Pork Roast with Winter Vegetables

 Ingredients:

• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• grated zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (2 lb.) boneless center-cut pork loin roast, trimmed
• 1/2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 16 pieces
• 2 large parsnips, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 2 large carrots, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 4 large celery stalks, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Makes 8 Servings (2 slices pork & 1 cup vegetables per serving)

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Spray large roasting pan with olive oil nonstick spray.
2. Mix together garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in cup. Rub all over pork. Place pork in roasting pan. Scatter squash, parsnips, carrots, and celery around pork; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of pork registers 160 F for medium and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. 
3. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes. Cut pork into 16 slices and serve with vegetables. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook.  Roasted pork and vegetables are delicious together they should be on your weekend comfort food menu. Roasted pork is succulent and juicy it will melt in your mouth. The roasted vegetables will melt in your mouth too they are that good. If you didn't like vegetables, you will love eating vegetables after eating this meal. 

Mexican-Style Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lb. lean ground beef
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup cut-up butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 1/4 cups mild or medium fat-free salsa
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 2 multigrain English muffins, split and toasted
• 8 tbsp. shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend

Makes 4 Servings (1/2 English muffin, 3/4 cup beef mixture and 2 tablespoons cheese per serving)

1. Preheat broiler or toaster oven.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add beef and garlic and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Stir in squash, chili powder and cumin; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in salsa and corn; simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors are blended, about 2 minutes longer.
3. Place English muffins, cut side up, on broiler rack. Top each with 2 tablespoons Mexican cheese blend and broil until chees is melted, about 1 minute. Spoon scant 3/4 cup beef mixture on each muffin half.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. These sloppy joes are a delicious guilty pleasure and a new twist on comfort food. Mexican food is comfort food and a guilty pleasure as are sloppy joes. Put them together and you have a new favorite comfort food. Who knew butternut squash could taste so good in sloppy joes. If you don't have ground beef on hand, ground chicken or turkey will work just as well. I also added minced garlic to the sloppy joes because garlic always makes everything taste better.

 

Butternut Squash & Kale Barley Risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. minced garlic
• 3/4 cups pearl barley
• 1/2 cup white wine (optional)
• 5 cups hot vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup roasted butternut squash
• 2 cups chopped spinach, kale, or Swiss chard, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• fresh lemon juice

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a large skillet, sauté the onions in the olive oil until golden. Add garlic and cook until aromatic. Add barley and stir to coat. Add wine and reduce until dry.
2. Add about 1 cup of hot stock and the bay leaf to barley, just enough to come to the top of the grain. Cook over medium heat until liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. (This should take about 5 minutes. If the liquid absorbs too quickly, reduce the heat.) Repeat with 4 more cups of hot stock, adding 1 cup at a time and cooking until all the liquid is absorbed before adding more, stirring occasionally. This should take about 35 minutes.
3. Stir in the vegetables; cook until the barley is slightly creamy and just tender. This should take about 15 minutes. Increase heat slightly if the mixture is too wet. Just before serving, remove the bay leaf; stir in the greens and allow to wilt. Stir in the cheese and zest. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Diet Cookbook. I think risotto is the ULTIMATE Italian comfort food because it's so creamy, filling and delicious. This particular risotto recipe used barley in place of the traditional Arborio rice but it's still hearty and it still uses the traditional Italian risotto technique. If you don't have barley on hand, you can still use Arborio rice and the dish will still be delicious. There are many varieties of barley risotto in this cookbook and the combination of butternut squash and kale is heavenly delicious and perfect for fall. Don't forget: Make sure the liquid is hot and add it gradually because adding hot broth keeps the temperature of the risotto hot so the grains retain their texture while cooking so the risotto is creamy.

Butternut Squash and Sage Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 (2 1/2-3 lb.) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, & cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large leek, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 tsp. dried sage
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• pinch cayenne pepper

Makes 4 Servings (1 1/2 cups per serving)

1. Put squash in a steamer basket; set into large saucepan over 1-inch boiling water. Cover and cook until squash is tender but still holds its shape, about 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, leek, and garlic; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add squash and all remaining ingredients; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until squash is very soft, about 15 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; let cool 5 minutes.
3. Puree soup, in batches if needed, in food processor or blender. Return soup to pot and reheat over medium heat.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. This soup is the perfect comfort food to enjoy in the fall and early winter. It's hearty and filling and very tasty too. If you run out of vegetable or chicken stock, use apple cider or pureed apples on hand to make the soup more hearty and flavorful and more into the autumn season.

Quick Turkey Tagine

Ingredients:

• scant 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup whole wheat couscous
• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, slivered
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups frozen butternut squash chunks (thawed)
• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomato halves (not oil packed), thinly sliced
• 1.4 cup pitted prunes, coarsely chopped
• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless turkey breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/3 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

Makes 4 (1½-cup) Servings

1. Pour the boiling water over the couscous, stir, cover, and let steam for 7 minutes. Uncover and fluff the couscous with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, coriander, ginger, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Add the squash, sun-dried tomatoes, and prunes. Cook for 5 minutes for the flavors to develop.
3. Add the turkey, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the turkey is cooked through and still juicy, about 4 minutes.
4. Stir the cilantro into the turkey mixture and serve warm over the couscous.

WW POINTS VALUE: 9 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick & Easy Cookbook. You can have your fast food and eat it too. This fast food can also be good for you and has more sophisticated flavors than the fast food you would order out. Tagine is a Moroccan dish that is usually cooked as a stew, often containing fruit. You can have this elegant meal any night of the week and people will love this dish. It's a different kind of dish that will fill you up. If you're having trouble getting your kids to eat fruits and vegetables, serve them this dish and everyone will be happy.

Butternut Squash Puree

Ingredients:

• 2 (2-lb.) butternut squash
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

Makes 8 (3/4-cup) Servings

1. Heat oven to 400 F. Line a baking pan with foil.
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Brush flesh side of squash with oil and season with thyme, salt, and pepper. Brush garlic with oil and place 1 clove in each of the squash cavities.
3. Transfer squash to baking pan and roast, cut side up, until skin is blistered and easily pierced with a pairing knife, 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
4. When cooled, scoop flesh from squash and transfer to a medium bowl. Squeeze garlic from the peel and mash with squash until garlic is incorporated and squash is smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook. If you're looking for a vegetable side dish that's tasty and comforting, this is it. Butternut squash is in season October through January and it's a perfect holiday side dish, regardless of the occasion. This was my first time cooking butternut squash and it was a tasty success. Not only is this side dish colorful, tasty and simple to make, it's also filled with plenty of nutritional benefits such as fiber, beta-carotene, iron, and Vitamins B and E. You can serve this side with any protein and your meal will be elegant.

Apple-Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 lbs. butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple cider
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 6 (1/1 2 cup) Servings

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened  and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add squash, cover, and cook 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Add broth and simmer until softened, 15-20 minutes.
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer solid ingredients to a blender with apple cider and puree until smooth. Add 1 1/ 3 cups of the cooking liquid and puree until smooth. Stir back into the pan. Serve hot.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. This is the perfect soup for fall. Apples and butternut squash are in season and what better way to celebrate fall with this soup. The apple cider adds a touch of sweetness to the squash which is filled with nutrients such as beta-carotene, fiber and B-vitamins. This soup is very easy to make but it does take a little longer than other quick and easy soups but the flavors blend well in the end. I added garlic to this soup because garlic always makes everything better. I also add a pinch of nutmeg to this soup because nutmeg goes very well with apples and butternut squash and adds a touch of aroma. If you can't find any fresh butternut squash, use packed cut butternut squash at your local grocer's freezer and it will work just as fine.