Stuffed Plantains

Who said that eating healthy has to be tasteless and boring?  

This is probably one of my favorite recipes.  It's so flavorful and completely different!

If you haven't ever tried plantains, you should!  They are starchy, not mushy like bananas.

Serve with a side salad for a really hearty meal!  

You can also make a larger amount of the filling in advance and have it on hand 

for the week, so all you have to do is bake the plantain and stuff!

Ingredients:

2 ripe plantains, peeled and sliced almost through lengthwise

olive oil spray (I use my Misto)

1 tsp coconut oil

1/2 white onion, minced

1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

Handful of cilantro, washed and chopped

1/4 cup tomato sauce (if you like spice like me, use the small cans of Goya hot tomato sauce)

1 tsp cumin

2 tbsp shredded Mexican blend cheese

salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400.  Coat baking sheet with olive oil, place in plantains, and coat with olive oil.  Bake for 40 minutes or until tender.

 

Meanwhile, heat the coconut oil in a pan over medium high heat.  Add the diced onion and sauté until translucent.  Add in cilantro and black beans, continue to cook for 3-5 minutes.  Reduce heat to low, add tomato sauce and cumin, and season to taste with salt.  Remove from heat.

When plantain are tender, carefully remove from oven and fill each with half of the bean mixture.  Top each plantain with 1 tbsp cheese, and return to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Stuffed Artichokes

I have to confess, I've never eaten an actual artichoke until last month.  I've had marinated artichoke hearts, but that's about it.  Artichokes are fun to eat, but they are certainly not a quick meal.  It takes a long time to eat, but I enjoy that aspect.  Just don't expect to wolf down your artichoke...  Remove one leave at a time, starting from the outside in.  Use your teeth to scrape off the tender part from the inside of the leaf, leaving the very fibrous leaf behind.  

I've had to do some work with this recipe.  Earlier versions resulted in very dry stuffing.  This version gives a moister result, but it is a little harder to stuff in between the leaves.  The end result is worth it, though!

Ingredients
2 artichokes
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated romano cheese
1 egg white
2 cloves garlic, chopped
olive oil
1/4 crushed tomatoes (or tomato sauce)
1/4 cup white wine
vegetable broth (can use chicken, too)

Preheat oven to 350.  Using a sharp, serrated knife, cut the bottoms and tops of the artichokes by about a 1/2 inch.  With kitchen shears, trim ends of the remaining leaves.

Untrimmed leaves have pointy ends, you don't want those!

Safe edges all around!

Fill a pot with about 2 inches of water, add in artichokes upside down and bring to a boil for about 15 minutes, covered.

Meanwhile, sauté chopped garlic in a small amount of olive oil until softened and just starting to brown.  In a bowl, combine garlic, breadcrumbs, cheese, egg white and tomatoes.  Mix well to combine.  It will be clumpy.

Remove artichokes from pot and allow to cool until you can comfortable handle them.  Gently spread apart the leaves without breaking them off.  Remove the innermost, smallest leaves and the hairy choke and discard.  It's easiest to do this with a small spoon, but take care not to remove the actual heart- that's the best part!!!

Artichoke innards- pretty to look at, not so pretty to pick out of your mouth!

Stuff the artichokes with the breadcrumb mixture, try to get in between as many of the leaves as you can, with the majority going in the center where the small leaves used to be.  Place in a baking dish.  Fill baking dish about an inch high with wine and stock.

Spray tops with olive oil and cover pan tightly with foil.  Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes.  Serve with a nice salad.  Enjoy!

Grilled Pineapple Salsa

Seriously, you need to make this.  It goes with EVERYTHING!!!  

Eat it with chips, or use it as a topping for some blackened fish, chicken, or mushrooms!

And it's also pretty!

This recipe makes a lot of salsa, but I like having it around!  You can always cut it in half!

Ingredients

1 pineapple, peeled and sliced into rings (with cores still intact)

2 red bell peppers, diced
1 small red onion, diced

1 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup cilantro, chopped

Juice from 2 fresh limes

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

Spread out pineapple slices.  Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.  Mist with olive oil (I LOVE my Misto- and love that I found it at Marshalls!) so it doesn't stick.  Cook on a grill or griddle pan (my preference), turning every few minutes.  You want it to start to caramelize, not burn.

Remove from heat once it is softened and browning, allow to cool.  Remove flesh from core, and dice flesh, discarding the cores.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Season with salt if needed.

Mushroom, Onion, Spinach and Couscous Stuffed Poblano Peppers

I've been hearing about stuffed poblano peppers for years, but I've never found them in the grocery store…until now!

I wanted to keep the recipe healthy and vegetarian, and the results were fantastic!  

  Ingredients

4 poblano peppers

2 portobello mushroom caps, diced

1 white onion, diced

3 cups baby spinach leaves

2 cups cooked couscous

2 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp grated romano cheese, separated

Salt

Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400.

Hold each pepper with a long set of tongs and char over a flame.  You want the skin to get blistered and black, you won't taste a burnt flavor, I promise!  

Once they are charred on all sides, put right into a plastic bag and seal.  This will allow steam to loosen up the skins.

While the peppers are in the bag, heat the olive oil in a large pan over high heat.  Saute onions and mushrooms until they are soft and just beginning to brown, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the baby spinach.  Turn heat to medium and continue to cook until the spinach has wilted.   Add the couscous and cheese, stir to combine.  

Remove from heat.

Take peppers out of bag and carefully remove the skin.  It should be easy to peel it off.

Cut a "T" shape in each pepper and remove the seeds.

Stuff  each pepper with couscous mixture, and place in baking dish.  Sprinkle all with remaining 1 tbsp cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until couscous just begins to brown.

So delicious!!!!!

Quinoa

I've had a love/hate relationship with quinoa.  I would make it, it would be just okay, and then the bag would just sit there forever because I didn't really want to eat it.  Until I found some delicious recipes!

For those of you unfamiliar with quinoa, it's a seed and although it looks and cooks like a grain, it's actually a member of the same family as spinach, swiss chard, and beets!  It has a higher protein count than other "grains."  Quinoa is a good source of calcium, fiber, iron, magnesium and phosphorus.  It's also gluten-free!

Important quinoa cooking information- before you cook with quinoa, make sure to rinse it thoroughly in a fine mesh strainer.  This will remove any residual saponins (part of the natural seed coating that can cause a bitter taste).  In my early quinoa days, I don't think I rinsed the seeds, and that might be part of the reason why I never really developed a love for quinoa.

I have yet to develop my own quinoa recipes, but here are 2 that are sure to win you over!

Skinny Taste Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

This salad is my new summer obsession!!!

It's light and refreshing.  I used regular tomatoes instead of cherry since that's what I had in the house.  Also, NEVER use pre crumbled Feta, or any cheese for that matter.  It looses so much of it's flavor.  It's not hard to buy a block of feta and chop it up yourself, and it will taste a million times better!  A generous cup of this salad only has 145 calories!

Skinny Taste Quinoa and Spinach Patties

These made for a very different breakfast!  I will say that these were heavier than I expected them to be, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.  It means that one fills you up, no need to eat another!  I served mine over baby spinach with a poached egg on top.  

I also sprinkled parmesan cheese on top for a little salty flavor.  

Each patty has 188 calories.

What are your favorite ways to enjoy quinoa?

Seared Scallops over Greens with an Orange Muscat Champagne Vinaigrette

Long name, lots of ingredients, but easy to make and DELICIOUS!!!  

Much like Elaine from Seinfeld, I love BIG salads.  If I'm eating veggies, 

I want lots of them!  I also had this delicious vinegar from Trader Joe's 

lying around, and it made a perfect dressing.

The whole recipe makes one BIG salad and is 6 Points+.  

This salad is a meal, not a starter! If you want to serve this at the beginning 

of the meal, consider the recipe to serve at least 2. 

Don't let scallops scare you, despite what you hear from Gordon Ramsey, I find them easy to cook.  If you don't enjoy scallops, shrimp would taste great as well.

Ingredients

1/2 lb scallops (I use dry sea scallops, but they are pricey.  There are 6 in a 1/2 lb)

2 cups spring mix (baby spinach would be delicious as well)

1 beefsteak tomato, sliced

1/2 red onion, sliced

1/2 cup sugar snap peas, vein removed

1/4 cup alfalfa sprouts

2 scallions, thinly sliced

3 tbsp orange muscat champagne vinegar (I use one from Trader Joe's, you can substitute another flavored vinegar if you can't find this one)

1 tsp olive oil

1/2 tbsp ginger paste

salt

black pepper

cayenne pepper

Spray a pan with non-stick spray and set over medium-high heat.  Pat the scallops dry and season with salt, black pepper and a touch of cayenne pepper.  Once the pan is nice and hot, add the scallops.  Make sure to use a pan large enough so the scallops are not crowded or else they will just steam, not sear.  After about 2 minutes, turn scallops over and cook for another two minutes.  Scallops should NOT be cooked until they are firm, that means they are overcooked and will taste like rubber.  You want them to have a lot of give when you touch them.  As soon as they are done and have nice color on each side, remove onto a plate and put on the side.

Combine spring mix, tomato, onion, snap peas and alfalfa sprouts in a large bowl, toss to mix.

In a smaller bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, scallions and ginger paste.  Whisk, add salt and black pepper to taste.  

Pour dressing over vegetables and toss to coat.  Place on a plate and serve the scallops over top.

Enjoy!

Creamy Parmesan Polenta with Turkey Sausage Sauce

I love spicy Italian turkey sausage, until I figured out that one link has 4 Points+.  And that's the lean turkey sausage!  In order to make the sausage stretch, I decided to add it to a vegetable filled sauce and serve it over polenta.  The recipe below makes 3 servings with 8 Points+ each.  It was so fulfilling!

Ingredients:
1 cup corn meal
3 cups water, divided
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
1 link lean spicy italian turkey sausage (I like the kind by Shady Brook Farms)
1 onion, diced
1 cup mushrooms, diced
1/2 large eggplant or 1 small eggplant, cubed
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 link lean spicy italian turkey sausage (I like the kind by Shady Brook Farms), casing removed
1 28 ounce can peeled tomatoes in sauce
Dried Oregano, salt and black pepper to taste


Directions:
Whisk together corn meal, 1 cup cold water and salt in a bowl.  Bring remaining 2 cups of water to a boil.  Whisk in corn meal mixture.  Reduce heat to low and stir frequently.  After a few minutes, add Parmesan cheese and continue to stir until it reaches desired texture.  Remove from heat, cover and set aside.


Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Add eggplant, onions and mushrooms.  After a few minutes, add the turkey meat, breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.  Add in chopped garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.  Once veggies are nice and soft and just beginning to brown, add in the tomatoes and sauce.  Cut up tomatoes if desired (I cut mine into large chunks).  Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for at least 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so.  Continue to season to taste with oregano, salt and pepper.


When sauce it almost done, place polenta back over medium heat and stir to heat it through.  Divide heated polenta among 3 plates and smooth out, almost like a pizza crust.  Serve sauce evenly over polenta on each plate.  

Vegetarian Chili over Spaghetti Squash

Here in good old New York we just like our chili with chili, nothing else, but I know that it's traditional in places like Cincinnati to serve it over pasta.  Based on what I had in the house and my new found obsession with spaghetti squash, I decided to create a low-point chili to serve over some "spaghetti".  One cup of the chili has 4 Points+.  Since spaghetti squash is watery, I upped the spices and salt in the chili.  If you are not planning on serving this over spaghetti squash, I would cut the spices and salt in half and then add from there if needed.   

This might be great to cook up for the Super Bowl if you want that comfort food feeling without eating all of that fat filled food we are accustomed to.  For directions on how to prepare the spaghetti squash, click here.

Ingredients

1 onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can diced tomatoes and chiles (like the kind by Rotel)

1 cup frozed corn kernels

1 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp salt

Shredded cheese to top (if desired)

If you don't already own a Vidalia Chopper, you should get one!  Look how beautiful my diced onions and peppers are!  And it takes seconds to get uniform pieces! 

Heat oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat.  Add onions and peppers and saute until softened.  Add remaining ingredients except the cheese.  Once simmering, reduce heat to low and stir every few minutes until thickened up.  If you taste it, it will taste too salty and like there are too many spices.  Trust me, it will all be okay.

Serve 1 cup of chili over 1 1/2 cups warm spaghetti squash.  Top with shredded cheese if desired (adds extra points).  The spaghetti squash's watery nature will affect the saltiness of the chili and it will end up being one big happy meal for your tummy.  

Spaghetti Squash

I've heard of spaghetti squash, but I've never really played with it until now!  This week and next I'll be posting a few new recipes using this lovely fruit (yes, it's a fruit!).

The easiest way to prepare a spaghetti squash is to microwave it for about 6 minutes to soften it up a bit.  Then, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and place each half cut side down in a baking dish filled with about an inch of water.  Bake at 375 until it's nice and tender.  Remove from oven and allow it to cool.


Once you can handle it without burning yourself, use a fork to scrape away the insides.  You'll see that the flesh comes out like strands of spaghetti, thus the name.  Make sure to strain your squash, it's very watery and will dilute anything you may add to it.  I cooked up 2 this weekend since the baking of it is the most time-consuming part.  


You could use this as a straight swap for spaghetti and top with your favorite low-fat tomato sauce.  It's a different texture, but very enjoyable!  On Wednesday, I'll be posting a delicious recipe for a vegetarian-chili to serve on top of spaghetti squash, it's delicious!

BLT

I love bacon, as most people do.  It's perfect at any time of the day.  I once thought that I would have to go without bacon if I wanted to lose weight.  WRONG!  Bacon and weight loss can happen at the same time!  It's all about the kind of bacon and the portion.  Mega-greasy heaps of bacon at the diner- not so much.  Crisp center-cut bacon?  Heck yes!  One of my favorite ways to enjoy bacon is in a BLT.  So here's a simple, non-diet killing recipe.  The sandwich only has a Points+ value of 6!  I know BLT's are pretty self-explanatory, but you're getting a recipe anyway!

Ingredients:
4 slices center-cut bacon, cooked crispy
1 Arnold Select 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Thin
1 tbsp light mayo (I really like Hellman's Light- the one with the blue cover)
1/2 tomato, sliced
Iceberg lettuce


Lightly toast the sandwich thin, and spread both halves with mayo.  Layer remaining ingredients in the order you like, I prefer tomato on the bottom, then bacon, then lettuce.  Put together, and eat.  


I had this for breakfast over the weekend, and it was great!  It's very filling and satisfies the need for bacon.  Since I usually have about 6 points for breakfast, this was an even swap for anything else I would have.  If you're having this for lunch or dinner, or if you're just really hungry, pair it with a salad or some cut up fruit.  I may just have to have another one for lunch!

Greek Yogurt

I love Greek Yogurt.  That's what I enjoy for breakfast 90% of the time.  My go to is to grab a plain Fage Total 0%, top it with some strawberry preserves, and viola!  4 Points+ and delicious.


My problem is that Greek Yogurt is expensive!  I try to stock up on the 6 ounce containers when they are on sale, but I recently ran out.  I stand by Fage through thick and thin, but I had to branch out.  So, Chobani 0% was on sale this week for 88 cents each, so I bought a few containers of different flavors.  I have to say, it's no Fage, but it's still good.  The texture isn't as thick as Fage, it's closer to regular yogurt.  The flavors are great, and the ones I've picked are 3 Points+ each (the honey and raspberry flavors are 4 Points+ each).  


What brand of Greek Yogurt do you love?

Black Beans with Rice

This blog really helps me with my recipes.  I'm infamous for not measuring anything, and then I can never re-create anything!  

I've been eating way too much meat the past few days.  We had to cook up all of the meat from our freezer in the garage since it tripped during the flooding from the hurricane.  I need at least a few days without consuming any meat, so I always turn to beans as a filling protein source.  This recipe came out so good, it's going to be perfect to bring to school for lunch.  You could also use it to fill a burrito.  It's also great since it takes about 15 minutes to make, and most of the ingredients are already in your pantry (well, at least in my pantry!).

The recipe below makes 4 servings with 8 Points+ each.

Ingredients:

1 Batch Cilantro Lime Rice (www.skinnytaste.com)- I left out the cilantro because I can't stand the taste

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 can diced tomatoes and chiles, slightly drained

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tbsp lime juice

1/2 tbsp Wondra Flour

Instructions:

Get the rice cooking.

In another pot, combine all remaining ingredients except the Wondra.  Cook over high heat until it is bubbling, reduce heat to low and continue to simmer.  Sprinkle Wondra over mixture and stir in, simmering for another 5 minutes or until it thickens to desired consistency.

Serve 1/4 of the bean mixture over 1/4 of the rice (about a 1/2 cup of each).

I can't wait to make more of this to keep on hand for meals during the week!

Burger Joint

The other day, I was on a field trip with my grad class (hooray field trips as an adult!) and we were going to a burger joint for lunch.  Upon hearing this, I became upset, thinking that I was either going to be stuck ordering a burger and hating myself for the amount of points I would use up, or that I would have to stay away from any type of burger and be the girl who orders a salad and stares longingly at everyone else's food.

Off to the restaurant website I went, and, much to my surprise, they had a few "healthy" options.  My choice was for a tuna burger marinated in ginger, soy and scallions.  I was picturing minced tuna formed into a patty, but was pleasantly surprised when out came my plate with a tuna steak on the bun.  It was delicious, I only ate the bottom half of the bun, and got a side of sweet potato fries.  Let me tell you, this was the best thing I had in a long time, and I wasn't upset at the lack of beef in my burger.

I'm determined to recreate this marinade at home, it's my mission of the week.  Stay tuned for the recipe!

Adventures in Grocery Shopping

Now, I'm the type of person who will try pretty much anything.  I could totally go along with those guys on the Travel Channel who journey to foreign lands and eat all of this crazy looking stuff.  I'd be in heaven!


That being said, I've decided to do what I can to make my food life more exciting while not going off of the island.  I've been inspired by our WW Leader at our last meeting, and I'm determined to buy new produce every time I go shopping.  This week I purchased jicama, papaya, parsnips and ataulfo mangoes.  Nothing too fancy or out there, but just things I haven't had before.  


Sadly, I haven't seen anymore fresh lychees since I bought them all a few weeks ago.  Very upsetting.


I'm going to try and keep this going, trying something new as often as I can.  It should keep things interesting.  I will be posting my opinions of everything I'm trying, as well as any recipes I may whip together.


Any suggestions as to something I should try?

Baby Spinach, Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

I love beets, but they scare me.  I've never cooked them myself due to a fear of staining my skin and the entire kitchen.  I don't want to have to explain red blotches all over my face.  "Well, you see, I was peeling a beet, and it ATTACKED ME!"  I'm very dramatic.


I finally conquered my fear of cooking beets.  It was way simpler than I thought.  I boiled them until they were fork tender, took them out, let them cool for a bit, then peeled them.  Viola.  Not nearly as traumatic as my imagination.  I put together this great salad, and it was only 4 Points+ (depending on your dressing).

Ingredients:
One large beet, cooked, peeled and cubed
2 cups baby spinach, rinsed and patted dry
3 tbsp light red wine vinaigrette (I love the one by Olde Cape Cod- it's delicious)
1 oz goat cheese, crumbled


Instructions:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Admire how awesome it looks.  Eat it, and save a perfect bite of spinach, beet, cheese and dressing for last.  Let it linger, and make content food noises while your husband looks at you like you're insane!

Jalapeno

Ever since buying fresh jalapenos for my tomatillo salsa, I've become obsessed with adding fresh jalapenos to things.  I've also decided that I need to create more foods that I could add jalapenos to!


I've always used canned, but never again!  If you're a spice lover but have been afraid of cutting a real pepper and accidentally getting the oils in your eye and going blind, get over your fear!  And remember to wash your hands well after you handle the peppers!!!

Jalapeno mustache, anyone???

Lychee

It's finally here!  Lychee season!

I'm betting that most of you have no clue what I'm talking about.  Lychee's (or litchi's) are a fruit native to China.  It looks scary, but it's absolutely delicious and very hard to find!

My first lychee experience took place in our favorite Thai restaurant- Tiny Thai- in Farmingdale.  They have a tropical red curry, and these weird looking white things were in it.  They tasted amazing, and the lovely owner told me what they were.  I can't really describe their taste- they are sweet with a firm texture, but they are so much more than that!  You really have to try them!


Ever since then, I've been on the hunt for lychees.  I could only ever find canned lychees, which were okay, but not exactly what I wanted.  I wanted fresh.  The canned fruit was usable for cooking and also for lychee martinis.


Last summer, while shopping in Best Yet, I was browsing the produce department and had to do a double take!  Are those containers of lychees?  Can it be?  YES!!!!  FRESH LYCHEES!!!  I bought as many containers as they had.  This year, last week, lychees were finally back.  I know they won't be there for long, so I buy as many as they have!


How does one eat a lychee?  First, you need to peel off the skin.  It's like a thin paper, so don't use a peeler, just use your fingers.

Then, you can nibble the fruit off of the seed in the center.  Don't just pop it in your mouth and chew, you'll be in for a not-so-pleasant surprise when you crack your tooth on the seed.

If you see lychees in your grocery store, buy them.  If you like fruit, you'll love the unique texture and taste!

Lychee Leftovers!

Tomatillo Salsa

For a while now, I've been tempted by the tomatillos at the grocery store, but I've never known what to do with them!  This weekend, I just bought a bunch along with some jalapeno peppers, looked for a salsa, tweaked it a bit, and it's fantastic!

Here's what you'll need:

6 tomatillos, husks removed

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (seeds and all!)

1/2 white onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

Salt and Pepper to taste

Place tomatillos in a non-reactive pan (I used stainless steel) and cover with water.  Bring to a boil for about 10 minutes or until tomatillos are soft.  

Drain and place tomatillos in a blender.  Add remaining ingredients and blend until it's a consistency that you like.  We like it smooth, so we ran it on the smoothie mode.

Voila!  It's really great, good kick but not over-powering.  I can see it going great with grilled chicken, tonight we are enjoying it with tortilla chips.  

Yogurt and Nails

I've been addicted to Fage Total 0% plain greek yogurt and preserves for a while now.  A few weeks ago, I stopped eating yogurt for breakfast and was on an oatmeal kick, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  


What I didn't enjoy, though, was what happened to my nails!  I didn't realize the yogurt connection at first, but my nails have been growing so strong and beautiful these past few months.  They almost never broke, and I could actually make them look all pretty!  Then, during my oatmeal weeks, my nails kept breaking and stuff, and I didn't know why.  Then it hit me!  YOGURT!!!!


Needless to say, I'm back to my daily (sometimes twice daily) yogurt habit.  I'm glad to see that Fage now makes their 0% paired will yummy new flavors- cherry pomegranate, strawberry goji, mango guanabana and blueberry acai.  They are all yummy, and only 3 Points+.  I haven't seen these flavors at the grocery store, but they sell them in a 12 variety pack at BJ's.  

Egg Drop Soup

Greatest discovery ever.  Egg Drop soup is 1 WW Point+ per cup according to their website data base!  Now, I know that egg drop soup varies throughout the country, but this is amazing!  Broth-based soup is usually a safe bet depending what else is in it, but this is so fantastic.  What a great thing to pick up on the way home to curb your hunger or to compliment a meal.  I love egg drop soup, even more so now!!!