Banana-stuffed French toast

 Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. cream cheese
• 4 slices cinnamon-raisin bread
• 1 medium banana, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 1 tsp. unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup, warmed
• Berries of your choice

Makes 1 stuffed French toast with toppings per serving.

1. Spread the cream cheese on the bread. Divide the banana over 2 slices of the bread and top each with a slice of the remaining bread.
2. Combine the milk, egg, and vanilla in a small shallow bowl; beat lightly with a fork.
3. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Briefly dip the sandwiches, one at a time, into the egg mixture. Place both sandwiches in the skillet. Cook until golden brown, 3–4 minutes on each side. Place a stuffed French toast on each of 2 plates; top each with 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup and 3 of the sliced strawberries. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 12 pts. per serving

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. This delicious stuffed French toast is the best treat for breakfast, brunch or dinner. Whatever kind of bread you use, e, you can either remove the crusts or leave them on. Serve this hearty breakfast dish with a variety of your favorite fresh fruits alongside or on top. And to warm the maple syrup, place it in a small custard cup and microwave on High for about 20 seconds. For a creamier taste, you can substitute fat-free half-and-half for the milk if you like, which shouldn't affect the recipe's nutritional value.

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Sauteed Apples & Dried Cherries

 Ingredients:

• 1 lb. pork tenderloin, fat removed
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. Spanish paprika
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch wedges
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated ginger
• 2 sage leaves
• 1/4 cup dried cherries
• 1/2 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings

1. Season pork with salt and pepper. 
2. Combine ginger, paprika, and 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Spread over pork to marinate for 30 minutes or as long as overnight. 
3. Preheat oven to 400 F. 
4. Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and pork tenderloin. Cook until lightly browned. Turn tenderloin over and continue to cook until golden brown all over. Remove from pan (reserve pan to prepare the sauce). Place on a rack on a sheet pan and roast in the oven until the pork reaches in internal temperature of 143 F. Remove from oven and allow pork to rest for 15 minutes. 
5. Add apples to the saute pan. Cook over medium heat until golden brown. Flip and cook on other side until golden brown but still wit ha slightly firm texture. Add ginger, sage, dried cherries, maple syrup, and stock. Bring to a simmer and reduce by three quarters until apples are tender and liquid is syrupy. 
6. Slice pork 1/4-inch thick on the bias or against the grain. Serve on a bed of apples and drizzle with syrup. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Diet Cookbook. This dish can make a decadent and elegant dinner for your family and friends. It's flavorful and easy to make. The tenderloin is the leanest and the most tender portion of the pork. The tenderloin is also the juiciest part of the pork and will melt in your mouth when it it cooked right. The pork is complemented by the tartness of the apples and dried cherries. This dinner is so decadent and delicious. The roasted pork and fruit will melt in your mouth it's that succulent and juicy. This dinner is best served with oven-roasted potato strings, cranberry-orange relish and peas for a fulfilling meal. If you don't have pork tenderloin on hand, pork loin works just as well. You can also use pears in place of the apples and use cranberries in place of the cherries and the meal will be just as decadent. 

Strawberry-Blackberry Crush

Ingredients:

• 1 (6 oz.)  container blackberries
• 1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 1 (16 oz.) package frozen whole strawberries, thawed slightly
• 1 cup coarsely crushed ice cubes
• 3 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. sliced blanched almonds
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract

Makes 4 Servings (3/4 cup crush, 1/4 cup blackberries & 1/4 tsp. almonds  per serving)

1. Toss together blackberries and maple syrup in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Put the strawberries, ice, sugar, 1/4 cup of the almonds, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extracts in a food processor and puree. Immediately divide the mixture evenly among 4 wineglasses. Top evenly with the blackberry mixture and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of almonds. Serve at once.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. This is what I call a cool and refreshing sweet ending. This dessert literally takes 10 minutes to make and the end result is delicious. It's flavorful and gives you a nice feeling after having a delicious dinner. You can use blueberries or raspberries in place of the blackberries and the dessert will still be good. The ordinal recipe calls for 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar but I reduced it to 3 tablespoons and added 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for more flavor and the end result is delicious. 

Fresh Corn and Blueberry Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 3/ 4 cup reduced-fat milk
• 1/2 cup fat-free egg substitute
• 2 tbsp. canola oil
• 3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
• 3/4 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Makes 6 Servings (4 pancakes & 2 teaspoons syrup per serving)

1. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Make a well in the middle of flour mixture. Combine milk, egg substitute, and oil in well; with fork, stir until mixed well. With rubber spatula, stir flour mixture just until flour mixture is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Gently stir in blueberries and corn.
2. Spray griddle with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Pour scant 1/4 cupfuls of batter onto griddle. Cook until bubbles appear and edges of pancakes look dry, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer pancakes to platter and keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, spraying griddle between batches, making total of 24 pancakes. Serve with maple syrup.

WW POINTS VALUE: 12 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. The people at Weight Watchers have done it again with another version of pancakes/waffles. I know they're a lot of points but they make a great weekend breakfast/brunch treat. I usually make waffles because waffles are easier to cook and store in your freezer. You don't taste the corn kernels but you can taste the blueberries and maple syrup. If you don't have egg substitute, mix two whole eggs and the pancakes/waffles will taste just as good. I highly recommend adding a touch of ground cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla to make these treats more flavorful.

 

 

Spiced Oatmeal with Dried Apricots & Walnuts

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup steel-cut oats
• 12 dried apricots, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 1 /2 tsp. sugar-free pancake syrup
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• salt

Makes 4 (1/2 cup) Servings

1.  Heat oven or toaster oven to 275° F. Spread walnuts on a baking tray and bake until fragrant and toasted, 8-10 minutes. Roughly chop.
2. MICROWAVE INSTRUCTIONS: While the nuts are toasting, combine water, oats, apricots, syrup, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in an 8-cup microwave-safe bowl (the size of the bowl is important as it must allow the oats to bubble up without spilling over). Cover with plastic wrap, vent, and cook at full power 5-7 minutes. Stir, replace plastic wrap, and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, until liquid is mostly absorbed. Sprinkle with nuts and serve.
3. STOVETOP DIRECTIONS: Combine water and oats in a medium saucepan; soak overnight. Add apricots, syrup, and salt and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid absorbed, 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle each serving with nuts and cinnamon.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. Oatmeal can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. You can make homemade oatmeal at home and enjoy it throughout the week. This quick and easy oatmeal is made from steel-cut oats which are a favorite on South Beach because of dense texture and high levels of protein, iron and fiber. You can also add a touch of nutmeg alongside cinnamon to this oatmeal or substitute almonds and your oatmeal is still delicious. One bite of this oatmeal and you will never buy processed oatmeal at the grocery store again.



Buckwheat-Applesauce Griddle Cakes

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 1 /2 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Makes 6 Servings (3 griddle cakes per serving)

1. Beat the egg, egg white, yogurt, applesauce, oil and maple syrup in a small bowl. Whisk together the whole wheat flour, buckwheat flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until just combined.
2. Spray a large griddle or skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of the batter onto the griddle. Cook  until bubbles appear and the edges of the griddle cakes look dry, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until browned, 2-3 minutes longer. Repeat with the remaining batter to make a total of 12 griddle cakes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. You can enjoy these quick and easy treats for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The only sugar you'll find in these pancakes can be found in the unsweetened applesauce. If you don't have access to applesauce, a whole apple, cored, peeled and shredded mixed in with the wet ingredients will work just as well. You can even make these griddle cakes into waffles and they will be just as delicious. I highly recommend adding a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a half a teaspoon of ground nutmeg for more flavorful griddle cakes/waffles.

 

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Sauteed Apples & Dried Cherries

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. pork tenderloin
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. Spanish paprika
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Granny Smith or Golden Delicious apple, cored, peeled & cut into 1/4-inch wedges
• 1/4 tsp. fresh ginger
• 2 sage leaves
• 1/4 cup dried cherries
• 1/2 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Make 4 Servings

1. Season pork with salt and pepper
2. Combine ginger, paprika, and 1/2 tablespoon of the oil. Spread over pork to marinate for 30 minutes or as long as overnight.
3. Preheat to 400 F.
4. Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and pork tenderloin. Cook until lightly browned. Turn tenderloin over and continue to cook until golden brown all over. Remove from pan (reserve pan to prepare sauce). Place on a rack on a sheet pan and roast in the oven until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 143 F. Remove from oven and allow pork to rest for 15 minutes.
5. Add apples to saute pan. Cook over medium heat until golden brown. Flip and cook on other side until golden brown but still with a  slightly firm texture. Add ginger, sage, dried cherries, maple syrup, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and reduce by three quarters until apples are tender and liquid is syrupy.
6. Slice pork 1/4 inch thick on the bias or against the grain. Serve on a bed of apples and drizzle with syrup.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. This is what I can an elegant taste of the holiday season. Remember when you have pork chops and applesauce for dinner? This is that dish but kicked up a whole notch and made into an elegant meal. You can use pork loin or pork tenderloin in this dish and or use pears in place of the apples and your dinner will be delicious. You can also use dried cranberries in place of the dried cherries because cranberries are just as tart and sweet. This meal really does taste like the fall and winter holidays and takes you back to  autumn in New England with all the ingredients.

Whole Wheat Orange-Vanilla Buttermilk Waffles

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tsp. canola oil
• grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Makes 4 Servings (1 waffle & 1 tablespoon maple syrup)

1. Spray waffle make with nonstick spray. Preheat according to manufacturer's directions.
2. Whisk together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, egg, oil, orange zest and vanilla in a small bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until batter is just smooth.
3. When waffle baker is ready, ladle in 1/2 cup of batter. Close lid and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer waffle to plate and keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, making a total of 4 waffles. Serve with maple syrup.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. The original recipe was called whole-wheat buttermilk waffles and the orange and the vanilla were different variations. I decided to combine the orange and vanilla to make whole-wheat orange-vanilla buttermilk waffles. Vanilla pair well with any fruit and the dish always tastes good. These waffles are so crisp and delicious you'll have these again and again. If you have any leftover waffles, wrap them in plastic and freeze them And when you want to eat waffles, take them out, defrost them, put your favorite toppings on them, heat them in the microwave and enjoy them. As for enjoying these waffles fresh out of the waffle iron, I highly recommend adding your favorite fresh fruit on top of these waffles to fill you up. One bite of these and you'll never go the local waffles house or pancake parlor again.

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

• 6 (9-by 14-inch) sheets, whole wheat phyllo dough, thawed
• 1/2 cup granular sugar substitute
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 (12 oz.) can 2% evaporated milk
• 2 tbsp. sugar-free maple syrup
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• light or fat-free whipped topping (optional)
• bittersweet chocolate shavings (optional)

Makes 8 Servings

1. Position rack in middle of oven and heat oven to 350 F. Stack phyllo sheets on plastic wrap or wax paper; cover with a barely damp towel to prevent sheets from drying out.
2. Lightly coat a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray. Lay 1 phyllo sheet in the pie plate. Coat sheet with cooking spray, making sure to spray edges. repeat with remaining  sheets, rotating each slightly in the pan to form a circle. Fold and crimp edges.
3. Place a piece of parchment or wax paper on top of crust. weigh crust down with pie weights or dried beans and bake until edges are lightly golden, about 10 minutes. While crust is baking, combine sugar substitute, cinnamon, ginger, salt, cloves, and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
4. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat pumpkin puree, egg whites, and egg yolk until well blended. Slowly add milk, maple syrup, and vanilla, beating until blended. Add spice mixture and blend well.
5. Remove pie weights from crust. Pour filling into crust and bake until tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Remove pie from oven  and cool at room temperature to set. Just before serving, top each slice of pie with 1 or 2 tablespoons whipped topping and chocolate shavings, if desired.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook. Nothing says the holidays are here like pumpkin pie. This is a healthy version of a holiday dessert classic. It had a nice flavor to it with the spices and maple syrup but it tasted more like pumpkin mousse than pumpkin pie. I wouldn't recommend phyllo dough as a pie crust. I highly recommend using puff pastry or graham crust for the crust. It is a nice alternative to the traditional pumpkin pie. 

Streussel-Topped Apple-Buttermilk Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 3/4 cup fat-free buttermilk
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 3 tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp. packed brown sugar
• 3 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• 3 tbsp. old-fashioned oats
• 2 tbsp. chopped walnuts

Makes 12 Muffins

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and  1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon in a large bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, applesauce, maple syrup, egg whites, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons oil in a medium bowl. Add to flour mixture and stir until just flour mixture is just moistened. Fold in apple. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl. Add oats and walnuts; mix with fingers until evenly moistened. Sprinkle oat mixture over batter, pressing lightly to adhere. Bake until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes. Remove muffins from pan and cool completely on rack.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Tastier than Takeout Cookbook. These muffins are absolutely delicious and are full of flavor. They're chewy, moist and perfect for weekend baking and anytime you need a quick snack during the week. If you make these muffins on a Sunday and you have some leftover, freeze the rest of them and take one out during the week if you need a quick bite to eat. They will fill you up right away. Also, I highly recommend adding a 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg and a teaspoon of almond extract because nutmeg goes very well with cinnamon and the almond extract will add a little more nutty flavor to the muffins.



Raspberry-Cornmeal Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/4 cups skim milk
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3  tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries

Makes 4 Servings (3 pancakes per serving)

1. Combine all ingredients except the raspberries in a medium bowl. Gently stir in the raspberries.
2. Spray a nonstick griddle or  large skillet with  nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Pour healping 1/4 cupfuls of the batter onto the griddle. Cook until bubbles appear and the edges of the pancakes look dry, 2-3 minutes. Turn and cook unti lgolden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the pancakes to a plate and keep warm.Repeat with the remaining batter to make a total of 12 pancakes.

WW POINTS VALUE 6 pts

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. I didn't know what to expect with these pancakes but they were such a delightful surprise. They tasted really good. They were fully and moist and I really like hte flavor of the yellow cornmeal and raspberries. The grea thing about these pancake is that they are quick and easy and you can enjoy them any day of the week.