Avocado Chicken Salad

The other day I made a batch of Chicken Noodle Soup and had extra cooked chicken that didn't go into the soup and I had been wondering what I was going to do with it. In the past I would of just made my traditional chicken salad - heavy with mayo and celery. Today I was in the grocery store and saw some avocados that were very ripe and it dawned on me then that the avocado with some sour cream would be a great swap for that mayo. Not only was it a great swap it is just as creamy, adds something healthy to the meal and was great with some sliced cucumbers.



Avocada Chicken Salad: Serves 4

10oz Cooked Chicken Thighs - Cubed/Shredded
3.5oz Avocado
1/4C Sour Cream (I use Daisy Light)
Salt & Pepper

Mix together the avocado and sour cream until all chunks are removed then add the chicken to the bowl and stir together. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to your tastes then serve and enjoy!

I had this in a pita with some sliced cucumber but it would be great alone, on a bed of lettuce or as I had it in a sandwich.

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WW: 5 Points Plus / serving

Watermelon Cream Popsicle

I love icy treats in summer time. Being a Maryland girl I grew up on Snow Balls, Not Snow Cones - those rocks of ice with syrup on top, a snow ball is a great concoction of shaved or finely crushed ice with the syrup distributed evenly throughout, and if you are lucky it has some marshmallow fluff on top! But I digress, I'm just sad I haven't had a snow ball yet and got carried away...I was so excited when a friend was having a fundraiser for cancer via tupperware! I bought a popsicle mold that I have wanted for a while and I made sure to put it to good use right away. This popsicle is creamy, sweet and fruity and pretty darn healthy! I know I will be experimenting with all different kids of popsicles but right now I am real happy this was my first attempt.



Watermelon Cream Popsicle: Serves 6

2C Cubed Seedless Watermelon
1TB Sugar
3TB Cream Cheese (I use 1/3 less fat)
1/2tsp Lime Juice

Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend away! Pour into the mold, add the sticks, and place in the freezer for a few hours. If you don't have a mold you can always use those small paper bathroom cups and the wooden popsicle sticks, then just peel them off when your ready to enjoy!

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WW: 1 Points Plus / 1 Popsicle
1 Points Plus / 2 Popsicles
2 Points Plus / 3 Popsicles
3 Points Plus / 4 Popsicles
3 Points Plus / 5 Popsicles
4 Points Plus / 6 Popsicles

Shrimp Creole Pasta

I love Shrimp Creole, typically I serve it over rice but the other day I thought how great it would be as a pasta and I had just bought a bag of egg noodles so I took it as a sign that this recipe was meant to be. Ironically I told my mom I was going to try it out and she said it had just occurred to her to do the same thing the day before! I guess great minds think alike :)

Give this a try and you won't be disappointed



Shrimp Creole Pasta: Serves 4

1lb Shrimp
1 Onion - Chopped
1 Green Pepper - Chopped
1 Red Pepper - Chopped
1 Zucchini - Chopped
1TB Butter
2-3 Celery Stalks - Sliced
1 Bay Leaf
1tsp Parsley
6oz Tomato Paste
2C Water
2tsp Beef Bouillon
Old Bay Seafood Seasoning
1/2C White Distilled Vinegar
1/2C Water
6oz Egg Noodles

Chop all the vegetables into even pieces and in a large sauce pot sauté with butter, bay leaf & parsley, once the veggies are no longer raw add water, bouillon, old bay to taste (start with 1tsp and as it cooks decide if you want to add more) and tomato paste. Bring up to a simmer and let boil on low for a half an hour.

Make sure shrimp have been de-veined and are still in their shells, if frozen thaw in cool water and drain. In a large sauté pan mix water, vinegar and 2TB Old Bay and bring to a boil. Add shrimp in a single layer into the pan and stir. Flip the shrimp after 2 minutes and continue to cook another 1-3 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through – if your pan is small you may need to cook the shrimp in batches, just remove the first batch and add the second. Once the shrimp have cooled off enough remove the shells and if you would like, cut into pieces that are the same size as the vegetables.

While the vegetables are simmering away and the shrimp are cooked, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the egg noodles for a few minutes. You want to cook them until they are almost done, drain them and add to the vegetables to finish cooking in the sauce. Once the pasta has finished cooking and the vegetables have been simmering for at least 30 minutes then add the shrimp to the pot and let it cook for 1 more minute then serve and enjoy!
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WW: 8 Points Plus / serving

Lentil Sloppy Joes

Prior to today I had never made lentils and only ever had a bite of them once. I am quite excited by this recipe, I found it on Pinterest from the blog Edible Perspective and altered it to suit my tastes but the finished product can be eaten alone, on a roll, in a pita, over polenta or grits, on top of potatoes, the possibilities are endless. Oh and another winning quality about this recipe? It is made in the slow cooker and actually takes the whole day on low so people like me who are gone from home for up to 10 hours can actually use this recipe during the work week!



Lentil Sloppy Joes: Serves 8-12

1lbs Lentils - Dried
6C Chicken or Vegetable Stock
28oz Diced Tomatoes - Drained
6oz Tomato Paste
1 Bell Pepper - Chopped
1 Onion - Chopped
2 Garlic Cloves - Minced
1TB Fresh Oregano (1tsp dried)
1/2TB Fresh Parsley (1/2tsp dried)
2TB Sugar
2TB Apple Cider Vinegar
1TB Worcestershire Sauce
1tsp Liquid Hickory Smoke
1.5TB Chili Powder
1TB Smoked Paprika
1/2tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/4tsp Pepper
1/2tsp Salt

First and most importantly sort through the lentils and discard any rocks and debris, then rinse thoroughly. Place all ingredients in the slow cooker, give it a stir and set to low for 8 hours. Give it a stir and check your lentils, if you like them soft keep cooking for another hour or two, if you like them with a little bite to them stop after 8 hours. I love my crock pot because it has a timer and once it goes off it goes to warm until I get home!

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WW: 5 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings
4 Points Plus / serving @ 10 servings
3 Points Plus / servings @ 12 servings

Chicken Calvasa over Rice

As many of you know I am a member of Weight Watchers and I participate in their message boards. Well one thing I love about the boards, other than the never ending support to live a healthier lifestyle, is that people send me recipes they think I would like, or recipes they want lightened up! Donna sent me this recipe for Chicken Calvasa and I knew I had to try it! Many thanks Donna for this great and wonderful recipe, you can bet it will be on my personal rotation!



Chicken Calvasa over Rice: Serves 4

1lbs Chicken Breast - Boneless / Skinless
1C Yellow Squash - Sliced
1C Zucchini - Sliced
1/2C Onions - Sliced
1C Cherry Tomatoes - Halved
2 Jalapenos - Sliced into quarters & seeds removed
4tsp Olive Oil
3/4tsp Chili Powder
3/4tsp Cumin
Onion Powder / Garlic Powder
1C Rice
2C Water
Salt & Pepper
4TB Sour Cream (optional)

Place the water, 1tsp of olive oil and some salt over medium heat and bring up to a boil, add in the rice, stir once, turn down to a low simmer and cover with a lid and continue to cook until all of the water has left the pot.

Slice the chicken into bite size pieces and toss with 1/4tsp chili powder and 1/4tsp cumin and a pinch of onion and garlic powder. In a large skillet heat 1tsp of olive oil over medium heat and add the chicken and cook for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is cooked completely through (cooking time will vary depending on the size of your pieces). Remove the chicken from the pan and set to the side. Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining 2tsp olive oil with the veggies and 1/2tsp chili powder and 1/2tsp cumin powder with a pinch of salt & pepper and saute for 6-8 minutes until the vegetables have cooked through. Remove the jalapenos (unless you like it super duper insanely hot but this whimp couldn't take it!) and add the vegetables to the chicken and get ready to enjoy.

Place the rice on a plate and top with the chicken and vegetables then enjoy enjoy enjoy! I know I did.

If you find it is a little hot for you, you can add a tablespoon of sour cream.

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WW: 9 Points Plus / serving
10 Points Plus / serving with 1TB of Sour Cream

Creamy Garlic Noodles

On Pinterest I saw a post for garlic noodles from The Cheese Pusher and I loved the idea of cooking the noodles in stock until the liquid all absorbs, the stock turns creamy as it is due to the starch in the pasta then to top off the deliciousness I added cream cheese. With fresh herbs from my patio it was a delightful meal and would also be a fantastic side dish.



Creamy Garlic Noodles: Serves 4-6 (6 as a side dish)

8oz Pasta
3C Chicken Stock
4 Garlic Cloves - Minced
3TB Cream Cheese (I use 1/3 less fat)
2tsp Olive Oil
1TB Fresh Parsley - Chopped
2TB Fresh Basil - Chopped
Salt & Pepper

In a saute pot place the olive oil and garlic over medium heat for 45-60 seconds until it turns fragrant, add a dash of salt and pepper, the herbs and chicken stock. Turn the heat up to high and once it starts boiling add the noodles and turn down to a simmer. Continue cooking the noodles uncovered stirring every few minutes until the stock has absorbed completely into the pasta, stir in the cream cheese, remove from the heat, serve and enjoy!

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WW: 7 Points Plus / serving @ 4 servings
4 Points Plus / serving @ 6 servings

Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken Breast

One website I check out weekly is Skinny Taste! Gina has a great site and I believe similar cooking ethic to me - she doesn't use very many highly processed ingredients and tries to lighten up every day meals in a sensible way. Well when I opened her page and was greeted with her Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Baked Stuffed Chicken I just knew she had created genius! I couldn't wait to make my own version of it, I love Jalapeno Poppers and thought this was a great way to have what I love as a healthy meal.



Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Chicken Breast: Serves 4

2 Large Chicken Breasts (Approx 1lbs) - Boneless / Skinless
4 Jalapenos
6TB Cream Cheese (I use the 1/3 less fat)
2oz Cheddar Cheese - Shredded
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper

Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of wax paper and smash with a meat mallet or a heavy bottomed pan to make the chicken into an even thickness of approximately 1/4" all over. Sprinkle the onion powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper evenly over both sides of the chicken. Slice each breast into 2 equal size pieces.

Now for this step you may want to wear some gloves, if you don't that is okay just spray your hands with some Pam or olive oil first so the jalapeno juices do not get in your skin. Slice the jalapenos in half from tip to stem and carefully scoop and discard the seeds and ribs out of the jalapeno.

Now mix together the cream cheese & cheddar cheese and form it into a little torpedo and put between two jalapeno halves and set each stuffed jalapeno onto the center of a chicken breast. Now carefully pull the sides of the chicken up and roll and secure the chicken around the jalapenos and cheese with tooth picks. Place the chicken in a greased baking pan and bake at 375° oven for approximately 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes then serve and enjoy!

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WW: 6 Points Plus / serving

Spicy Seafood Pasta

I have been craving some Italian food and one of my favorite dishes to get at a restaurant is a simple tomato sauce with shrimp and scallops over pasta. I decided to make my own and only wish I had fresh basil to use, guess I'll just have to make it again this summer! This sauce was absolutely delicious and tasted like a garden, I don't think I'll ever do a tomato sauce any other way again.



Spicy Seafood Pasta: serves 4

8oz Pasta
28oz Canned Whole Tomatoes (San Marzano)
1/2lbs Shrimp - Peeled/De-veined
1/2lbs Sea Scallops
2 Garlic Cloves - Minced
1tsp Basil (Dried)
1 Bay Leaf
1tsp Sugar
1/4tsp Red Pepper Flakes
Salt & Pepper
1/4C Parmesan Cheese

Place the tomatoes and all of their juices in a large saute pan, add the garlic, basil, bay leaf, sugar, red pepper flakes and some salt and pepper and put over medium heat. Bring up to a simmer and after a few minutes with a fork or potato masher, smash the whole tomatoes into smaller pieces and give the sauce a stir. Continue to let the sauce simmer and reduce, stirring every few minutes. After 10 minutes of reducing we can get the pasta started.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce, give it a stir and let it absorb into the sauce for a minute. The sauce should be pretty chunky by now and pretty much reduced by about 50%. Now it is time to add the seafood, toss it into the sauce and noodles and give it a big stir trying to distribute the seafood evenly throughout and near the bottom of the pan. Let the seafood cook for 2-3 minutes then give it a stir and let it finish cooking (depending on the size of your seafood this could take another 2-5 minutes, you want to make sure that it is cooked through but you do not want it to over cook!)

Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and let it sit for a few minutes. Split into 4 bowls, top with a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

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WW: 9 Points Plus / serving

Strawberry Banana Baked Oatmeal

For the last few months I have been having baked oatmeal for breakfast almost every morning. I absolutely love it, I never get sick of it, I eat it cold, I eat it warmed up, with butter, with maple syrup with cream cheese or just plain. I have yet to find a way I don't like this! Needless to say I am always experimenting with the different flavors and this time I had brought home some fresh strawberries and couldn't wait to add them to my Banana Baked Oatmeal base, what a wonderful breakfast or snack!



Strawberry Banana Baked Oatmeal: 12-18 Servings

4 Eggs
3C Milk - I use FF or 1%
4-5 Over ripe Bananas – Mashed/Blended (should come up to 2.25C once mashed approx.)
3C Chopped Strawberries
1/2C Brown Sugar
6C Uncooked Old Fashioned Oats
1.5tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Salt
1tsp Vanilla Extract
1tsp Cinnamon

Mix the eggs and milk together then add all remaining ingredients. I let it sit for 5 minutes so the oats can absorb some of the liquid then I pour into a greased 13×9 pan and cover with foil, bake at 350° for 30 minutes then uncover and bake an additional 30-40 minutes until the top of the oatmeal is evenly cooked. Remove from the oven and let it cool on the counter, then slice into 12-18 slices, and refrigerate until you are ready to eat.

Here are the recipes for my other baked oatmeals:

Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal
Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal
Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

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WW: 6 Points Plus / serving @ 12 servings
4 Points Plus / serving @ 18 servings

Sausage & Spinach Lasagna

I love lasagna. Plain and simple. Pasta, Cheese, whats not to love? Traditionally my family does lasagna with layers of meat sauce, cheese and noodles and I decided to play off that today in a little bit healthier fashion. This tastes decadant and guilt worthy but the beauty is it is filled with a fresh simple tomato sauce, utilizes part skim cheese - that still melts, and fresh veggies. Make this and prepare to have your family ask you "I thought you were on a diet?" little will they know they are eating healthy!



Sausage & Spinach Lasagna: Serves 8-12

12 Lasagna Noodles
1 Batch Simple Tomato Sauce
4 Hot Italian Turkey Sausages (approx 3-4oz Each) - Chopped
1lbs Fresh Spinach
2tsp Olive Oil
1 Egg
2TB Fresh Basil (or 2tsp dried)
16oz Part Skim Ricotta
Salt & Pepper
1/2C Parmesan Cheese - Shredded

Make your sauce - you can do this ahead of time and freeze it, or have it cooking all day in the crock pot. So sauce is cooking...Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add 1tsp of olive oil and the lasagna noodles to the pot. Stir often to make sure the noodles don't stick together. Cook the noodles until al dente, you want them to still have a bit of a bite to them as they will be cooking in the oven for a bit.

In a large saute pan heat the other tsp of olive oil and add the sausage. Cook until the sausage is completely cooked through. Remove to a bowl and set to the side. Add half the spinach to the pan, cover and let it wilt, remove to a colander and repeat this process with the other half of the spinach. Now this is really really important - push as much liquid as physically possible from the spinach - no one wants soupy lasagna.

Mix together the ricotta, egg, drained spinach, sausage, basil and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Now lets layer! Grease a 13x9 pan, place a couple ladle fulls of sauce in the bottom of the pan and add 3 noodles to cover the bottom. Place half of the cheese & sausage mix evenly over the noodles. Finish the layering as such: another 3 noodles, sauce, 3 noodles, remaining cheese & sausage mix, 3 noodles then remaining sauce. Now place in a 375° oven for 30 minutes, remove and sprinkle with the Parmesan Cheese and return to the oven for another 15 minutes.

Once the cooking time is up remove from the oven and let it sit for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Enjoy!

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WW: 6 Points Plus / serving @ 12 servings
9 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings