Hot Dog Pasta

Does anyone watch Big Bang Theory? Ever hear Sheldon talk about one of his favorite meals where his mom takes spaghetti and cuts up hot dogs into little pieces and adds it to the sauce? Well I make something very similar which makes my guy very happy. It is more sophisticated (so I tell myself) than hot dogs, and I like to think a bit healthier. I love that I can have this dish on the table in 30 minutes and leftovers taste even better.

Hot Dog Pasta: Serves 4

8oz Pasta (we like to use wagon wheels just because!)
7oz Smoked Turkey Sausage - Chopped
1 Onion - Diced
1 Zucchini - Sliced
1tsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
4TB Shredded Parm

Sauce:
29oz Tomato Sauce
15oz Diced Tomatoes - Drained
1 Small Jar Tomato Paste
1-2tsp Dried Basil
1-2tsp Dried Oregano
1/2tsp Onion Powder
1/2tsp Garlic Powder
1tsp Sugar
Salt & Pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set to the side. While the water is heating up, place a large saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil with the zucchini & onion and some salt and pepper. Saute until the veggies are cooked through but still a bit crisp. Remove to a small bowl. Add the smoked turkey sausage to the pan - I like to cut mine into little triangles but if you want little round discs or half moons that is fine too. Let them cook a minute or two, then give a stir, once they start to get some coloring on them you can add all the sauce ingredients to the pan and bring up to a simmer. Once the sauce has come to a simmer you can add the cooked noodles to the pan (or if your pan isn't big enough add the sauce to the pot!) and add back the veggies. Give a stir, top each serving with a tablespoon of the cheese, serve and enjoy.

And for a variation - feel free to switch up the veggies, I also like this with a head of fresh broccoli that has been lightly steamed.

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WW: 9 Points Plus / serving

Grilled Acorn Squash

I refuse to acknowledge that it is getting colder when it comes to using the grill - until there is snow in my way I will probably still be grilling! I made some of my go to BBQ Chicken Thighs and knew I needed a veggie to go with it. I looked through my crisper and found an acorn squash and decided I would give it a try on the grill. I prepared it the same way I do for the oven and the result was a delicious perfectly cooked squash to go with my chicken. I really love the grill marks too and caramelized bits on the squash.




Grilled Acorn Squash: Serves 2-3

1 Acorn Squash - approx 6-8" in Diameter
2tsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Cut the squash in half through the stem, scoop out the seeds and pulp. Brush the olive oil onto the cut sides of the squash and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Wrap each half with tightly with tin foil. I turned my grill onto high and placed the wrapped squash, cut side down, on the top rack of my grill. I grilled for 45 minutes but you will know they are done and ready when you can easily pierce the skin and squash flesh with a steak knife (like going through butter!).

Remove from the grill, carefully unwrap, take a large spoon and scoop out the squash from the skin, serve and enjoy!

Tip: I really like to top mine with a dollop of sour cream!

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WW: 1 Points Plus / serving

Bangers and Mash

This week has been a long one for me and I wanted a low key comfort food dinner but didn't want to feel guilty about eating it! This dinner was easy to put together and I was able to clean up my kitchen as it cooked. Now I have a clean kitchen, a full belly and lots of leftovers. This recipe uses my Mashed Potatoes with Cauliflower recipe and adds Chicken Sausage to complete the Bangers and Mash theme.

Bangers + Mash: Serves 4

1.25 lbs Red Potatoes
3C Frozen Cauliflower (or Fresh)
1/4C Sour Cream (I use Daisy’s Light)
2TB Butter
2-4TB Milk
Salt / Pepper
4 Italian Chicken Sausages - approx 4oz each.
1tsp Olive Oil

I like to have the skins of the potato in my mashed potatoes, if you do not then peel your potatoes! Either way scrub them clean, and chop into even pieces (I do 1/2″ cubes), rinse under cold water, then place in a sauce pot covered with cold, salted water and bring to a boil and cook until easily pierced with a fork. In a separate pot cover the cauliflower with salted water and bring to a boil and cook until a fork easily pierces the stems.

Drain the potatoes & cauliflower and place the cauliflower in a mixer and beat until well minced. Add the potatoes, milk (start with 2TB), sour cream, butter and some salt and pepper and continue to mash until nice and smooth. Add more milk if you like your potatoes a little more loose and taste to see if you need more salt and pepper.

While the potatoes and cauliflower are cooking add the olive oil to a saute pan and heat over medium heat, add the sausages to the pan, cover with a lid and every few minutes turn them over until they are brown all over and cooked through. Once completely cooked place a sausage on top of a serving of the mash, serve and enjoy!

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WW: 9 Points Plus / serving

Grilled Cauliflower

If you were on the East Coast this weekend you know how absolutely wonderful it was outside! We had the house open, breeze blowing in and no worry about snow. Needless to say my grill was cranked up and ready to go last night. I had a head of cauliflower in the fridge that needed to be used and a grill basket saying "why not?!" I have roasted cauliflower in the past with great success and figured grilling wasn't that different. This was a great addition to some grilled marinated chicken breasts and rice pilaf and super simple to make.



Grilled Cauliflower: Serves 3-4

1 Head Cauliflower - Cut into Large Florets
1TB Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Break your cauliflower into large florets - I quarter, remove the core, then just pull apart and slice super large chunks into half so the pieces are all approximately the same size. Toss with the olive oil and salt and pepper and place in a grill basket. Place on your grill and cook over medium heat for 30-40 minutes tossing once or twice (I actually put it on the grill while it was heating up then once they were done just turned off the portion of the grill they were on while the remainder of my meal cooked!) Serve & Enjoy!

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WW: 1 Points Plus / serving

Grilled Potatoes

This weekend I had the joy of buying a beautiful Weber Grill and tonight I made its first meal - BBQ Chicken Quarters & Grilled Potatoes. One of my favorite meals from the grill. I'm sure I'll say that with every grill meal to come though. Either way JK fans....get ready for some grill recipes. This first one is sure to be a crowd pleaser, not only is it delicious today, but tomorrow morning if you have any extras you can toss in a frying pan with some scrambled eggs and have a wonderful breakfast.



Grilled Potatoes: Serves 4

4 Red Potatoes (approx 6 oz each) - thinly sliced
1 Onion - thinly sliced
4tsp Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder



Carefully slice the potatoes into approx 1/8" thick slices - it is most important that the slices stay approximately the same thickness so they all cook at the same rate. Try to keep the sliced potatoes stacked together to look like a whole potato. Once sliced take one of the potatoes and spread out the slices in order on your cutting board, sprinkle 1 tsp of olive oil over each potato then sprinkle with the spices, next take the end piece of potato, then a small piece of onion then the next slice of potato and layer together so the onions become spacers between the potato slices. Lay the potato & onion mixture together on a greased piece of aluminum foil and wrap up tightly. Repeat with the remaining potatoes. Place on a medium high grill for approximately 45 minutes, you can remove one of the packets from the grill and CAREFULLY open the package - watch out for steam, if a fork easily pierces the potatoes they are ready to eat. If not, wrap back up and continue cooking for a little bit. Once finished remove from the grill, carefully open the packet, serve and enjoy!

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WW: 4 Points Plus

Sausage & Summer Veggie Pasta

Well its the heart of January, there was a forecast of 8" of snow for tomorrow and I am making a summer veggie pasta dish. Why you ask? Because my boyfriend saw a commercial for pasta which had sausage and tomato in it and made the passing comment "that looked good". You know me, I rewound it, looked at what they were making and said "I can do that!" I added zucchini and onions to my portions and it was a delicious spicy and sweet dish and the plain sausage and tomato portion got a two thumbs up review as well!



Sausage & Summer Veggie Pasta: Serves 4

8oz Pasta
4 Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage (approx 4oz each) - removed from casings
1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes
1/4tsp Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper
2tsp Olive Oil
1 Zucchini - Sliced
1 Onion - Thinly Sliced
1/4C Chicken Stock - Fat Free

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook to al dente. Drain and return to the pot and set to the side. While the pasta is cooking add a teaspoon of oil to a large skillet pan over medium heat and add the sausage to the pan, break up with a spatula and cook for 2-3 minutes then add the cherry tomatoes to the pan with some salt, pepper and the garlic powder. Continue to brown the sausage and cook the tomatoes until the tomatoes start to burst open, take the spatula and push down gently on the tomatoes to break them open and cook for another minute. Remove the sausage and tomatoes to a bowl and set to the side.

Return the pan to the heat, add the remaining oil with the zucchini and onions and some salt and pepper. Saute for 4-5 minutes until the onions are sauteed and the zucchini are starting to soften. Add the veggies and sausage mixture to the drained pasta with the chicken stock and heat over medium low heat, stirring, for a minute or two. Serve and enjoy!

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WW: 10 Points Plus / Serving

Shrimp Stir Fry

I love stir fry and I can't believe that I don't have a standard Shrimp Stir Fry recipe on here yet! I often make variations of this adding lime juice, sriracha, honey or anything else I feel needs to be in my stir fry to give it a little extra zing that day. This recipe is very basic and gives me what I needed today - a plate of delicious veggies in a wonderful sauce over some rice with plump juicy shrimp. What more can a girl ask for?! Like any of my stir fry recipes feel free to change up the vegetables to what you prefer most in your stir fry.



Shrimp Stir Fry: Serves 4

1lbs Shrimp - Peeled & Deveined
1 Garlic Clove - Minced
1C Broccoli
1 Bell Pepper - Sliced
1 Onion - Sliced
1 Zucchini - Sliced
2 Carrots - Sliced
1C Sugar Peas
1/2C Chicken Stock - Fat Free
1/4C Teriyaki Sauce - LaChoy Brand
2TB Soy Sauce
1TB Corn Starch
1TB Olive Oil
2C Water
1C Rice
Salt & Pepper

In a sauce pot bring the water, rice, 1tsp of olive oil and some salt to a boil, stir, cover and reduce to a simmer until all of the water has been absorbed into the rice.

In a large skillet add the remaining 2tsp of olive oil over medium to medium high heat, add the garlic with the broccoli, onions and carrots and some salt and pepper, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes, add the remaining veggies and cook for another 3-5 minutes until the veggies are cooked through but still have a nice crunch to them. Remove to a large bowl.

Mix together the chicken stock, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce and corn starch and pour about 1/4 of the mixture into the skillet along with the shrimp and cook the shrimp in a single layer for 3-4 minutes until they are fully cooked through. Add the remainder of the sauce to the pan with the veggies and allow the sauce to thicken, stirring constantly (this will happen quickly). Remove from the heat, serve over the rice and enjoy!

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WW: 8 Points Plus / Serving

Veggie Pizza

In need of an idea for a Super Bowl Party Appetizer? This is my go to to take to parties, it is more exciting then veggies & dip but is exactly that and a healthy option that even the manliest of men will eat. This recipe came from one of my Great Aunts a few years ago and I love to make it and think of her every time. It is easy to carry around and is able to be customized to your tastes. I used to make this with full fat ingredients and mayo instead of sour cream, well let me tell you - that is just foolish! I made it this past week for a book club meeting and used all reduced fat or light ingredients as well as substituting 100% of the mayo for sour cream. Everyone liked it, I honestly couldn't tell a difference and by the end of the night it was all gone. This is also a great recipe to make with your kids as you can get a little artistic with the veggie distribution!


Veggie Pizza: 24-32 Pieces

2 Packages Crescent Rolls - I use Reduced Fat
1 Package Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing (dry)
1/2C Sour Cream - I use Daisy's Light
8oz Cream Cheese - I use 1/3 Less Fat
2TB Milk - I use Fat Free
1C Cheddar Cheese - Shredded
1 Bell Pepper - Thinly Sliced
2 Carrots - Shredded
1 Cucumber - Seeded & Chopped
1-2C Broccoli - Chopped

Spread the crescents out on a greased sheet pan to cover the pan and pinch the seams together as much as possible - it doesn't have to be perfect. Place in a 375° oven for approximately 9-11 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature (if you are in a hurry place it in the fridge while you prepare the rest!)

In a stand mixer mix together the dressing, sour cream, cream cheese and milk. Spread the mixture over the cooled crescent roll base then evenly distribute the veggies all over the top of the dip. Top with the cheese and then with clean hands or a spatula press down on the veggies so they stick into the dip and are less likely to make a mess when you bite into them. Slice into either 24 or 32 pieces, remove to a tray and enjoy!

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WW: 3 Points Plus / Serving @ 24 servings
2 Points Plus / serving @ 32 servings

Recipe Flashback - Rustic Potato Pancakes

When I was making the French Onion Meatloaf the other day I felt like potatoes but had had mashed potatoes a few times in the previous weeks and decided to have these great Rustic Potato Pancakes. They are extremely simple to put together, I can alter the flavors to match my meal and they don't take long to cook at all. If you wanted to do something a little different at thanksgiving these could be great with some thyme, rosemary and garlic powder to go with the turkey (or day after turkey!)





I made this recipe exactly as it is called for in the original because the flavors went well with my meal but feel free to experiment and make it your own!

Happy November - Recipe Flashback

Hello Everyone! I realize I haven't posted in over a month, lots has been going on in what I refer to as "Jill World" including a move which has resulted in my now having a kitchen that is bigger than a shoe box! It's weird not having kitchen supplies in odd places like the bathroom closet, the dishwasher which I used for baking storage, etc. I am in the process of unpacking and getting settled but I am still cooking, I am doing something I often do, making my own recipes! I thought we would do a throw back month where I share with you some recipes I am revisiting and if I change anything up I'll let you know.

It was a whopping 32 degrees when I woke up yesterday and I knew I needed to make something that would warm me right on up. I looked through my recipes and knew that Chicken Corn Chowder would make me quite happy! We ate this after it had been fully cooked and simmering on the stove for a good 1.5-2 hours with the cream added so the flavors had time to start marrying together but I know it will be even better today.



In the original recipe I made it in the slow cooker and only used 2C of stock. This time I added a third cup of stock and cooked it on the stove top. I added everything but the milk, heavy cream and corn starch to a large stock pot, brought up to a boil, reduced to a simmer for about an hour until the potatoes were fully cooked through, then added the milk, cream and corn starch (which had been mixed into the milk), brought back up to a boil and reduced to a simmer one more time for about 20 minutes. Then I turned it down to low and let it sit on the stove for another hour - now keep in mind you could easily eat it after the first 20 minutes of simmering with the cream, but really? the longer it sits the better it is. So I finally gave in and had a bowl and mmmmm mmmmm was I happy :)

Give it a shot when you have a nice cold day coming up or just want to taste the deliciousness! I promise I'll keep on posting, I am cooking, I haven't disappeared! I will also post some of my favorite Thanksgiving Recipes for all of you making the meal or bringing something to a family gathering!

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

I love Pot Roast, yet I have only ever made it once before. This was the meal I would request when I came home from college, I loved that deep flavor of the meat that infused all the vegetables that it was cooked with and the nice fall apart texture of everything! I finally decided I needed to have pot roast and what better way to have it then to put it in the slow cooker before I left for work. 10 minutes of prep, go to work, come home and when you are ready for dinner, serve! So simple and guaranteed to impress your family with a good home cooked meal during the week!



Slow Cooker Pot Roast: 4-6

3lbs Beef Chuck Roast
2C Beef Stock
1tsp Crushed Rosemary (dried)
1tsp Onion Powder
~ 1-2lbs Red Potatoes - Halved
6-8 Large Carrots - Peeled & Cut into 3" Segments
1 Large Onion - Cut into Wedges (approx 6-8)
Salt & Pepper

Place the vegetables on the bottom of your slow cooker, coat the roast with the rosemary, onion powder, salt & pepper on all sides and place on top of the vegetables. Pour the stock over everything. Place the lid on the slow cooker, and cook on low for 8-10 hours. (note mine was going to be cooking for 11-12 hours - long work day, late dinner time! and my slow cooker cooks fast so I set mine to cook on low for 1.5 hours then switch to warm for the remaining time)

At the end of the cooking time the meat should be falling apart easily. I chose to take about 2C of the drippings in the slow cooker and to add a mixture of 1/4C of milk and 2TB of cornstarch to it in a small stock pot which I brought up to a boil while whisking until thickened to a nice gravy consistency. Serve & Enjoy!

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WW: 3oz COOKED Pot Roast is 8 Points Plus. In a 3 pound raw chuck roast I would say you can easily get 4-6, 3oz cooked servings. I have not included points for the potatoes as that is something you can easily calculate or alter to your individual plan.

Sauteed Cabbage with Canadian Bacon & Onions

I haven't had cabbage in a long time and decided I would have it with some teriyaki chicken. I figured I would just saute it on the stove as I love the way it caramelizes and then I could add some onions to it as well. Earlier in the week I had made some Canadian Bacon Shrimp & Grits and had extra bacon left over so I decided it would be a good addition to the dish. This is very easy to make, just takes some time for the cabbage to break down!



Sauteed Cabbage with Canadian Bacon & Onions: serves 4

1 small head of cabbage (about 6" diameter)
1TB Olive Oil
3 Slices Candian Bacon - Chopped
1 Small Onion - Diced
Salt & Pepper

Remove and discolored leaves from your cabbage, then slice into quarters, remove the hard core and discard. Slice the cabbage into ribbons (I tend to do 1" strips). In a large pot add the olive oil over medium heat and after it has warmed up add the onions and bacon and let them cook for about 2 minutes then add the cabbage with a generous dose of salt and pepper. Stir to coat the cabbage in oil, toss a lid on the pot and come back in about 5 minutes, give it a stir and repeat until your cabbage has started to wilt. At this point you can keep the lid off and just continue to stir every few minutes until the cabbage turns a nice golden brown and is soft. Remove from the heat, serve and enjoy!

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WW: 1 Points Plus / serving

Italian One Pot Wonder

Hi All! I hope you have had a good week, I am home from vacation and ready to cook some more. I wanted to share a great one pot meal I had right before vacation that I found on pinterest. I changed it slowly from the original recipe on Budget Bytes to be a little more weight watcher friendly but really this recipe is simple, easy and beyond tasty!



Italian One Pot Wonder: Serves 4-6

12oz Pasta
3C Chicken or Veggie Stock - Fat Free
10oz Frozen Spinach
8oz Tomato Sauce
1 Large Onion - Thinly Sliced
2 Garlic Cloves - Thinly Sliced
2tsp Dried Basil
2tsp Dried Oregano
1 Bay Leaf
1 Can Diced Tomatoes - 15 oz - do not drain
4oz Crumbled Feta Cheese

In a large sauce pot put in everything but the Feta Cheese. Cover & bring it up to a boil stirring occasionally while it is getting ready to boil - you want to break up the spinach which is essentially a huge ice cube in the pot. Once the pot is boiling remove the lid and stir occasionally, you will need to stir more often as the liquid evaporates and incorporates into the pasta. That is right....all this liquid, well the mass majority of it, will be absorbed into the pasta, no draining required! Okay so within 10-15 minutes it will be time to eat, stir until your pasta is done and has absorbed the liquid, remove from the heat, scoop into bowls, top with the crumbled feta, serve and enjoy!

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WW: 10 Points Plus / serving @ 4 servings
7 Points Plus / serving @ 6 servings

Grilled Pineapple

This recipe is courtesy of my sister, she was making a nice dinner for a friend and told me that this Grilled Pineapple was fantastic....of course I wouldn't know as my grill lives at my sister's house!! Someday I will live in a place that allows them again, until then we will have to take her word for the awesomeness of this recipe.



Grilled Pineapple: Serves 6-8

1 Large Ripe Pineapple
1/4C Honey
1TB Lemon Juice
1tsp Crushed Mint Leaves

First mix together the honey, lemon juice and mint and set to the side while you prepare the pineapple. Remove the top from the pineapple and leaving the rind on, slice vertically from top through bottom splitting the pineapple in half. Next slice each half length wise then carefully slice out the central core (hard part of the pineapple). Continue slicing the pineapple length wise until you have approximately 6-8 slices. My sister says you want to leave the rind on as it will help it retain its shape and form on the grill.

Next brush the fruit with the marinade and place cut side down on a grill for approximatly 10-15 minutes, remove from the grill and it is your option to keep the rind on for presentation or remove for quick eating :) Serve & Enjoy

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WW: 1 Points Plus / serving

Creamed Cucumbers

Is it hotter than you know what where you are too? I was really glad when I got home that I had some creamed cucumbers in my fridge as they are cool and refreshing and a side dish that reminds me of my childhood eating dinner on the back porch in the summer. This recipe is super simple with little prep time but does requires some waiting time before you can eat!



Creamed Cucumbers: Serves 4

2 Large Cucumbers - Peeled & Sliced Very Thin!!
1/2C Yellow Onion - Diced very fine
Salt / Pepper
2TB Sour Cream - I use Daisy's Light
2TB Mayo
1TB White Distilled Vinegar

Peel and Slice your cucumbers very thin - I used a mandolin to get consistent slices. Toss the cucumbers, onion and some salt and pepper together and place in a colander, then place the colander in a bowl (the bowl will need to be able to hold a cup or two of liquid). Now for the waiting part, the cucumbers need to release liquid, so I took an old cool-whip lid and placed it in the colander on top of the cucumbers then put a huge can of tomato sauce on top of it, this helps the cucumbers release their liquid. Place the setup in the fridge and give it at least an hour to release the liquid. I probably had 2C of cucumber juice in the bowl after an hour or two. About 30 minutes before you are ready to eat remove the cucumbers from the colander and place in a bowl, discard the liquid, and add in the remaining ingredients - sour cream, mayo and vinegar. Stir to incorporate, let it sit in the fridge for 30 min to give the sauce a chance to get the cucumber flavor in it then serve and enjoy!

This is a perfect side dish to burgers, grilled chicken, steak, kabobs, basically any summer dish! If you don't use it all in the first day that is okay, it just may be a little runnier the next day but still delicious!

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WW: 1 Points Plus / serving

Cream of Roasted Asparagus Soup

This is a soup that I have been meaning to make for years. When I was an intern in college my bosses took me out to a great little restaurant near our office that had a fantastic cream of asparagus soup, it was my first taste of asparagus actually. I finally saw it on sale at the grocery store and decided to just wing it. The result was nice and light with a slight thickness to the soup. I decided to roast my asparagus instead of only boiling in an attempt to really bring the flavor out and I believe it was a complete success. The whole soup was made in about 30 minutes and ready to eat in another 30 minutes and like any good recipe it only got better the longer it sat!

On a side note.... How are you all liking the mobile app? My sister has been working diligently to make it even better and easier to navigate and I really appreciate her efforts! If you don't have it and want to give it a try just go to Jillian's Kitchen on your phone and it should prompt you to try the mobile app, if not there is a link in the upper right hand corner of the navigation bar over >>>>>> there that will help you download it.



Cream of Roasted Asparagus Soup: Serves 4

2 Pounds Fresh Asparagus
1TB Olive Oil
2TB Butter
2C Milk (I used Fat Free)
2TB Flour
4C Chicken Stock (I used Fat Free) ** for vegetarians feel free to use Veggie Stock
1 Onion - Chopped (approx 1/2-3/4C)
Salt & Pepper

First you need to roast the asparagus, so turn your oven to 400°, rinse your asparagus and trim the rough ends off while the oven heats up. Toss the asparagus with the olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Spread out in a single layer on a sheet pan or two and place in the oven for about 15-20 minutes - you want the asparagus to actually get a little soft as in the end we blend it all together. While the asparagus is cooking you can get the rest of the soup going.

In a large pot bring your chicken stock to a low boil / simmer. In a skillet add 1TB of butter with the onions and some salt and pepper, cook over medium heat until the onions are very soft and translucent, add the remaining tablespoon of butter and once it has melted add the flour and stir constantly to make a paste, continue stirring so the flour doesn't burn and let it cook for a minute. Once the flour has had a minute to cook add the milk and with a whisk incorporate the flour into the milk, bring up to a low simmer while constantly stirring and let the milk and flour mixture thicken. Once it has gotten to a thin gravy consistency add it to the chicken stock and stir to mix it all together.

Okay your asparagus should be done cooking by now, take about 1/3 of the asparagus and chop it into 1" segments and set to the side, toss the remaining asparagus into the stock pot and let it cook for a minute or two. Now for the fun part....get your blender out! Pour the soup and asparagus into the blender (make sure to leave some air space and keep your hand on top of the lid, I typically fill the blender up halfway! the steam will try to push the lid off - I learned this the hard way when I exploded hot berry compote all over my fridge, ceiling and cabinets years ago!). Now blend, puree, beat the heck out of it until nice and smooth, put in a new stock pot or a big bowl and repeat until all of the soup and asparagus that was in the pot is blended. Return all of the blended soup to the stock pot and let it simmer for 15-30 minutes just so all the flavors can merry together, give it a stir occasionally and once you have finished cooking it add those reserved asparagus segments to the soup, ladle up, serve and enjoy!

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WW: 4 Points Plus / serving

Roasted Veggie Stir Fry

Some weeks I just feel like I am in need of veggies, lots and lots of veggies. The last week I had had an encounter with pizza, cake, blueberry muffins, and who knows what else, and I was really trying to get back into the swing of "normal" healthy eating habits. I took one look at my fridge and decided I would roast up a couple pans of veggies, not only did it use the poor neglected veggies but it meant little prep, and very little babysitting of the food while it cooked. I decided about half way through the roasting process that I would make a pot of rice (also little prep and no babysitting required!) and I would make up a quick stir fry sauce to toss the veggies in when they came out. The result was very stir-fry like but with the wonderful caramelization on the veggies from roasting. If you want to bulk this meal up feel free to add some garlic shrimp or chicken!



Roasted Veggie Stir Fry: serves 4

1 Large Onion
4 Large Carrots - Peeled
2 Large Bell Peppers
2C Brussels Sprouts
1 Large Zucchini
2TB Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
1C Chicken Stock
1tsp Soy Sauce
2TB La Choy Teriyaki Sauce
1TB Corn Starch
1tsp Sriracha
2C Water
1C Rice

First I prepped all of my veggies, I cut the ends off the sprouts and sliced in half, peeled and halved the carrots, slicing into 3-4" long segments, chopped the onion and peppers into approximatly 1" squares and chopped the zucchini into 1/4" rounds. I suggest keeping all the veggies separate as they all require different roasting times. Toss the veggies with the olive oil (approximately 1tsp per type of veggie) and salt and pepper. I then placed the Brussels Sprouts and Carrots on one greased sheet pan, and the peppers and onions on another.

Heat your oven to 400° and place the sprouts and carrots in the oven, in 15 minutes add the second pan with the peppers and onions (don't worry the zucchini will be added!) and toss the carrots and sprouts around. Now start your rice - you have about 30 minutes of cook time left on the veggies which is about how long it takes the rice to cook. Place 2C of water and the rice in a sauce pot with the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and some salt. Bring up to a boil, stir once, reduce to a simmer, cover tightly with a lid then let the rice do its thing and continue to cook until all the water has evaporated. Once the rice finishes cooking fluff with a fork.

Okay first 15 minutes of cooking are done, rice is cooking. Once you hit another 15 minutes (30 minutes total cooking time so far) add the zucchini to the pepper and onion pan and toss all the vegetables again. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes, at the end of 45 minutes your veggies should be done (if your oven runs hot or cool you may need 5 minutes less / 5 minutes more).

Mix together the remaining ingredients (chicken stock, soy & teriyaki sauce, corn starch and sriracha) and cook in a large saute pan, stirring often until the sauce thickens, add all the veggies to the pan and coat in the sauce. Serve over the rice and enjoy!

(note I originally used Goya Yellow Rice but swapped it out for regular rice on day two. I found with the stir fry sauce it was too salty to have the yellow rice as well)

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WW: 7 Points Plus / serving

Corn & Zucchini Skillet

The other day I made Jamie Deen's Marinated Molasses Steak which was ooooh so good and wanted a nice tasty and healthy side dish. I had fresh corn on the cobb, onions and zucchini in the fridge so I did what I do best...toss it all in a skillet and see what happens! Lucky for me it was delicious and now you get to try it too. This is a great way to stretch a starchy vegetable, corn, with a really healthy one like zucchini.



Corn & Zucchini Skillet: Serves 3-4

1.5C Fresh Corn On the Cobb Kernels
3C Shredded Zuchinni
3/4C Chopped Onions
1tsp Olive Oil
2tsp Butter
Salt & Pepper

Carefully slice the kernels off the cobb. In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the onions and corn to the skillet with some salt and pepper. Cook and stir for approximately 5-8 minutes until the onions are translucent and cooked through and the corn turns vibrant yellow. While the corn is cooking squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the zucchini, add the butter to the pan and then add the zucchini to the corn and onions with more salt and pepper. Continue to cook the veggies for another 4-5 minutes until the zucchini cooks through and everything is super delicious. Serve & Enjoy!

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WW: 2 Points Plus / serving @ 4 servings
3 Points Plus / serving @ 3 servings

Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower

I spent today making 100 guys happy as I delivered beer around a golf course as part of a fundraiser on a near 90° day in Baltimore. I came home with the desire for something healthy but tasty after having a burger and a cookie or two at lunch! I saw a huge head of cauliflower in the fridge and decided I'd experiment a little which is how this recipe was born, it is a great way to dress up cauliflower without needing a lot of ingredients or any extra time. Literally in the oven withing 5 minutes of getting the ingredients out of the fridge.



Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower: serves 3-4

1 Large Head Cauliflower - Cut into equal size pieces
2TB Olive Oil
Salt / Pepper
1/4C Grated Parmesan Cheese

Toss all ingredients together and place on a greased cookie sheet. Place in a 450° oven for approximately 45 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes, until the cauliflower is nice and golden brown and fork tender. Serve & Enjoy!

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WW: 2 Points Plus / serving @ 4 servings
3 Points Plus / serving @ 3 servings

Shrimp & Broccoli Noodle Stir Fry

My friends remembered how excited I was to find Vinegared Red Pepper Paste when we went out for Korean food a few months ago so when they were at a Korean grocery store they picked me up a new bottle which was great as I was out! I'm not good at waiting so I immediately decided to make a stir fry, I only had onions and broccoli for veggies so that was what went in my stir fry, you can feel free to add any veggies YOU like. Note the red pepper paste is spicy, but with the chicken stock and teriyaki it adds more flavor than heat to this dish!



Shrimp & Broccoli Noodle Stir Fry: Serves 4

8oz Rice Noodles
1lbs Shrimp - Peeled & Deveined
2-3C Fresh Broccoli Crowns
1 Onion - Thinly Sliced
2tsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves - Minced
1C Chicken Stock - Fat Free
1/4C Vinegared Red Pepper Paste
2TB Teriyaki Sauce - LaChoy Brand

Rice noodles are finicky, as my favorite Thai Restaurant Chef told me the other day "If you can't get the noodles cooked right you won't get a good result" It took me a while to realize the instructions on the back of my box of noodles had me soaking the noodles too long. I prefer to get my noodles soft but not completely loose, I drain while they are still very al dente so they continue cooking with the sauce for the stir fry. So lesson to learn here....read the instructions on your individual box of rice noodles, follow those, but experiment as well so you get the texture you want for your noodle!

Now for the instructions....cook your noodles, set to the side. In a large saute pan over medium heat add 1tsp of olive oil with the garlic and onions and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the broccoli to the onions with the other teaspoon of olive oil and cook for another 4-5 minutes (or longer if you don't like your broccoli to have a crunch to it). While the broccoli is cooking mix the chicken stock, red pepper paste and teriyaki sauce together.

Remove the veggies to a side bowl, add the shrimp and about 1/4 of the sauce to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes until your shrimp is completely cooked through. Once cooked through put the shrimp with the broccoli, add the cooked noodles to the pan and about half of the remaining sauce, stir it all around to coat the noodles, let them absorb in and once they have absorbed the sauce add the rest of the sauce along with the broccoli and shrimp and toss it all around until the noodles have absorbed the majority of the sauce. Turn off the heat, serve and enjoy!
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WW: 10 Points Plus / serving