Easy Tuna Casserole - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 22

This recipe was so easy to prepare.  I made it when I was in the middle of doing a million other things to get ready for my son's birthday party.   So even when you're pressed for time, this tuna casserole could be a good option.

As far as taste goes, it's decent.  My husband doesn't like peas, so I typically omit those.  I wanted to make the recipe as stated, however, so I chose to add them. He wasn't thrilled, but he was quite hungry so he just ate it. Also, he did really enjoy the onions.  We didn't all sit down together like we usually do, so the kids didn't try this one.

Will I make this easy casserole again?  Sure.  It didn't make me jump for joy, but it's a decent go to that's really easy to throw together.  My husband suggested subbing in green beans and omitting the peas.  That might work.

One last thing: like the other meals I have tried with cream of mushroom soup, I'd like to try making my own.  Here's one I'm planning on trying.


Find the original recipe on page 15: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.


Taste Score: 6/7
Ease of Preparation Score: 10


Easy Tuna Casserole

Ingredients:

1 can tuna in water, drained (I used a pouch)
1 cup macaroni noodles, uncooked
1 can peas, drained (I used equivalent frozen peas)
1 onion, chopped
1 can reduced fat cream of mushroom soup
1 cup skim milk
6 tablespoons reduced fat cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the first six ingredients in a bowl being sure to cover macaroni noodles.  Spray an 8x8 baking dish.  Transfer mixture to baking dish and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake* for one hour.

*Original recipe says to cover, but I did not and enjoyed the crunchiness of the edges.


Nutrition Information
Serves 4:
1 serving =
236 calories
3 grams fat
31 grams carb
3 grams fiber
19 grams protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 4
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 6
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 7

Nutrition Information is approximate and is calculate using caloriecount.com.


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Pumpkin Butter - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 21

Ok, I guess I'm on a pumpkin kick.  And my family is still not a fan of it!  My first impression was that this recipe was going to be WAY too sweet.  Then I put it on an english muffin and had a bite. It's delicious!  I can imagine it being good on a fresh homemade roll or maybe a biscuit.

I had to use canned pumpkin because pumpkins are not in season right now.  Besides, it's so much easier and there are no added ingredients in the can, just pumpkin.

Lastly, the amount of sugar seemed high to me for a "diet recipe", but in light of the small serving size the amount was just right.  I will probably be eating this pumpkin butter for a while because I'll be the only one eating it, but that's OK.  It's so tasty!  This recipe was very easy and made me long for the days of autumn.

Find the original recipe on page 27: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.

Taste Score - 10
Ease of Preparation Score - 10


Pumpkin Butter

Ingredients:

1 1/2  cups fresh pumpkin (I used 1 can)
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
dash salt

Cook pumpkin until tender, drain off liquid and mash.*  Add remaining ingredients.  Cook over medium heat until desired consistency is reached.  This may be canned or kept in the refrigerator for several weeks.

*Skip this step if you are using canned pumpkin and simply mix all ingredients together.

Nutrition Information:
Serves Approximately 32 (about 1 tablespoon)
21 calories
0 grams fat
5 grams carb
0 grams fiber
0 grams protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 0
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 1
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 1


Nutrition information is approximate and is calculated using caloriecount.com.

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What We Ate For Supper This Week

Sunday - Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff, spinach, rice or Shirataki rice

Monday - leftovers, chicken nuggets

Tuesday - Pasta (I had shirataki rice), red sauce and sausages, cake for dessert.

Wednesday - Pizza and subs

Thursday - turkey meatloaf, corn, pasta salad

Friday - burgers, hot dogs, fruit, baked beans, etc. at friends' house

Saturday - Easy Tuna Casserole, salad

Easy Tuna Casserole

Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff

Pumpkin "Pie" - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 20

This recipe is certainly a keeper.  I am pretty sure that over three or four days I ate this entire recipe by myself.  My husband isn't a fan of pumpkin and my son didn't try this one.  My daughter tried it and she said she didn't like it.  I'm not sure I believe her!  Anyway, in this case, I am not taking my family's opinions into consideration.  They are not pumpkin pie lovers!  If you like pumpkin pie and are looking for a lower calorie alternative, this is definitely the recipe to make!

In the future the only tweaks I would make would be to try this one out with a different sweetener.  I've made one similar to this with granulated Stevia in the Raw and it was not good.  Too much stevia can really make things bitter.  I may give it a whirl with liquid stevia, which tends to be less bitter, or even monk fruit extract.  I'll let you down if I do that.  Splenda is just fine with me, but I do like to mix up my sweeteners just to keep all things in moderation, as they say!


Find this recipe on page 4: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.


Taste Score - 9 (just because it's not actual pumpkin pie)
Ease of Preparation Score - 9



Pumpkin "Pie"

Ingredients:

1 15 ounce can pumpkin
5 ounces evaporated milk
3/4 cup Splenda granulated
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a deep dish pie plate with nonstick spray.  Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Pour into pie plate and bake 35 minutes or until set.

Nutrition Information:
Serves 8
1 serving =
58 calories
3 grams fat
6 grams carb
1.5 grams fiber
3 grams protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 1
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 2
Weight Watcher Smart Points - 2

All nutrition information is approximate and is calculated at caloriecount.com.


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Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 19

This recipe was definitely quick and easy to prepare.  It paired nicely with spinach.  My family ate it with white rice, but I made shirataki rice for myself for a no calorie option.  This meal, while not my favorite, is a good go-to dinner if you have to throw something in the crockpot in the morning.  It's tasty and goes well with most vegetables or starches.  It's simple and I think most people would enjoy it.  It's very similar to most meals made with condensed cream of mushroom soup.  That's not a bad thing, just something to note.

So would I make it again?  Probably. Next time I might look into making my own "cream of" substitute and try it with that.  I've done it in the past, but lost track of the recipe.  Here's a link for one that looks pretty convenient.  I'll let you know if I try it!


Find the original recipe on page 11: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.


Taste Score: 7
Ease of Preparation Score: 10



Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff

Ingredients:

6 boneless chicken breast halves
1 can Healthy Request low fat cream of mushroom soup
16 ounces light sour cream*
1 envelope onion soup mix

Put frozen chicken breasts on bottom of crockpot.  Mix other ingredients in a small bowl.  Pour over chicken.  Cook on low 7 hours.  Serve over rice or noodles.


*I used light sour cream, but the original recipe called for fat free.  If you use fat free, it brings the POINT value to 4, Points Plus to 5, and Smart Points to 4.  I was using what I had on hand, but in the future I might use the fat free to save calories.


Nutrition Information:
Serves 6
One serving =
285 calories
19 grams fat
6 grams carb
0 grams fiber
23 grams protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 7
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 8
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 8


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Peach Cobbler - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 18

Ahh, peach cobbler.  One of my all time favorites.  Did this recipe live up to my expectations?

The answer is simple: no.

First, the recipe was not clear.  I was unsure if I should drain the peaches, so I didn't.  I looked up a few other recipes online and they kept the peaches in their syrup, so I figured I'd keep them in their juice.  The batter was very soupy,  and I was not sure it would bake up quite right.

It ended up baking just fine.  Upon tasting, however, the second problem arose.  This supposed peach cobbler tasted like most recipes that don't add any fat: spongy and bland.  I was actually embarrassed that I brought it to share with friends after I tasted it.  I will not be making this recipe again.  I could have been improved greatly with a small amount of fat and some cinnamon.  Sorry to the creator of this recipe.  This one is not a keeper.


Find the original recipe on page 8: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.


Taste Score - 2
Ease of Preparation Score - 10


Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:

1 cup self-rising flour (click the link to find a recipe to make your own)
1 cup skim milk
1 cup granulated Splenda
1 can peaches in juice (I did not drain)
nonstick spray*

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix flour milk and Splenda.  Fold in peaches.  Pour into a dish coated with nonstick spray.  Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

*The original recipe calls for butter flavored nonstick spray.  I used plain.  This is part of the reason the flavor was low, but sadly, I don't think that would have saved this recipe.


Nutrition Information:
Serves 6:
1 serving =
120 calories
0 grams fat
26 grams carb
1 gram fiber
4 grams protein


Weight Watchers POINTS - 2
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 3
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 4


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Roasted Red Pepper Dip - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 17

I brought this recipe to my friend's house along with the Cauliflower Medley and Peach Cobbler.  Of the three recipes I brought, this one was the most liked.  My friend's son said it was delicious and my friend asked where I got the recipe.  So, I know this one's a keeper.

The original recipe is touted as a salsa alternative.  I'd say that's accurate.  To keep points low, I brought a bag of baked tortilla chips.  These were the perfect companion for this dip.  The recipe also suggested low fat crackers.  I tried the dip with reduced fat Triscuits and that was a pretty good match, but I'd say baked tortilla chips were the best.

So, if you're sick of salsa and still want a spicy treat, give this recipe a try.  It doesn't have any points value, but it does have a lot of flavor!


Find the original recipe on page 7: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.


Taste Score - 8
Ease of Preparation Score - 10


Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Ingredients:

1/2 large can roasted red peppers, drained
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons chili powder

Mix in blender and serve with low fat crackers or chips.

Nutrition Information
Serves 4:
1 serving =
16 calories
0 grams fat
4 grams carb
1 gram fiber
0 grams protein


Weight Watchers POINTS - 0
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 0
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 0

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Cauliflower Medley - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 16

After the wild goose chase I went on for the fat free ricotta in my Easy Cheese Lasagna review, I couldn't bear going around to all the stores in the area, so I made a couple substitutions.  For some reason the grocery store I normally go to does not carry jars of pimiento, just pimiento with olives.  So I went with that.  I also used light Italian dressing instead of fat free.  And was it green olives I was supposed to use?  I hope so!  Oh yeah,  I forgot to steam the cauliflower (recipe fail???).

So, was this recipe good?  Or did I ruin it with my substitutions and mistakes?

Even with the lack of clarity in the original recipe, my mistakes and substitutions, this salad was delicious.  I see no need to steam the cauliflower if you leave it in the fridge overnight.  I did use their suggestion of marinating it in the bag.  That worked really well.  Also, I quadrupled the recipe because I was planning on bringing it to a cookout.

I'm not entirely sure how it went over with everyone.  There was a lot left at the end of the party.  This salad has a strong green olive taste, so I'm sure it's not everyone's cup of tea.  If you like the flavor of green olives, as I do, you should give it a try.  Cauliflower is a very nutritious vegetable and this is a great way to add it to your diet.


Find the original recipe on page 6: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.


Taste Score: 7
Ease of Preparation Score: 9


Cauliflower Medley

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh cauliflower broken into florets
1/2 cup light Italian dressing (original recipe called for fat free)
2 tablespoons sliced, ripe olives (I used green)
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 4 -ounce jar pimientos, drained

Steam cauliflower, covered, for 10 minutes (I was rushing, apparently, and forgot, DUH!) until tender.  Do not let it get mushy.  Place all ingredients in a large zip-lock bag.  Mix gently and refrigerate at least 8 hours.  Pour into a bowl and serve with a slotted spoon.


Nutrition Information:
Serves 4
One serving =
95 calories
5 grams fat
10 grams carb
1 gram fiber
1 gram protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 2 
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 2
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 4


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Honey Mustard Chicken - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day - 15

I'll start off by saying that this recipe is not as diet-friendly as I think it ought to be.  It's supposed to be for Weight Watchers, but at 8 points per serving for a chicken breast, it seems a bit high.  That said, my husband and daughter loved it.  It was even requested that I make it again.  My son didn't try it, but that doesn't count!  He's what we like to call a picky eater!  I liked it, but still, the Parmesan Chicken was my absolute fave so far!  I'll add this one to the list, though, seeing as my family enjoys it so much.


Find the original recipe on page 5: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes


Taste Score -9 (though my husband and daughter would say 10)
Ease of Preparation Score - 8

Honey Mustard Chicken

Ingredients:

3/4 cup light honey mustard dressing
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons dill weed
1 medium scallion, finely sliced (or equivalent onion or green onion, finely sliced)
1 cup corn flakes, crushed
4 4-ounce boneless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a baking pan with nonstick spray.  In a small bowl, combine dressing, salt, pepper, dill weed and scallion.  Remove 1/3 of the mixture and set aside.  Put corn flake crumbs in a shallow bowl.  Dip chicken into 2/3 remaining honey mustard mixture and then into corn flake crumbs.  Then place chicken on baking pan.  Discard any leftover honey mustard mixture that touched raw chicken.  Bake about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Remove from oven and pour 1/3 honey mustard mix (that did not touch raw chicken) over the cooked chicken.

Nutrition Information
Serves 4:
1 serving =
341 calories
12 grams fat
32 grams carb
1 gram fiber
25 grams protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 8
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 9
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 10

If you don't eat all that much honey mustard dressing, shave off a few calories and a point or two.  I didn't even need any extra.  It was very flavorful without it.

All nutrition information is approximate and is calculated at caloriecount.com.


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Deep Dish Pizza Casserole - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 14

I just want to say I have been trying to stay true to the recipes and not make major substitutions, but using a whole pound of ground beef on this about killed me.  I like to use beef a little more sparingly than this recipe calls for, but I wanted to give it a go.  My husband and daughter really liked the meatiness of this dish, but I'll admit to wanting more cheese and less beef.

Overall, the idea was good.  I might make it again using homemade crust, less beef and more cheese of the shredded variety.  Removing some meat would also help with the point value. And using 8 ounces of 2% mozzarella would up the cheese factor without too much calorie damage.


Find the original recipe on page 13: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.


Taste Score: 6 (me),  10 (husband and daughter)
Ease of Preparation Score: 9


Deep Dish Pizza Casserole

Ingredients:

1 pound ground round (I used 91% lean ground beef)
1 15 ounce can chunky Italian-style tomato sauce (I used a 15 ounce jar of pizza sauce)
1 10 ounce can refrigerated pizza crust dough
6 1 ounce slices part skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Brown beef and drain.  Add tomato sauce and cook until heated through.  Spray a 13x9 baking dish with nonstick spray.  Unroll pizza dough and press into pan, bringing it partway up the sides.  Line bottom of crust with 3 slices of cheese.  Top with meat and tomato mixture.  Bake uncovered for 12 minutes.  Top with remaining cheese and bake 5 minutes.

Nutrition Information
Serves 6
1 serving =
393 calories
15 grams fat
32 grams carb
2 grams fiber
32 grams protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 9
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 10
Weight Watchers Smart Points  - 11

Nutrition information is approximate and calculated at caloriecount.com.

I used more than 3 slices on top because my slices were less than one ounce.

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What We Ate For Supper This Week

Sunday - Tacos and leftovers

Monday - Hot Dogs, baked beans, quinoa tabouleh salad

Tuesday - Takeout pizza and salad - just got home from our trip - 8+ hours of driving and you better believe I wasn't cooking!

Wednesday - Frozen chicken patties, mixed vegetables, baked beans

Thursday - Food from the Clam Box after a day at the beach!  Fried clams for my daughter and me.  Hot dog for my son and hamburger for my husband.

Friday - Honey Mustard Chicken, baked beans, green beans

Saturday - Cookout at friends' house!  BBQ chicken, burgers, hot dogs, Cauliflower Medley (LINK coming soon!), Peach Cobbler (LINK coming soon!), Red Pepper Dip (LINK coming soon!), pasta salad and cookies

Cauliflower Medley

Honey Mustard Chicken

Easy Mac and Cheese - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 13

It looks so good...

I remember making this one a while back and I remember not liking it much then.  I still am not a fan.  Sadly, I cannot recommend this recipe.  My husband and daughter liked it well enough, but if you want a good mac and cheese, this low fat version won't cut it.  It tastes more like creamy chemicals.  Sorry to the inventor of this recipe, whoever you are.  I won't be making this again.

Find the original recipe on page 3: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.

Taste Score: 3
Ease of Preparation Score: 8 (would be a 10 if you didn't have to stir constantly)


Easy Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 can lower fat cheddar cheese soup
1/2 can low fat milk
1/2 can water
1 cup uncooked macaroni
salt and pepper to taste (I added this)

Mix soup, milk and water in pan.  Heat until boiling.  Stir in pasta and cook over low heat until done (about 15 minutes).  Stir often as it will stick.

Nutrition Information
Serves 4
1 serving =
153 calories
2 grams fat
30 grams carb
2 grams fiber
5 grams protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 3
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 4
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 5


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Parmesan Chicken Cutlets - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 12

Try these now!  This recipe is excellent.  It's easy, healthy and very tasty.

The tang of the parmesan cheese paired with the italian seasoned breadcrumbs and just a hint of paprika make this recipe so simple, yet so delicious.  You have got to try it!  For dinner I served this chicken with the Creamed Corn Pancakes and steamed green beans to make a nice, well-rounded meal.

Let me know in the comment section below if you give this recipe a try!


Find the original recipe on page 37: 100 Weight Watchers Favorite Recipes


Taste Score - 10
Ease of Preparation Score - 10


Parmesan Chicken Cutlets

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs (I used whole wheat)
1/8 teaspoon paprika
4 4-ounce chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Combine cheese, bread crumbs and paprika in a shallow pan or plate.  Dip chicken into crumb mix, coating well.  Spray baking sheet and place chicken on it.  Bake 20-25 minutes.

Crumb coating

Nutrition Information:
Serves 4
166 calories
4.5 grams fat
3 grams carb
0 grams fiber
27 grams protein


Weight Watchers POINTS - 4
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 4
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 3



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Toasted Italian Breadcrumbs

Strawberry Pie - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 11

I'll start off by telling you I almost messed this one up because I don't typically make heat and serve pudding.  I was rushing and added hot water to my pan to start it boiling faster.  Then, by chance, I glanced at the ingredients on the box of pudding.  First ingredient?  Cornstarch.  I promptly dumped my hot water and started over.  Why, you might ask?  Clumps!  Never put cornstarch in hot water!  Good thing I caught that.

So on to the review.  Is it good?  Worth making?  Yes, this one is a keeper.  It's easy, sweet, delicious and definitely diet friendly.  Bonus: everyone in my family really liked it!  It would be a great dish to bring along to a pot-luck or summer BBQ.

The only thing that gets me is the artificial sweetener, so I would probably not make it regularly.  I have no problem eating sugar free products on occasion.  I even use a couple sweeteners regularly.  The pudding and gelatin have aspartame, however.  Another recipe in the series,  Mandarine Orange Mousse, also has aspartame.  In the past, I found aspartame gave me headaches, but luckily I haven't noticed that with these recipes.  Given that, I would most likely make these dishes again to share at a party or event, and not consume them all by myself! Self control is key!

On that note, I am thinking of finding a way to make this recipe without the aspartame and possibly add stevia, but that would take the "easy" factor out.  If I find or come up with something I'll be sure to link back here and do a post on it.

Either way, this one is good, even with all the aspartame!


Find the original recipe on page 5: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes


Taste Score: 9
Ease of Preparation Score: 9


Strawberry Pie

Ingredients:

1 small box sugar free cook and serve vanilla pudding
2 cups water
1 small box sugar free strawberry gelatin
4 cups sliced strawberries (I kept mine whole)

In a medium saucepan, stir together water and pudding mix.  Heat to a boil.  Remove from heat and immediately add gelatin.  Stir until dissolved.  Set pan aside and let mixture cool to room temperature.

Place strawberries in the bottom of a deep dish pie plate (my pie plate is packed in a box so I used an 8x8 glass pan).  Pour cooled pudding mixture over strawberries.  Refrigerate until set.

Nutrition Information
Serves 6
1 serving =
37 calories
0 grams fat
8 grams carb
2 grams fiber
1 gram protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 0 (but not 0 if you eat the whole thing!)
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 1
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 1 (if you count the strawberries as "no-count")

We just moved so my pie plate is packed in a box somewhere.  Instead I used an 8x8 glass pan.  And I didn't slice the strawberries.  I'm such a rule-breaker!

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My Thoughts on Artificial Sweeteners

Chocolate Chip Cookies - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 10

These cookies are a very good substitute for their high calorie cousins, which usually have a lot more butter and sugar.  The applesauce, which replaces some of the fat, does change the consistency of the cookie, but not in a bad way.  The way these cookies come out reminds me almost of muffin tops, vs. cookies, but that's certainly not a bad thing.  I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking to cut down on fat or calories in their diet.

And bonus: everyone in the house loved them!

A note on the consistency:  This cookie dough was not what I expected.  It was more like a muffin batter.  I used a tablespoon to scoop, as suggested, but there is no way I would have been able to roll this "dough" into balls.  So if you notice a runny batter don't be worried.  I didn't have my mixer unpacked yet, so that was one strike against me, but I'm sure the consistency of my batter still would have been runny.

The other thing is you'll notice two styles of cookies.  One type has a browned edge and the other a more consistent color.  The browned edge cookies are from my heavy weight Wilton aluminum baking sheet.  While I do like that pan, nothing compares to cookies on a stone.  The ones you see with consistent color and no browned edges are baked on my Pampered Chef and Walmart stones.  If you want the best cookies, definitely opt for a baking stone.


Find the original recipe on page 28: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.


Taste Score: 10
Ease of Preparation Score: 7


Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Nutrition Information:
Serves 36
1 serving =
71 calories
3 grams fat
10 grams carbs
0 grams fiber
1 gram protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 2 (original recipe says 1)
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 2
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 3

All nutrition information is approximate and is calculated at caloriecount.com.


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Creamed Corn Pancakes - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 9

I'm not sure what prompted me to try these pancakes.  I think it was the quick and easy list of ingredients.  I hoped they would be good, but they're just ok.  My husband said he'd eat them again if I served them but would never request them.  I'm not sure I'd make them, though, because they were SO hard to flip.

To me they seemed like southern fare and being from the north may have biased me some.  So I'll give these pancakes the benefit of the doubt and assume I'm just the wrong audience.  Let me know in the comments below if you try them.


Find the original recipe on page 17: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.


Taste Score: 6
Ease of Preparation Score: 3 (low score for flipping difficulty)


Creamed Corn Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 16 ounce can creamed corn
3 heaping tablespoons flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder

Combine all ingredients well.  Spray a skillet with cooking spray and heat.  Pour 1/4 cup corn batter onto hot skillet.  Fry until golden brown.

Nutrition Information
Serves 2
1 serving =
237 calories
3 grams fat
50 grams carb
3 grams fiber
8 grams protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 4
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 7
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 8

All nutrition informations is approximate and is calculated using caloriecount.com.


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Teriyaki Chicken - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 8

Overall this was a great recipe, even one I'll make again.  However, with only the small pinch of red pepper flakes I added, this teriyaki sauce was still quite spicy.  I would not add the amount of cayenne the original recipe calls for.  I might altogether skip the red pepper I subbed in as well, but I know it adds a certain quality so I'm unsure.  Then again I haven't tried it with the cayenne so I may have to give that a try.  I just know my family's taste buds.

My husband did not agree with my assessment.  He thought the chicken tasted funny.  We all have different tastes, I guess!  I even liked the chicken cold on a salad, so I say it's worth a try.  Very flavorful!

Let me know if you try it and if you like it in the comments below!


Find the original recipe on page 25: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes



Taste Factor - 8
Ease of Preparation Factor - 9


Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
6 tablespoons soy sauce
6 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I forgot to get some so I subbed a pinch of red pepper flakes)
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine all ingredients except chicken in a shallow baking dish.  Mix well.  Pierce both sides of chicken with fork (I forgot to do this!).  Place chicken in baking dish and turn chicken over several times (I let it sit as my oven preheated and turned 3 or four times).  Bake chicken for 30 minutes, basting several times.  Serve over rice or chill to use in salads or wraps.

I served this teriyaki chicken with basmati rice and steamed cauliflower and broccoli.

Nutrition Information:
Serves 4 (does not include rice or veggies)
1 serving =
225 calories
3 grams fat
26 grams carb
0 grams fiber
26 grams protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 5
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 6
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 8

All nutrition information is approximate and is calculated at caloriecount.com.


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30 Days 30 Recipes

What We Ate For Supper This Week

Sunday - Teriyaki Chicken, basmati rice, steamed cauliflower and broccoli

Monday - Deep Dish Pizza Casserole

Tuesday - Easy Mac and Cheese

Wednesday - Rotisserie chicken from Walmart, basmati rice, steamed broccoli, Strawberry Pie

Thursday - Parmesan Chicken Cutlets, steamed green beans with light butter and Goya Adobo, Creamed Corn Pancakes

Friday - Out to eat at Roy Rogers

Saturday - Dinner at mom's: hotdogs, hamburgers, sausages, chicken kabobs, pasta salad, baked beans, quinoa tabouleh, cucumber salad, etc.  Yes, my mom likes to cook!

Strawberry Pie

Easy Mac and Cheese

Teriyaki Chicken

Crockpot Sour Cream and Salsa Chicken - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 7

One week down!

Ok, so I make a recipe very similar to this.  With that in my mind, I accidentally shredded the chicken when I think I ought to have left it whole.  Having said that, I think I would add more salsa if I were going to shred the chicken again because there wasn't as much liquid as I was expecting.  It did work just fine for pulled chicken sandwiches, which is what we did, but I'm not sure that's what the recipe intended.  The flavor was good, as expected, and the small amount of sour cream added more flavor than I thought it would have.  I do recommend this recipe, but I would use less chicken (I may have used closer to a pound vs. the 12 ounces the recipe calls for.) or double the sauce.  But if you want to use it for pulled chicken you can leave it as is.


Find the original recipe on page 9: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.


Taste Score: 8
Ease of Preparation Score: 10


Crockpot Sour Cream and Salsa Chicken

Ingredients:

4 3-ounce chicken breasts
1 cup salsa
1 packet taco seasoning (I used 1 tablespoon homemade taco seasoning*)
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 cup light sour cream

Place chicken in crockpot.  Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hours.  When ready to serve, remove chicken.  Add cornstarch to a small amount of water and mix.  Add cornstarch mix to crockpot and stir. Mix in sour cream.

That's where the original recipe ends.  And that's why I shredded the chicken.  I didn't see any further instructions.  I'm guessing the person who made this recipe wanted to use the salsa as a sauce to pour over the chicken, but I'm not entirely sure.  You can do either and know it will taste good either way!

*Homemade taco seasoning really makes a difference.  Some of the store-bought varieties just aren't good.  And this one is so easy and inexpensive you should really give it a try!

Nutrition Information
Serves 4
1 serving =
145 calories
5 grams fat
5 grams carb
1 gram fiber
20 grams protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 3
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 4
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 3

With week one done, let me know in the comments below if you like this recipe or if you've been enjoying this series!


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Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
Homemade Taco Seasoning

Cocoa Krispy Bars - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 6

These were a pretty good treat.  They were chocolatey and sweet, but according to my husband not chocolatey enough.  Another tablespoon of cocoa could fix this without adding too many calories.  Come to think of it, using Hershey's Special Dark could fix the chocolate factor even without adding more.  The use of marshmallow creme helped to lower the calorie count versus using marshmallows, and it was good, but not quite like a regular rice crispy treat.  To save a few calories, though, not a bad option!


Find the original recipe on page 29: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.


Taste Score - 7
Ease of Preparation Score - 8

Cocoa Krispy Bars

Ingredients:

1 tablespoons light margarine (I used light butter)
1 ounce unsweetened baker's chocolate
1 7-ounce jar of marshmallow creme
1 tablespoon cocoa (I used cacao powder)
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups plain rice krispies

Line a 13x9 pan with wax paper.  Melt butter and baker's chocolate in a large saucepan over low heat.  Add marshmallow creme, cocoa and vanilla.  Stir until smooth.  Remove from heat and add cereal.  Spread mixture in pan and let cool for 10 minutes.  Cut into 24 squares.

Using a spatula sprayed with nonstick cooking spray helps to press the treats without getting sticky fingers.

Nutrition Information:
Serves 24
1 serving =
67 calories
1 gram fat
14 grams carbs
0 grams fiber
1 gram protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 1
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 2
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 3

Meatballs - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 5

I was pleasantly surprised at how good these meatballs really were.  I know adding onion soup mix to things can really bump up the flavor, but in this case I wasn't sure how the oats would overtake the whole recipe.  I had a bad experience with an oat-y meatloaf in the past.  These meatballs, though, I would make again and I would definitely recommend trying them.  Even though you can see the oats, and they oddly look like no-bake cookies, they don't taste weird at all!

This recipe does not suggest how to serve the meatballs, but I made them a day ahead of time and warmed them in a brown gravy the next day.  The gravy I used was from a packet.  I do like scratch gravy but I didn't do it this time.  I would suggest two packets if you want to serve it this way.  One was not quite enough.  Then I served it over rice with a side of roasted vegetables.  It was a very delicious meal!

As a side note, I'd like to do a post soon on making your own onion soup mix.  I don't have a recipe I use right now, but I'll be on the hunt and do a review sometime soon.


Find the original recipe on page 7: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.


Taste Score - 8
Ease of Preparation Score - 9


Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 pound 93% lean ground beef
1 cup uncooked oats
1 egg
1 package onion soup mix

Mix all ingredients and form into 42 1-inch balls, measuring approximately 1 tablespoon each.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.


Nutrition Information
Serves 7 (6 small meatballs)
166 calories
8 grams fat
3 grams carb
0.4 grams fiber
18 grams protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 4
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 4
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 4


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Low Fat Hummus - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 4

Here is day four of my 30 Days 30 Recipes Challenge!  As a reminder, these are Weight Watchers recipes.  

Today I tried out the Low Fat Hummus.  I have a hummus that I really like, but it's high in calories and 10 POINTS per serving.  And when I'm trying to lose weight, it's not something that makes the menu too often.  I figured I'd give this version a try and let you know how it turned out and if it's a good substitute.  

So the consensus is, at a savings of 8 points per serving this recipe was a very good substitute.  It had a super garlicky kick!  That could be due to the larger heads of garlic I used.  I didn't mind it at all.  It gave the hummus a nice bite.  My daughter, however, found the garlic far too "spicy".  

In the future, I'd add one less clove of garlic.  Also, I would add toasted sesame seeds.  Instead of the two tablespoons in my other recipe, I would cut it down to one.  At 52 additional calories for the whole recipe, I feel it would be worth it for the flavor.  Overall, though, this recipe is quite good as is.

Find the original recipe on page 39: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes

Taste Score - 8
Ease of Preparation Score -8


Low Fat Hummus 

Ingredients:

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup low fat plain yogurt

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 19-ounce can chick peas, drained

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.  Chill.

Nutrition Information

Serves 4

1 serving = 

128 calories

2 grams fat

21 grams carbs

4 grams fiber

5 grams protein

Calculated at CalorieCount.com

Weight Watchers POINTS - 2 

Weight Watchers Points Plus - 3

Weight Watcher Smart Points - 4

All nutrition information is approximate and is calculated at caloriecount.com.

   

Check out the other posts in this series!

30 Days 30 Recipes

Easy Cheese Lasagna - 30 days 30 Recipes Day 3

The quest for fat free ricotta made this recipe quite a challenge.  Since low fat dieting has all but died, finding some fat free dairy products is not easy.  My shopping adventure started at Walmart.  They didn't carry it.  Then on to Price Chopper.  They had it but it expired three months ago.  I let the employees know and moved on to the next store, hopeful that I wouldn't have to try a fourth.  Finally, Big Y actually had it and it was in date!  Success!

So was this Easy Cheese Lasagna worth all the effort?

Well, yes.  This was a delicious meal and I would definitely recommend trying it if you're looking for a lower calorie lasagna.  My husband and daughter liked it.  My son didn't try it.  But that doesn't mean a thing because he won't touch regular lasagna!

There are a couple tweaks I would make. First, I would add salt and pepper to the ricotta mixture.  Second, and this would affect the calories, I would add a quarter cup of parmesan to the ricotta and mix it together.  Even without those additions, it was delicious and I'll be making it again.  For the vegetable I used eggplant, which was delicious.  I also think it would be great with different vegetable add-ins like zucchini or mushrooms.

This is a no fuss, quick lasagna, and if you're not looking to save on calories, I'm sure it would be even tastier with full fat ricotta and full fat mozzarella.

Find the original recipe on page 1: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.

Taste Score - 9
Ease of Preparation Score - 8

Easy Cheese Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 jar spaghetti sauce (I used Fransesco Rinaldi Sweet & Tasty Tomato)
6 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 15 ounce container fat free ricotta
1-2 cups chopped, raw vegetables (I used 2 cups eggplant)
8 ounce shredded low fat mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray an 11x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.  Spread 1/3 of your sauce onto the bottom of the dish.  Then lay, without overlapping, 3 noodles on top of the sauce.  Top the noodles with more sauce followed by all of the ricotta, all of the vegetables and half of the mozzarella.  Lay 3 noodles over the cheese and top with remaining sauce.  Top off with the rest of your mozzarella cheese.  Cover with foil and bake 1 hour.  Remove foil and bake 5 more minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.


Nutrition Information (calculated with eggplant)
Serves 6
1 serving =
299 calories
9.6 grams fat
33 grams carb
18.5  grams protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 6
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 7
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 10

All nutrition information is approximate and is calculated at recipes.sparkpeople.com.

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Baked Oatmeal - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 2

Day 2 already?

Whenever I hear "baked oatmeal", I think it must be some healthy diet food.  And while this is that, it's actually quite tasty.  I like it much better than yesterday's recipe and I actually think I'd make it again.  I might even try a variation, adding blueberries instead of raisins.  And I would add a few pinches of salt.  I'm not sure why that wasn't included in the original recipe.  Other than that, though, a good find.


Find the original recipe on page 21: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes

Taste Score - 7/10 - 

Ease of Preparation Score - 10/10 

Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients:

2 cups dry oatmeal
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup skim milk
1 whole egg plus 1 white (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix oatmeal and baking powder.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Pour into a 9 inch pie pan sprayed with nonstick spray.  Or pour into 12 muffin tins*.  Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

*I poured into 6 large muffin tins and baked for 30 minutes.  It came out just right.  Also I used 1% milk instead of skim.

Nutrition Information
Serves 6
1 serving =
181 calories
3 grams fat
34 grams carbohydrates
3 grams fiber
7 grams protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 3
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 5
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 7

All nutrition information is approximate and is calculated at caloriecount.com.

Check out all the posts in this series here!
30 Days 30 Recipes

Mandarin Orange Mousse - 30 Days 30 Recipes - Day 1

Are you ready?

Here's day one!

Today's recipe is Mandarine Orange Mousse.  I won't leave you in suspense, I'll tell you right off.  It was definitely NOT a hit in my house!  Ha!  But don't let my family be your judge.  I thought it was decent and was very reminiscent of an orange creamsicle.  My son thought it tasted like orange Tums.  My husband thought it tasted like chewable vitamin C.  My daughter thought it was ok.  I'm not sure I'll be making it again but it was worth a try.  I don't hate it, certainly.  It won't go to waste, but I think I'll be spending my calories differently after this one is gone!

If you love orange creamsicles and are looking for a low calorie treat, go ahead and give it a try.  You might like it!

Find the original recipe on page 2: 100 Favorite Weight Watchers Recipes.

Taste Score - 5/10 

Ease of preparation score - 10/10 

Mandarine Orange Mousse

Ingredients:

1 box sugar free orange gelatin
1 box sugar free white chocolate pudding
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 8 ounce container fat free Cool Whip, thawed

Mix gelatin with 1 cup boiling water.  Dissolve gelatin completely.  Add 1 cup cold water and let sit 5 minutes.  Using electric beater, beat in pudding mix until well combined.  Fold in drained fruit and cool whip.  Chill and serve.

The original recipes says 4, 1-cup servings are 2.5 points each.  I found there to be far more points than that, but the serving size is more than a cup if you count the serving as one fourth of the recipe.

Nutritional Information
Serves 4
1 serving =
234 calories
0 grams fat
49 carbs
0 grams fiber
0.5 grams protein

Weight Watchers POINTS - 5
Weight Watchers Points Plus - 5
Weight Watchers Smart Points - 10

Wow!  10 Smart Points!  At 5 I call it questionable because I don't love it, but if I was doing the Smart Points plan, I would definitely not make this.


All nutrition information is approximate and was calculated using caloriecount.com.


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