Dip?

Made this the other day as something we could snack on that was Weightwatcher PointsPlus friendly. As a matte of fact, the dip only has 2 points per serving and easily serves 3.

Ingredients:

• 3 cloves garlic, roasted
• 1/2 small onion
• 1/4 green pepper
• 1/4 sweet red pepper
• 1 small jalapeño pepper
• 1 tsp Ground Cumin Seed  
• 1/2 tsp ground oregano  
• 1/4 cup cilantro (loose leaves)
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth  
• 1 cups black beans, (15 oz can, of beans, will yield 1 cup)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 Scallion (green onion)
• ½ packet of Splenda
• Salt
• 1 tsp cracked pepper

Preparation:

Roast 3 cloves of garlic, cutting off the hard bottom and wrapping into an aluminum foil packet.  Place the packet in a 300⁰ oven, roast for 30-45 minutes.

Rough chop all the vegetables. In a food processor add the vegetable and 1 tsp olive oil until pureed. This is what I like to call, “Making a Sofrito.”  In a non-stick skillet, over low medium heat, sweat the vegetables.  To the skillet add the cumin and oregano and the roasted garlic cloves.  Mash the cloves with your wooden spoon or spoonula into the sofrito.  Continue to cook while you prepare the beans.

Drain and rinse a 15 ounce can of black beans.  This will only yield a tiny bit over 1 cup of beans. Puree the beans with ¼ cup of broth in the food processor.  Add the beans to the skillet with the sautéed vegetable mixture, increase temperature to medium and cook for approximately 20-25 minutes.  Scrape down the sides as you stir the mixture. This will help to thicken the dip. Add the half packet of Splenda, for a little sweetness. (Originally, I would have added a tablespoon or 2 of guava paste)

The dip is done when you can see the bottom of the mixture looking dry; but with some liquid still on the top.  At this point, remove from the heat to let cool. Return to heat and cook for another 10 minutes if the dip seems too runny.

Season to taste with salt and cracked pepper (I use Lawry’s Seasoning); remember canned beans already have plenty of sodium.  Garnish with scallions sliced on the diagonal.

Turkey Sandwich & Cheetos (PointsPlus Friendly) Lunch

Ingredients:

• 2 slices light whole wheat bread  
• 3 slices deli-sliced turkey  
• 3 slices tomato  
• 1/4 cup pico de gallo  
• Spinach Leaves
• Sliced Cucumbers
• 2 tsp Hellmann’s Light Mayonnaise  
• 1/2 cup(s) alfalfa sprouts
• 9 piece(s) Cheetos® Cheetos Puffs, or 14 baked

Preparation:

Spread 1 teaspoon of Mayo over the two slices of whole wheat bread. Lay out the turkey slices and top with spinach. tomato, pico de gallo, cucumber, and alfalfa sprouts.
Enjoy with Cheetos.

At the end of the day we are only talking about 5 PointsPlus 

Roasted Poblano Pepper and Corn Chicken Soup

Ingredients: 

Poaching Liquid:

• 16 ounces boneless, skinless, white meat chicken  (only 12 oz after cooking)
• ½ green pepper, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lime, juiced
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground oregano
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups fat free, low/no sodium chicken stock
• 2 cups water

For the soup:

• 1 small onion
• 6 large Poblano peppers
• 1 large Red bell pepper
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 small carrot halved then sliced
• 1 teaspoon Ancho chili pepper powder
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground oregano
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 2 cup defrosted kernels
• 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped, optional for a spicy soup
• 1 cup of stock
• 1 cup of water

Preparation:

In a food processor finely chop 1/2 onion & green pepper, along with 3 cloves of garlic.  In a large pan (big enough to hold 8 cups of liquid and two 8 ounce chicken breasts) heat 1 tsp olive oil and add the vegetables.  Sauté for a few minutes, then and add the dry spices, continue cooking.  After another minute or so add 2 cups of water, 4 cups of chicken stock, the lime juice and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the 2 chicken breasts.  Cover to pouch for 45-60 minutes or until done. Remove the chicken breasts and set aside to cool. Shred the chicken and reserve the pouching liquid.

Preheat broiler. Clean the peppers first, by cutting off the tops, removing the seeds and veins. Then cut the peppers in half so that you can lay them skin side up. Place Poblano and Red bell peppers on a baking sheet and char evenly to blacken skins. Place peppers in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam peppers and loosen flesh from skin. Coarsely chop Poblano and Red peppers. Add to a food processor, purée with a little stock until smooth, then set aside.

In a soup pot, heat 1 tsp olive oil. Add the other the chopped onion, carrot and Jalapeno for pepper. After a few minutes of cooking, add the other half of oregano, coriander, ancho chili and cumin to toast.  Stir a few minutes over medium-high heat, add the other 3 chopped cloves of garlic, cook for a minute more then add the corn.

Finish with the pepper purée, reserved poaching liquid and thin the soup to desired consistency with additional 1 cup of water and 1 cup of chicken stock. Simmer soup for 30 minutes on medium.

When ready to serve add chicken and cook to warm the meat through.  You can garnish with chopped chives or lime slices, cilantro, etc.

Makes about 10 servings less than 4 PointsPlus per 8 ounce serving.

Turkey Sandwich, Chips and Salsa plus an Apple – only 8 PointsPlus

Someone I know started Weight Watchers the other day. So I’ve been working out some menus for her to eat that fit her PointsPlus Program.  In my opinion this is a great lunch you can eat every day.

Assuming your program points are something like only 24 daily.  How can this be a bad thing?  It doesn’t seem possible that this is acceptable.  BUT IT IS!

What’s for Lunch? Turkey on light wheat with mayo, lettuce and tomato; chips and salsa; apple

Subtotal PointsPlus™ values | 8

Ingredients:

• 2 slice(s) light whole wheat bread | 2 PointsPlus values
• 3 oz turkey breast lunch meat (3 1/2-inch square) | 2 PointsPlus values
• 2 tsp reduced-calorie mayonnaise | 1 PointsPlus value
• 3 slice(s) tomato(es) | 0 PointsPlus values
• 3 lettuce leaves | 0 PointsPlus values
• 1 medium apple(s) | 0 PointsPlus values
• 12 item(s) baked low-fat tortilla chips | 3 PointsPlus values
• 1/4 cup(s) salsa | 0 PointsPlus values

Cajun Shrimp & Grits with a Kick in the Points

Course: breakfast

PointsPlus™ Value:    5
Servings:  2

Preparation Time:  10 min
Cooking Time:  30 min
Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Course: breakfast

PointsPlus™ Value:    5

Servings:  2

Preparation Time:  10 min

Cooking Time:  30 min

Level of Difficulty:  Easy

Lots of flavor with low Pointsplus

Ingredients:

• 8 large shrimp  
• 1/4 cup(s) celery, Sliced  
• 1/4 cup(s) shallot(s), Diced  
• 1 clove(s) garlic clove(s), Diced (medium)  
• 1 medium scallion(s), Sliced  
• 1/4 cup(s) uncooked corn grits  
• 1 slice(s) reduced-fat cooked crisp bacon, chopped
• 1/8 cup(s) shredded fat-free cheddar cheese  
• 1 small jalapeño pepper(s), Diced  
• 1/8 cup(s) parsley, Chopped  
• 1/8 tsp Cumin seeds, Ground  
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, Ground  
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, Dash  
• 1/8 tsp dried rosemary  
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice  
• 1 Tbsp shredded parmesan cheese  
• 1/4 cup(s) carrot(s), Diced  
• 1 tsp black pepper  
• 1 2/3 cup(s) fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth  
• 1/4 tsp paprika, Ground

Preparation:

Grits: In a large pot, add 1 & 1/3 cup of the stock and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to medium or medium low. Add the grits, while whisking and cook for about 10 min. You are looking for a creamy consistency. It will continue to cook. (add a little water to thin out if too thick) Turn down the heat to the lowest setting. Add the cheeses and whisk until melted. Cover to hold until ready to serve.

Shrimp: In a medium-sized skillet over medium heat, add the bacon. Once the bacon is cooked, remove and chop into small pieces and set aside. To the remaining fat in the pan add the carrots, celery, shallots, and jalapeno and sauté, after about 3 min add the garlic. Cook for another 2-3 min stirring regularly.

Add the herbs and spices, and cook for another 2-3 min. You are trying to toast the spices. Be careful not to let them burn. The shallot should be nearly transparent and the other vegetables should be soft.

Add the shrimp. Stir until the shrimp are coated well. Add Black Pepper, lemon juice and wine. Turn down the heat to medium low, mix add remaining 1/3 cup of stock, cook for a few min to reduce until done.

Serve the shrimp, including the liquid, over the cheese grits. Garnish with sliced scallions, chopped bacon and parsley.