Learning that fabulous food and weight loss aren't mutually exclusive was such an important component of this process for me. Some of my favorite POINTS friendly (and delicious!) recipes follow. Please remember that POINTS values are based on the specific ingredients I used, your values may differ slightly.
I hope to add pictures for all the recipes eventually, and I'll be posting new dishes as the mood strikes. Enjoy!
Turkey Taco Chili
Turkey Taco Chili
1 ½ cups = 3 POINTS
A hearty, flavorful, crowd pleasing dish that has you humming yummy-noises while you eat it and makes you want to lick the bowl when you’re done! It couldn’t be easier to throw together, freezes well, and is delicious in any season!
1 lb Ground Turkey (I use 93/7)
1 small onion, small dice
2 Tbls minced garlic
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing seasoning
3 cans diced tomatoes & green chilies
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can white shoepeg corn (undrained)
1 can yellow corn (undrained)
1 can kidney beans (undrained)
1 can pinto beans (undrained)
1 can black beans (drained & rinsed)
In a large pot, brown the ground turkey, onion & garlic until no longer pink. Drain of any excess fat, then add both seasoning packets. Sautee for a minute or two, then add all the remaining ingredients and let simmer for 30 minutes before serving.
Top with low fat sour cream and shredded low-fat cheese & sliced scallions if you like.
Makes a BIG batch, and it tastes even better after the first day!
Sara’s Sausage and Potato Skillet
Sara's Sausage and Potato Skillet
2 servings @ 6 POINTS each
This is one of those magical meals where the whole is more delicious than the sum of the parts. A simple ingredient list combines with easy preparation for lick-your-plate delicious results. A hearty, plate-filling meal served with a simple salad or vegetable on the side, one serving satisfies one “healthy oil” requirement as well as four vegetable servings.
2 tsp olive oil
7 oz. Healthy Choice Smoked Sausage (14 oz. package, use one of the two links), sliced
10 oz. raw potatoes, scrubbed, quartered and sliced
2 Bell peppers (pick any two colors, I enjoy Red & Yellow), quartered and sliced
1 pint fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
In a large (and I do mean large, I use an oversized electric skillet to prepare this) skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat and add potatoes in a single layer. Cover, and let cook for 3-5 minutes until the potatoes start to brown on one side. Use a spatula to flip the potatoes, and add the onions, peppers and mushrooms to the skillet. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Add the sliced sausage, continue stirring every minute or two until the potatoes are cooked, the onions and peppers are nicely caramelized, and the sausage slices are browned.
Variations: If you’re feeling particularly decadent, add ½ c of shredded 2 % cheddar cheese to the top of the cooked skillet meal, cover until cheese is melted. Adds 2 pts per serving. You can also add additional vegetables if you like, a friend of mine adds fresh broccoli or asparagus to the mix with fabulous results.
Asian Beef & Noodles
Asian Beef & Noodles
2 servings @ 6 points each
8 oz raw top sirloin steak, trimmed of all fat & thinly sliced
3 T. soy sauce, divided
3 T. teriyaki sauce, divided
2 tsp fresh minced garlic
½ tsp ground ginger
1 T. brown sugar
1 tsp olive oil
2 c. fresh broccoli florets
½ c sliced onion
½ of a large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 oz (dry measure) of whole wheat angel hair pasta, broken in half, cooked & drained.
In a heavy-duty ziplock bag combine sliced steak, 2T each of the soy & teriyaki sauces, garlic, ginger & brown sugar. Press out excess air & seal. Turn & knead to coat, let marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add meat & all the marinade, then add all the vegetables. Cook over medium high heat until all the meat & veggies are well cooked & most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the cooked noodles to the pan, toss well and then add remaining 1 T. of each of the sauces. Continue to cook for a few more minutes.
Divide between two bowls & enjoy!
Sara's Pasta Piselli w/Ham
Sara’s Pasta Piselli w/Ham
3 servings @ 7 POINTS (or 2 generous servings @ 11 POINTS)
This recipe was born out of the desperate wish to indulge in a favorite, sinful, ridiculously large portion of a tortellini dish served at a favorite local italian restaurant called ‘Lo Sole Mio’. I decided to see if I could pare down the points and still have a comparable product, so I looked in the fridge and pantry and came up with this dish. It really hit the spot!
2 tsp fresh minced garlic (I use the minced garlic in the jar--delish!)
1 c. fresh sliced mushrooms
½ of a large red red bell pepper, sliced
1 c. frozen peas
2 oz. Deli Select ultra thin honey ham, ribbon-sliced
½ c. whipped cream cheese
½ c. Fat Free chicken broth
4 oz. dry whole wheat angel hair pasta (hot, cooked & drained)
4 T fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Spray a large skillet with olive oil flavored cooking spray (or use EVOO if you need to get your healthy oils in, just be sure to add POINTS accordingly). Over a medium high flame, sauté the garlic, pepper, mushrooms & peas until the peppers are crisp/tender. Add the ham and continue to sauté for a minute or two. Pour in the chicken broth and bring up to a simmer then immediately add the cream cheese and stir until it’s all melted and the mixture is creamy. If the sauce seems too thick, add a little more chicken broth to thin it a bit. Add the Pasta to the pan, toss to coat. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the pasta and serve immediately.
Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza
Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza
1 serving, 9 POINTS (1/2 serving pictured above)
These are a big hit at my house, and a great way to have pizza in the summer without heating up the oven (or paying the delivery person!). I grill up an extra chicken breast or occasionally so I can chop and freeze them to add into recipes—like this one!
2 oz fresh pizza or bread dough (a totally thawed, 2 oz frozen roll dough ball works well)
Olive Oil flavored non-stick spray
2 T. K.C. Masterpiece BBQ sauce
2 oz. Grilled chicken breast, diced
¼ c sliced red onion
2 oz. 2% shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat the grill and make sure the grate is brushed clean & sprayed with a little non-stick spray. Put the onion slices on a piece of heavy aluminum foil, spritz lightly with olive oil flavored spray, and put on the grill to ‘sauté’ on the foil. Once grill is heated, lower temp to a medium setting.
Place the thawed dough on a piece of waxed paper lightly sprayed with olive oil flavored spray, spray the top of the ball of dough with another light coating as well. Roll/knead the dough out into a rough circle until it’s about 8 inches in diameter (‘circle’ is a relative term, mine usually come out looking a little free-form!). Spray the top of the dough circle with a little more non-stick spray. Pick up the dough by the ‘corners’ and gently lay it on the grill. Let cook on one side for 2-4 minutes until dough starts to puff up and starts to brown and show grill marks. Flip the crust and, right there on the grill, top with BBQ sauce (spread quickly with a small spatula), chicken, onions & top with mozzarella. Close the grill and cook until the cheese is melted and the crust is nicely browned.
Remove to a cutting board, slice and enjoy!
VARIATIONS: This works well with traditional pizza sauce & toppings (I like to foil sauté any veggies I’m going to use). You can also make a delicious version using salsa, taco-seasoned beef or chicken, veggies, and cheddar/jack cheese. Use your imagination!
Cheesy Pinto Quesadilla
Cheesy Pinto Quesadilla
6 POINTS
A quick meatless meal you can whip up in a few minutes
½ cup canned fat free refried beans
2 oz. 2 % cheddar-jack shredded cheese
2 tsp hot sauce
2 fajita sized tortillas
I can’t believe it’s not butter spray
In a small bowl, combine beans, cheese & hot sauce (one packet of Taco Bell sauce works well!). Spread mixture on one tortilla, top with second tortilla. Spray each side with a few pumps of butter spray and cook in a non-stick skillet until golden brown on both sides. Remove to a cutting board and cut into quarters. Serve with lite sour cream combined with a tsp of taco seasoning, and/or salsa for dipping.
Turkey & Black Bean Enchiladas
Turkey & Black Bean Enchiladas
5 servings @ 10 POINTS each (each enchilada is roughly 5 POINTS)
A Sara original, these are a big hit every time I serve them! Leftovers reheat well, and they pack a big flavor punch with a relatively low POINTS price tag.
1/2 pound ground turkey (93/7)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 packet taco seasoning (as spicy as you like it)
1/4 cup water
1 can black beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 cup salsa
1/2 cup frozen corn
3 oz. 2% Velveeta, thinly sliced
1/2 lg can red enchilada sauce
1/2 can green enchilada sauce
1/2 c. 2% shredded monterey jack/cheddar cheese
10 fajita sized flour tortillas
Brown the turkey, onion and garlic in a large skillet, drain & return to the pan. Add taco seasoning and water and bring to a boil for a minute or two. Add black beans, salsa & corn and simmer for 5 minutes. Lower heat, add Velveeta slices to the top of the mixture, let sit for a minute then gently stir until cheese is melted. Remove from the heat.
Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray, pour about 1/4 of the can of red enchilada sauce into the empty dish and shake/turn to coat the bottom.
Microwave the tortillas for 10-15 seconds until they are nice and soft. Divide the filling among the 10 tortillas, roll and place each one seam side
down in the sauced dish. Pour another 1/4 of the can of red sauce over the enchiladas, then pour 1/2 can of the green sauce over them, spreading it as needed to make sure they are covered. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese, cover with foil and bake in a pre-heated 350° oven for 30 minutes, remove the foil and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve with shredded lettuce, light sour cream and extra salsa.
Shrimp & Pepper Pasta
Shrimp & Pepper Pasta
2 servings @ 6 points each
6 oz. Raw shrimp, peeled & de-veined
½ large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp minced garlic
Your favorite seasoning blend (I highly recommend Misty’s Natural All Purpose Seasoning, green label), to taste
1 c. Del Monte Traditional spaghetti sauce
4 oz. whole wheat pasta (dry measure), cooked & drained
First, you’re going to have to trust me that the best tasting, points friendly prepared spaghetti sauce out there is canned Del Monte Traditional. It’s well seasoned, tasty, and a bargain at about $1 a can (on sale) and only 1 point per half cup! It’s one of my favorite WW friendly product picks!
Spray a large skillet with olive oil flavored non-stick spray (or go ahead and use some EVOO if you need to get your healthy oil servings in, just be sure to add the POINTS as well) and add the garlic, onion & peppers to the hot pan. Sprinkle with a little seasoning blend and sauté just until the veggies begin to get tender.
Add the raw shrimp to the pan, sprinkle again with seasoning blend and continue to sauté until the shrimp are nice and pink and the veggies are nice & tender. Add the spaghetti sauce, stir and cover and let simmer for a minute or two. If the sauce appears too thick, add some of the pasta water a tablespoon at a time until it reaches a nice, not-too-thick consistency. Add the hot drained pasta to the pan, toss to incorporate well, and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Crock Pot Taco Chicken (CPTC)
1 POINT per oz.
I make up a big batch of this chicken and use it in several of the recipes that follow:
Six boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of all visible fat
1 packet Taco Seasoning, any variety
1 cup salsa, as hot as you like it
1 t. minced garlic
½ c. Reduced sodium, FF chicken broth
Lay the chicken breasts over the bottom of a crock pot lightly sprayed with vegetable spray.In a sealed container, shake together the chicken broth, salsa, taco seasoning and garlic. Pour the mixture over the chicken breasts and cook for 6-8 hours on low.
Fork-shred the chicken and divide/use/refrigerate/freeze it however you’d like. A few ideas (POINTS values will vary according to your specific ingredients):
Chicken Soft Tacos: Heat soft flour tortillas on each side in a lightly sprayed skillet, stuff with two ounces of CPTC and add your favorite taco toppings.
Chicken Rice Bowls: Layer rice, black and/or pinto beans, CPTC and your favorite toppings for a really filling and tasty meal. I use ½ c rice, ½ c. black beans, 2 oz. CPTC, ¼ c. 2% shredded cheese blend, lettuce, tomato, and 3 T. lite sour cream mixed with 3T. Salsa for an 8 point meal that really satisfies.
Chicken Quesadillas: Mix 2 oz. CPTC with 1 T. Salsa and ¼ c. shredded 2% cheese blend, spread over one half of a large flour tortilla, fold tortilla in half and spray each side with a few squirts of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray and fry each side in a non-stick skillet until golden brown and bubbly inside. Cut into wedges, and combine 3 T. lite sour cream with 1 T. chunky salsa and 1 T. taco seasoing for dipping.
Chicken Enchiladas: Combine 6 oz CPTC, 1 can of black beans (drained & rinsed), ½ c. salsa, ½ c. 2% shredded Mexican blend cheese. In an 8x8 pan, pour about ¼ of a can of red enchilada sauce over the bottom. Divide the filling among 6 small (fajita size) flour tortillas. Arrange enchiladas in pan over the sauce, then pour remaining red enchilada sauce over them, and about ½ can of green enchilada sauce over that. Top with ¼ c. shredded cheese, cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, uncover and continue to cook 5 additional minutes or until the cheese is melted and the top is lightly browned.
Chicken Taco Salad: Start with a large plate of your favorite lettuce or greens combo, top with 2-3 oz. CPTC, ½ c of drained & rinsed black or kidney beans, 2 T. shredded 2% Mexican blend cheese, & chopped tomato. Combine 2 T lite ranch dressing with 2 T of your favorite salsa to drizzle over the top and sprinkle with sliced green onions.
Meat Loaf Muffins
6 servings @ 4 Pts each
1 pound lean ground beef (I use 93/7)
1 box Stove Top Stuffing (any flavor)
½ onion, diced
¼ c. diced red bell pepper
¼ c. diced green bell pepper
1 egg, beaten
½ c. water
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, and mix (with your hands works best, if you can ignore the ‘oogy’ raw meat feeling!) thoroughly until well combined.
Spray 12 muffin cups with non-stick spray and divide the mixture between them, pressing it down firmly.
Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes (or until internal temperature of the muffins reaches 180°).
Bruschetta Chicken
6 servings @ 6 POINTS each
This recipe was adapted from one that first appeared in a past issue of Kraft’s “Food & Family” (FREE and fabulous, get yours here) and has recently been added to the outside of the Stove Top Suffing packaging. My slight alterations make it more POINTS friendly without sacrificing any flavor.
1.5 pounds raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 package Stove Top Stuffing (chicken flavor)
1 c. 2% shredded mozzarella cheese
1 can Italian diced tomatoes (undrained)
2 tsp minced garlic
½ c. water
1 t dried basil (or ¼ c. chopped fresh basil)
In a medium sized bowl, combine the stuffing, tomatoes, garlic, water & basil. Stir just until moistened, set aside.
Spray a 9x13 pan lightly with non-stick spray. Arrange cubed chicken in a single layer on the bottom of the pan, sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over the chicken. Top with the stuffing mixture.
Bake in preheated 400° oven for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Delicious served with a salad loaded with free veggies and topped with your favorite lite Italian dressing!
