I love a good rice dish, and I love spicy beef so this recipe sounded like something I would enjoy. I just received my order from the Asian Food Grocer and was excited with all my Asian ingredients and my lovely chopsticks. One of the items I purchased was Jasmine rice. I modified the recipe, which was on the back of the rice package by tweaking the seasoning, adding more vegetables and using lean beef.
Heat a heavy medium pot over high heat. Add beef and saute until browned. Add onion, scallions, garlic, crushed red pepper and 1 tbsp soy sauce. Saute another 2 minutes. Add carrots, red pepper, rice, 2 cups water, fish sauce and remaining soy sauce. Reduce to low heat, when the water is almost evaporated, cover. Simmer on low about 20 minutes. Add cilantro and mix well and keep covered for 10 more minutes. Makes 5 cups.
Minestrone soup is a classic hearty Italian soup with tomatoes, white beans, pasta and vegetables. You can use Swiss chard or kale instead of spinach if you wish and you don't have to puree the beans, it's just my preference. I modified this for the crock pot but I prefer to make this soup on the stove and let it simmer for about 45 minutes before adding the zucchini and pasta. The crock pot however is so convenient when you are working all day and want to come home to a cooked meal. I highly recommend adding the Parmesan cheese rind. This is also great with mini turkey meatballs, or even some sauteed crumbled turkey sausage.
2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (defrosted) spinach
2 cups cooked small pasta like ditalini or elbows (al dente)
extra parmesan cheese to top
Rinse and drain beans. Puree beans with 1 cup of the broth in a blender.
In a crock pot, combine broth, tomatoes, pureed beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs, Parmesan cheese rind, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
Forty minutes before the soup is done cooking, add zucchini and spinach. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Add cooked pasta, cook 10 minutes more. Remove bay leaves, rosemary sprig, parmesan rind and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and top with extra parmesan cheese.
I seem to be on a banana kick lately. These simple, guiltless baked bananas taste similar to Bananas Foster and you'll swear there's butter in there! Great served with whipped cream, low fat ice cream, chopped nuts, raisins or even served with oatmeal. Bananas are so good for you, they are naturally sweet and rich in potassium, which plays an important role decreasing the risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Enjoy this for dessert or breakfast! Baked Bananas Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes Servings: 1 • Cook Time: 10-15 minutes •Calories: 143 •Points: 3 ww pts
1 medium ripe banana, cut in half lengthwise
2 tsp honey or agave
cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel and cut bananas in half. Arrange banana in an oven safe dish or on tinfoil. Sprinkle with cinnamon and honey. Cover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how soft you like them.
Pie is one of my favorite desserts and this lightened Banana Cream Pie recipe is creamy and delicious and super easy to make. I brought this to my Mother's house for dessert and the entire pie disappeared in minutes.
In a large bowl, whip cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla and sugar for a few minutes until mixed well. Add Cool Whip and whip until smooth. Put banana slices on the crust, top with filling and chill for a few hours, until firm. Top with shaved chocolate before serving.
When you are in the mood for a vegetarian meal, this is a nice quick weekday dish. I like to use extra virgin olive oil, it gives this sauce a nice flavor. Top with good grated cheese and enjoy over high finer or whole wheat pasta.
Eggplant and Tomato Sauce Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes Servings: 4 •Serving Size: 3/4 cup •Calories: 131 •Points: 2.5 ww points
1 medium eggplant, cut in 1/2" cubes
4 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
28 oz can plum tomatoes including juice (I like Tuttorosso)
salt and fresh ground pepper
chopped herbs like basil and parsley
In a large deep frying pan, saute garlic in olive oil. Add eggplant and saute about 2-3 minutes. Coarsely chop tomatoes and add to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and simmer, uncovered about 15-20 minutes. Add fresh chopped herbs and toss with pasta (extra points).
Baking is a science and remaking cakes and breads to make them healthier is not always as easy as say remaking a pot of soup or a casserole. So whenever I am experimenting with baking, my fingers are crossed the whole time. I wasn't too worried about this pumpkin banana bread because I basically took my Banana Nut Bread recipe which is a deliciously moist bread and I improvised it with the pumpkin and spices. This came out super moist and we had a difficult time waiting for it to cool because it smelled so good! We scoffed up half this bread before I got a chance to photograph it. This was wonderful topped with some Pumpkin Spiced Cream Cheese!
Preheat oven to 325°. Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans with baking spray. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, pumpkin spice and salt with a wire whisk. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Add egg whites, bananas, pumpkin and vanilla, and beat at medium speed until thick. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add flour mixture and nuts, then blend at low speed until combined. Do not over mix. Pour batter into loaf pans and bake on the center rack for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the pan cool at least 20 minutes, bread should be room temperature before slicing.
* 1 tsp of pumpkin spice can be substituted for cloves and nutmeg.
This is the kind of soup that is so simple to make yet tastes like you really know your way around the kitchen. I grew up loving this classic soup as a kid, and eating it always brings me back to a happy place. The flavors of the leeks and the potatoes compliment each other so well. I like mine pureed, but if you like it a bit chunky you can use a potato masher instead of an immersion blender to give you bigger chunks. This is ready in under 30 minutes. (To make this gluten-free, simply eliminate the flour) Potato Leek Soup Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes Servings: 6 •Size: 1 cup •Calories: 159 •Points: 2.75 ww points
1 bunch leeks (about 4) dark green stems removed
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter
4 cups fat free chicken stock (homemade or canned)
1/2 cup 2% milk
salt and fresh pepper
Wash leeks very carefully to remove all grit. I usually cut them horizontally and separate the rings to make sure no dirt remains. Coarsely chop them when washed.
In a medium soup pot, melt butter and add flour on low flame. Using a wooden spoon, mix well. This will thicken your soup and give it a wonderful flavor.
Add chicken stock, leeks, onion, potatoes and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low for about 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are soft. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth adding the milk and adjusting salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
I was never a big fan of brussels sprouts until I tasted my friend Nicole's recipe. She shreds them first and then sautés them in garlic and oil which really allows the seasoning to flavor every bite. I added some diced shallots along with the garlic and really enjoyed these. This would make a nice Thanksgiving side dish. Give this method a try if you don't care for brussels sprouts, you might be pleasantly surprised like I was!
Sautéed Brussels Sprouts Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes Servings: 4 •Size: about 1/2 cup •Calories: 82 •Points: 1 ww point
1 lb Brussels Sprouts (outer leaves removed and washed)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Finely shred the brussels sprouts after thoroughly washing. In a sauté pan, heat olive oil. Add shallots and sauté about 2 minutes, add garlic and saute until golden. Add brussels sprouts, salt and pepper and sauté on medium-low for about 4-5 minutes.
Gourmet Fall Entertaining Giveaway! $50.00 Gift Certificate for Cooking.com, Williams-Sonoma Bread Board with Dipping Bowl, and more!
Taste the wonderful flavors of fall in this beautiful salad with apples, craisins, pecans, honey and creamy goat cheese tossed with mixed baby greens. I love the combination of the goat cheese paired with the sweet taste of honey and fruit. This is great as a side salad or a light lunch.
I was surprised to learn that goat cheese is 30% lower in fat and calories than most cow’s milk (2 tbsp is only 1 point!) and it's tolerable for those who cannot digest cow’s milk. For more info go to Chavrie's website.
** CONTEST CLOSED ** CONGRATULATIONS KELLY FROM THE PINK APRON!
One lucky winner will receive all this: Gourmet Fall Entertaining (Estimated Value $100)
Williams-Sonoma Cherry Wood Bread Board with Dip Bowl
Cooking.com Gift Certificate for $50.00
Chavrie Coupons
Chavrie recipe cards (dips, quick tips and wine suggestions)
To enter simply visit their website and choose a recipe on their site that looks yummy. They have tons of great recipes. Then come back here and leave a comment with your favorite recipe. The winner will be chosen by random.org. Giveaway ends Thursday, October 22. Please make sure you can be contacted by email or you will not be chosen. Also, 1 entry per person. Thank you! Honey Goat Cheese Dressing Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes Servings: 15 •Serving Size: 1 tbsp •Calories: 46 •Points: 1.25 ww points
Dressing:
4 oz fresh creamy goat cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a small blender, combine goat cheese, honey, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, water and season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Mix until fully combined and creamy.
Honey Goat Cheese Dressing with Apples, Pecans and Craisins over Mixed Greens Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes Servings: 1 •Calories: 243 •Points: 5.25 ww points
1/2 oz dried craisins (1/2 pack Craisins 100 calorie pack)
10 pecan halves
1/2 apple sliced
1 cup mixed baby greens
1 tbsp honey goat cheese dressing
Fill a bowl with mixed greens. Top with pecans, apples, and craisins. Drizzle 1 tbsp honey goat cheese dressing over top of salad.
This soup is an excellent source of healthy vitamins – and it's delicious! If you don't have an immersion blender, a regular blender works fine. You can use jarred roasted peppers but roasting fresh red peppers is easy and adds a depth to the pepper flavor that can't be beat. One bowl will fill you up.
To roast red peppers on the grill, place clean fresh red peppers directly on the grill top. You can also put them directly over the flame on your stove. Turn your peppers frequently, as needed until the skin has turned completely black and starts to blister. When the entire pepper skin has turned black, remove the peppers from the grill and place them into a bowl.
Cover the bowl with a lid or a dish to make it airtight to build up steam. Let the peppers rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.Uncover, remove from the bowl and the skin will slide off easily. Cut the pepper in half to core and remove seeds.
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots, garlic, and herbs and saute until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, roasted bell peppers, potato and wine. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cover, simmer until the potatoes are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
With an immersion hand blender, puree the soup in the pot until it is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the grated parmesan and ladle into bowls.
Risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish usually made with Arborio rice. It can be a little time consuming but it's worth it. This is a dish that will impress guests. I used Baby Bella mushrooms, but you can use crimini, portobello, porcini or a combination of all three. Mushroom Risotto Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes Servings: 6 •Size: 1 cup •Time: 30 minutes •Calories: 98 •Points: 5.5 ww points
2 cups Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced
2 cups arborio rice
1 tsp olive oil
3 tsp butter
2 shallots, minced
1 cup white wine
8 cups fat free chicken stock
salt and pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 tbsp chopped parsley
Heat chicken stock in a small pot and keep on low heat.
In a medium size heavy sauce pan, saute garlic in 1 tsp olive oil. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and cook 1 minute. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and let the mushrooms cook about 4 minutes. Set aside.
Add butter to the pan on set flame to medium-low heat. Add shallots, sauté about 1 minute. Add rice mixing well until well coated and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add wine, salt and pepper and mix well until it is absorbed into the rice. Ladle 1 cup stock into rice and mix until all stock is absorbed, add another ladle, and continue adding and stirring until all broth is absorbed, about 20-25 minutes. Add mushrooms, parmesan cheese and parsley, mix well and serve.
There's nothing quite like the smell of apples and cinnamon coming out of your oven and a beautiful fall evening. This cinnamon scented apple crisp is a perfect fall dessert, when apples are at their peak. Serve it warm topped with a scoop of low fat vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt and enjoy. I like to use Empire, Gala, or Braeburn apples when baking.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine apples, raisins, cinnamon, agave nectar and lemon juice in large bowl. Sprinkle with cornstarch. Toss until fruit is coated. Place fruit in an ungreased baking dish.
Mix remaining ingredients. Sprinkle over fruit. Bake about 40 minutes or until topping is golden brown and fruit is tender.
Serve with a scoop of low fat ice cream or fat free frozen yogurt. Enjoy!!
My daughter loves Avena and requests it for breakfast at least 3 times a week. It's nutritious, high in fiber, lowers cholesterol and tastes delicious! Avena is a very popular cold beverage in many Latin countries. Here's my healthy low fat version.
Cook oats and water in a small pot for about a minute or two, stirring often until it becomes thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and let it cool a few minutes.
In a blender add milk, sugar, cinammon. Add oats and ice. Blend on high until very smooth. Chill in refrigerator or pour in a glass over ice. Enjoy!! Makes 4 cups.
This light and fluffy slice of cheesecake has a hint of fall inspired by my Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese recipe. Quick and simple to make in under 10 minutes. You can further reduce the points by using fat free cream cheese if you wish, but I personally prefer using 1/3 fat cream cheese instead.
In a large bowl using an electric mixer, whip cream cheese, pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar for a few minutes until fluffy. Add Cool Whip and whip until smooth. Spoon mixture into pie crust and chill for a few hours, until firm.
Roasting cauliflower brings out it's nuttiness flavor and caramelizes the edges. Combining it with garlic, lemon and olive oil and topping it with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano makes this dish irresistible even to people who don't like cauliflower!
6 cups cauliflower florets (1 large cauliflower) cut small
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
kosher salt and fresh pepper
juice of 1/4 lemon
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Combine cauliflower, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper well so all the florets are coated and seasoned. Place in a large shallow roasting pan and place in the center of the oven. Roast for about 1 hour, turning florets occasionally so they are evenly cooked. Remove from oven and top with Parmigiano Reggiano and additional salt and pepper if needed.
I feature simple healthy recipes that are low in calories and fat. If you would like to share a recipe, make a request or need help figuring out points you can email me at ginah2design@gmail.com. If you like a recipe, please Stumble it!
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