Sunday Pot Roast

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. herbes de Provence
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (2 1/2-lb.) lean beef round roast, trimmed
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 lb. shallots, peeled
• 6 large garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 cups water
• 3 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 lb. carrots, cut into 1/2-inch slices

Makes 8 Servings (2 slices meat & about 1/3 cup sauce with vegetables)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Mix together herbes de Provence, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper in cup; rub all over roast.
3. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add beef and  cook until browned on all sides, about 7 minutes. Transfer to plate.
4. Add shallots and garlic to Dutch oven; cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Stir in water, tomato paste, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the bay leaf; bring to boil. Return meat to pot. Cover and transfer to oven; bake 2 hours.
5. Remove roast from oven. Stir in carrots. Cover and bake until meat is fork tender, about 1 hour, turning meat over after 30 minutes. Transfer roast to cutting board; cut into 1/4-inch slices. Return sliced meat to sauce in Dutch oven; keep warm until ready to serve. Discard bay leaf.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. Pot roast is a wonderful comfort food to enjoy on the weekend. It's flavorful, comforting and delicious when it's done right. Don't forget to get good stew meat for this dish so the meat won't be tough. I highly recommend using reduced-sodium beef broth in place of the water for a more flavorful pot roast. 

Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

• 3 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 lb. shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps finely chopped
• 3/4 tsp. herbes de Provence
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 oz. reduced-fat goat cheese, softened
• 4 (1/4-lb.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 3/4 reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 6 tbsp. dry sherry
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• 2 tsp. cold water

Makes 4 Servings (1 stuffed chicken breast with 3 tablespoons)

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, herbes de Provence, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden, 5-6 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl; add the cheese and stir until combined. Let the mixture cool completely.
2. Make a pocket in the side of each chicken breast by inserting a sharp paring knife into the thickest part, then gently cutting back and forth to make a small pocket in the side. Do not cut through to the back or the sides of the breasts. Enlarge the pockets gently with your fingers. Fill each pocket with 2 tablespoons of the mushroom-cheese mixture.
3. Wipe out the skillet. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and heat over medium heat. Add the chicken and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Cook until chicken is browned on the outside and cooked through, 7-8 minutes on each side. Cut each chicken breast into 4 or 5 slices, transfer to a serving plate, and keep warm.
4. Add the shallot to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broth and sherry; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water in a small bowl. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture bubbles and thickens, about 1 minute. Serve the sauce over the chicken.

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook. The folks at Weight Watchers call this dish a company favorite. It will be a company and a family favorite. This dish is an elegant comfort food dish that 's full of flavor. The creaminess of the goat cheese and sautéed garlic and mushrooms make the chicken more succulent and juicy. Serve a colorful side of vegetables alongside this chicken and you'll have a dish that's both colorful and flavorful.

Provence Goat Cheese Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground sirloin
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 tbsp. minced onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp. tomato paste
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. herbes de Provence
• 4 oz. reduced-fat goat cheese, crumbled (2/3 cup)
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 whole-wheat or whole-grain hamburger buns, lightly toasted

Makes 4 Servings

 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5pts without bun 8 pts. with bun

1. In a large bowl, combine ground sirloin, egg yolk, onion, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, mustard, herbes de Provence, and goat cheese. Season beef mixture with salt and pepper at your own leisure. Form mixture into 4 patties, about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick.
2. Lightly coat a large skillet or grill with olive oil flavored cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add burger patties and cook until cooked through, about 5 minutes on each side, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers to 160 F.
3. Serve burgers on buns, if using, or on bed of romaine lettuce, arugula or spinach and top with aioli, grilled onions, sliced tomatoes or sun-dried tomato pesto.

Note: This is a recipe I created this past weekend when I was cleaning out the refrigerator and had a craving for a gourmet cheeseburger. Sometimes when you're craving beef but you don't want to cook steak and vegetables a cheeseburger will do just fine. I was craving a gourmet cheeseburger and so I was looking through my refrigerator to see what I had to eat. Thank goodness I had all the items I needed to make a gourmet cheeseburger. I have never been to France but I can only imagine this is what Provence tastes like: creamy and heavenly delicious. The crumbled goat cheese gave the burger a nice tangy taste and the tomato paste gave it an extra kick of flavor. If you have to use bread crumbs in this burger to hold everything together, I highly recommend it. As for the toppings, I highly recommend a bed of romaine lettuce, arugula or spinach, sliced grilled onions, sautéed mushrooms, tomato, aioli (garlic mayonnaise) and/or sun-dried tomato pesto for an authentic Mediterranean flare. As for the olive oil, I highly recommend Herbes de Provence Infused Olive Oil from the Imperial Olive. Fore more information, visit www.TheImperialOlive.com.
 

Roast Chicken with Chili-Lime Sauce

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. herbes de Provence
• 1/3 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 (10 oz.) bone-in, skin-on, chicken breast halves
• 1/3 cup tomato juice
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 3/4 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Makes 4 Servings

1. heat the oven to 425 F.
2. In a small bowl, combine the herbes de Provence, 1/4 tsp. of salt, pepper and garlic. With your fingers, carefully lift the chicken skin without removing it. rub the herbes de Provence  mixture under the skin and over the chicken.
3. Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes or until cooked through but still juicy. Let cool briefly. When cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin.
4. Meanwhile, in another small bowl, whisk together the tomato juice, lime juice ,chili powder and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Whisk in the oil.
5. Divide the chicken among 4 plates. Drizzle each serving with 2 tablespoons sauce and serve warm.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook. The folks at the South Beach Diet have made another chicken dinner winner. It's a Phase 1 dish that's can be made in 30 minutes or less and it's a good excuse to turn on the oven and warm up the kitchen. I highly recommend adding freshly ground black pepper and minced garlic with the herb mixture because garlic and pepper always make the food taste better. The chili-lime sauce gives the chicken a nice kick of flavor and the chicken is so moist and juicy when it comes out the oven. I highly recommend using Lime, Garlic or herbes de Provence-Infused Olive Oil for the sauce. For more information, visit www.TheImperialOlive.com

Mustard-Coated Lamb Steaks

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp. herbes de Provence
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (1/2-pound) leg of lamb steaks, trimmed
• 4 plum tomatoes, halved

Makes 4 Servings

1. Spray the rack of a broiler pan with olive oil or nonstick spray and preheat the broiler.
2. Combine the mustard, herbes de Provence, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper in a cup. Brush the mixture on the steaks.
3. Place the steaks on the broiler rack. Place the tomatoes, cut side up, on the broiler rack around the steaks and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Broil 4 inches from the heat until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the side of each steak registers 145 F for medium, about 6 minutes on each side, and the tomatoes are slightly softened, about 8 minutes. Cut each steak in half and serve with tomatoes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. I was craving meat and I had lamb loin chops and I wanted to cook something juicy. This was such a tasty meal that could be made in such a small amount of time. The combination of Dijon mustard, lamb and herbs is so heavenly delicious it will be your new favorite weeknight dinner. 

Grilled Tuna with Provencal Anchovy Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. tuna steaks, about 11/4 inches thick
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp herbes de Provence
• 2 anchovy fillets
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Makes 4 Servings

1. Lightly coat a grill or grill pan with cooking spray and heat to medium-high. Grill tuna 2-3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board.
2. In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until softened but not browned, about 1 minute. Add herbes de Provence and anchovies, mashing anchovies with the back of a wooden spoon until they break up, about 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in vinegar and parsley. Transfer anchovy sauce to a small bowl.
3. Thinly slice tuna, divide among 4 plates, and drizzle anchovy sauce. Serve warm.

 WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. This French dish can be made in less than 30 minutes and it's delicious. Herbes de Provence is a dried herb blend that is commonly used in southern France that often includes basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, summer savory, rosemary and thyme. You can make your own version and keep it in a jar in your pantry with other spices if you can't find this spice in the grocery store. When you're cooking tuna steak, cook it like it's steak because it can get overcooked easily. I have really come to like anchovies when they're well blended. The Provencal Anchovy sauce is delicious on top of the tuna and can go on top of any fish, meat, chicken or even in a salad if you like.

Provencal Vegetable Omelette

Ingredients:

• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 3/4 tsp herbes de Provences
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 cup fat-free egg substittute
• 4 tbsp shredded fat-free Swiss Cheese

Make 2 Servings

1. Lightly spray a nonstick skillet with  olive oil nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, zucchini, scallions, herbes de Provence, salt and pepper; cook, stirring,  until the vegetables are lightly softened, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.
2. Wipe the skillet clean. Spray the skillet with nonstick spray  and set over medium heat. When a drop of water sizzles in it, add 1/2 cup of egg substitute and cook until almost set, about 3 minutes, gently lifting the edge of the eggs with a heatproof spatula to allow the unccoked portion of the egg to run underneath. Spoon half of the vegetable mixture over half of the omelette. Fold the unfilled portion of the omelette over the filling and sprinkle with 2 tbsp of the Swiss cheese. Slide the omelette onto a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining egg substitute, vegetable mixture and cheese to make another omelette.

WW POINTS VALUE 3

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. I was in the mood for some eggs and I've always wanted to cook this recipe. This dish was fair but I would try it again and make some adjustments: I would season the egg mixture with the herbs instead of the vegetables for a more flavorful dish. I would also add some kind of sauce to the dish to make it more flavorful.

Flank Steak with Herbes de Provence

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tbsp herbes de Provence
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 (1lb) flank steak, trimmed

Makes 4 servings

1. Combine the herbes de Provence, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the herb mixture on the steak.
2. Spray a large nonstick skillet or ridged grill pan with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Place the steak in the skillet and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the side of the steak register 145 F for medium, about 5 minutes on each side.
3. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes. Cut across the grain into 12 slices.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 per serving (3 slices)

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. Yoou don't have ot use flank steay for this recipe. You can easily use filet mignon and it will taste just as delicious but I would highly recommend putting the Filet mignon under a broiler. I also highly recommend using a pinch of garlic mixed in with the herbs.