Winter-Spiced Pomegranate & Clementine Sangria

Ingredients:

• 1 (750-ml) bottle dry red wine, such as Grenache
• 1 cup reduced-calorie cranberry-juice cocktail
• 1 cup pure pomegranate juice
• 1/4 cup orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier or Cointreau
• 2 clementines, halved & thinly sliced into half rounds
• 1 lemon thinly sliced
• 4 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
• 5 star anises
• 1 cup diet lemon-lime soda
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Makes 8 Servings ( 1/2 cup per serving)

1. Combine wine, cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, orange liqueur, clementines, lemon, cinnamon sticks, and star anise in large pitcher.
2. Refrigerate at least several hours or up to overnight to allow flavors to blend.
3. When ready to serve, discard the cinnamon sticks and star anises, and pour in soda. Fill 8 wineglasses or other glasses with ice and top with sangria. Sprinkle with pomegranate.



WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. You can enjoy Sangria in the winter time with the right flavors. Pomegranate seeds and juice, cranberry juice, and clementines, are the perfect winter fruits for this cocktail. The cinnamon, star anise, and red wine have an earthy combination and leave a unique aftertaste in your mouth. Serve this to your guests and they will be delighted. Let the guests top off their sangria with a splash of seltzer. It will lighten the drink and give them some extra spark.

 

Poached Pears with Red Wine & Star Anise

Ingredients:

• 2 cups boiling water
• 3 red zinger or Raspberry tea bags
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 1/2 cup granular sugar
• 3 (3-inch) orange zest strips, removed with vegetable peeler
• 2 cardamom pods
• 1 star anise
• 4 (1/2 lb.) firm-ripe Bosc pears, peeled, halved, & cored
• 1/2 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp. coarsely chopped pistachios

Makes 8 Servings ( 1 pear half, 1 1/2 tbsp. syrup, 1 tbsp. yogurt, & scant 1 tsp. pistachios)

1. Pour boiling water into glass measuring cup or bowl; add tea bags and let steep 4 minutes. Remove tea bags and discard; pour tea bags into large saucepan. Add wine, sugar, orange zest, cardamom pods, and star anise; bring to boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
2. Reduce heat to simmer and add pears; place sheet of wax papers on top of pears to keep them submerged. Cook, covered, until pears are just tender when pierced with a small knife, 30-35 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat; uncover and let pears cool in wine mixture.
3. When pears are cool, with slotted spoon, transfer to large bowl; set aside.
4. Bring wine mixture to boil over high heat. Boil until reduced to about 2/3 cup, 10-15 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and let syrup cool to room temperature. Discard orange zest, cardamom, and star anise.
5. To serve, place 1 pear half, cut side up, in each of 8 serving dishes or dessert plates. Spoon syrup evenly over pears. Spoon yogurt evenly on top of or alongside pears and sprinkle with pistachios.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. This is what I call an elegant dessert and it's perfect for foodies. Pears cooked in wine is absolutely delicious. The combination of orange, spices, tea and wine is heavenly delicious. The pears and the flavors of the wine syrup will melt in your mouth. You can use almonds, walnuts, or even dark chocolate chips as a garnish in this recipe. If you don't have raspberry tea bags on hand, use any fruit-infused tea bags and a handful of fresh raspberries when cooking and they will work just as well.

Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup, Slow-Cooker Style

Ingredients:

• 2 (1/2 lb.) bone-in chicken breasts, skinned
• 6 fresh cilantro sprigs plus leaves for garnish
• 3 scallions, white and green parts separated
• 1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed with the side of a large knife
• 1 (3-inch cinnamon stick)
• 2 star anise (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 (32 oz.) cartons reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 oz. thin rice noodles (vermicelli)
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• fresh mint leaves
• fresh basil leaves, torn if large
• 4 lime wedges

Makes 4 (2 1/2 cups) Servings

1. Combine the chicken, cilantro sprigs, white parts of the scallions, lemongrass, garlic, cinnamon stick, star anise, if using, salt, and pepper in a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the broth over the chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook until the chicken is fork tender, 4-5 hours on high, 8-10 hours on low.
2. At the end of the cooking time, using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate; let stand until cool enough to handle.
3. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water.
4. Remove and discard the bones from the chicken; cut the chicken meat into bite-size pieces. Pour the broth through a large sieve set over a large bowl. Discard the vegetables and spices.
5. Stir the chicken and noodles into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until chicken and noodles are heated through, about 10 minutes.
6. Finely slice the green parts of the scallions. Ladle the soup into 4 large bowls; sprinkle evenly with the scallions. Garnish each serving with cilantro leaves, red onion, mint leaves, basil leaves, and a lime wedge.

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook. Chicken noodle soup is one of the ultimate comfort foods. This version of chicken noodle soup has a Vietnamese twist to it. The official soup of Vietnam is called Pho and it's usually eaten for breakfast. Pho can include any protein and it usually includes bean sprouts, jalapeno & serrano peppers, hoisin sauce and noodles. I made this soup during a snow storm and it made the kitchen & whole house smell delicious. This version of homemade chicken noodle soup is delicious. This soup will be good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If you make this soup in the morning before you head out, it will be delicious when you come home. I highly recommend adding some chopped carrots to the soup for more vegetables and who doesn't love carrots in chicken soup? The noodles are absolutely delicious with the chicken and the chicken broth has a nice taste to it. This soup is perfect for making on a cold winter day. It will warm your stomach and soul.

Glazed Oranges a la Mode

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. low-sugar orange marmalade
• 2 tbsp. orange juice
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 cups fat-free vanilla ice cream
• 2 or 3 navel oranges, peeled and separated into segments

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a cup stir together marmalade, orange juice and cinnamon.
2. Divide orange segments between 2 metal skewers. Place skewers on a foil-lined baking sheet. Generously brush with marmalade mixture.
3. Place baking sheet 3-4 inches under broiler and broil until oranges are hot, 1-2 minutes.
4. To serve, spoon 1/2 cup ice cream into each of 4 bowls. Top with a quarter of the oranges and any leftover glaze.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts. (1 cup per serving, including ice cream)

 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. Cooked fruit is now a guilty pleasure of mine and it tastes so good. If you enjoy apple pie a la mode, you'll love this dessert. There's nothing like fruit that's been marinated, spiced up, cooked and served over ice cream. You can use star anise, ground nutmeg or ginger on this or change the flavor of the ice cream and your dessert will still be delicious. The same could be said of the fruit and marmalade as well. I highly recommend serving this dessert at your next dinner gathering because it's a beautiful dessert with a nice ending.

Grilled Pineapple with Coconut Sorbet

Ingredients:

6 Tbsp dried shredded and sweetened coconut meat 6 slices  pineapple, fresh, cored (about 1/2-inch-thick) 1 tbsp honey pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger or star anise (optional) 1 1/2 cups coconut sorbet

 

Makes 6 Serving

1. Heat a grill or stove-top grill pan.
2. Spread coconut evenly on a microwave-safe plate; microwave on high, tossing until lightly browned with some white shreds, checking after 30 second intervals.
3. Brush pineapple with honey and spices; grill until pineapple is lightly charred and tender, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.
4. To serve, place 1 pineapple slice on each of 6 plates; top each with 1/4 cup sorbet and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon coconut. Serve immediately.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts

 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. My mom and I recently had this for dessert and it was so delicious. Coconut and pineapple are so good together. There is nothing like cooked pineapple and cooked shredded coconut meat. I added a pinch of cinnamon to the honey to give the dessert a little more flavor. The shredded coconut meat adds flavor and a nice crunch to the dessert. This dessert is the perfect ending when you're having company over for dinner because it's a great finish. 5-ingredient chef Claire Robinson will love this dish as well.

 



Warm Pear Cobbler

Ingredients:

• cooking spray
• 3 medium pears, peeled and sliced
• 2 tbsp packed brown sugar
• 2 tsp all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp each of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger and star anise
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp packed brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp margarine
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tbsp confectioners' sugar

Makes 6 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine pears, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 teaspoons of flour, lemon juice and cinnamon in a large bowl; toss to coat pears and pour mixture into prepared baking dish.
3. In a medium-size bowl, combine the remaining flours, remaining brown sugar and baking powder; cut in margarine with a pastry blender, or quickly with your fingertips, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk and toss with a fork until flour mixture is moist.
4. Drop four heaping tablespoons of dough onto pear mixture. Bake until crust is lightly browned and fruit is bubbly, about 40 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, dust with powdered sugar and cut into 6 pieces

WW POINTS VALUE: 4pts

 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. Winter is here and you can have the seasonal fruit cobbler to warm yourself up. Pears are still in season right now and they are perfect to enjoy cooked at this time of year. I added the ground nutmeg, ginger and star anise with the cinnamon because those spices go very well together, especially with cooked fruit. I highly recommend serving vanilla ice cream, plain fat-free yogurt or creme freche if you really want to spoil yourself but that may affect the points value.

 



Whole-Grain Nectarine Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole-grain pastry flour
• 3 tsp granular sugar substitute
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup 1% or fat-free buttermilk
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup trans-fat-free margarine, melted + 1 tbsp unmelted
• 1-2 medium nectarines, sliced (1 cup)
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground star anise

Makes 4 (4-pancake) Servings

1. Heat oven to 200 F
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, 2 teaspoons of the sugar substitute and baking soda.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, eggs and melted margarine. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix just to combine; do not overmix.
4. Coat a large skillet or griddle with cooking spray and heat over medium heat until hot enough to  cause drops of water to scatter over the surface, about 3 minutes. Working in batches if necessary, spoon a heaping tablespoon of batter onto the griddle to form a 3-inch pancake (you will be making 16 pancakes). Cook pancakes until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a heatproof platter and place in the oven to keep warm until ready to serve.
5. In a medium skillet, beat remaining 1 tablespoon margarine over medidum heat until melted. Add nectarines, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, star anise and remaining 1 tsp granular sugar substitute. Cook, stirring occasionally, until nectarines are soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Remove pancakes from the oven and divded among 4 plates. Spoon nectarine slices over pancakes and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. This is a great meal for breakfast, lunch or even dinner for this summer. Nectarines are in season and they were absolutely declicious spiced up on top of these pancakes. You can make the batter into waffles if you'd like and they will still be delicious. I added the nutmeg, ginger and star anise with the cinnamon to spice up the nectarines and it was worth it. Cooked fruit with the right spices makes the whole dish taste better but may affect the point value. I do highly recommend separating the egg yolks and egg whites and mixing them separately because they make the pancakes fluffier. 

Raspberry-Peach Cobbler: SPICED UP!!

Ingredients:

• 6 medium peaches, halved, pitted and thinly sliced
• 3 tbsp confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground star anise
• 1 cup raspberries
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 3 tbsp regular butter, cold
• 1/3 cup light sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Makes 8 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. 
2. Place peaches in a medium bowl; toss with spices and powdered sugar until sugar dissolves. In an 8-inch square baking pan, arrange peach slices in several layers; sprinkle raspberries over top.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour, 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut butter into flour mixture and work in with a fork or pastry cutter until flour resembles course crumbs. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix with a fork until dough comes together.
4. Place clumps of crumb mixture over fruit; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tablespoon of sugar.
5. Bake until top is golden brown and fruit begins to bubble, about 40 to 45 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts (1/2 cup per serving)

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. I dined out this evening because I was STARVING and I pigged out at a local Italian restaurant. I was disappointed with my meal because it was adequate and I thought it was an embarassment to Italy. I made this dessert to make up for my adequate dinner and this dessert was well worth it. The original recipe did not call for cinnamon, nutmeg, star anise or ginger but I added these spices for more flavor. Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and star anise add flare to cooked fruit taking it from dull to delicious. I loved this dessert. It was the perfect ending for the meal for today and made me forget my not-so-great dinner. This particular cobbler uses less butter and more sour cream. Don't be intimidate by the flavor cominations of sour cream and vanilla; they go very well together with cooked fruit. Since summer is around the corner, this dish is PERFECT  for a barbeque or get-together and everyone will love this dish. You can even top this dessert with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt or marscapone cheese but it may affect the point value.



Star-Anise Spiced Fruit Skewers

Ingredients:

• 16 medium strawberries
• 1/2 medium mango, peeled and cut into 8 cubes
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup granular sugar substitute
• 2 star anise, ground (1/2 teaspoon)

Makes 4 (2-skewer) Servings

1. Thread 2 strawberries and 1 mango cube onto each skewer. Lightly coat a grill or grill pan with cooking spray and heat to medium.
2. In a small saucepan, combine water, sugar substitute and star anise; bring to a simmer and cook until thickened to a syrupy consistency, 5-7 minutes.
3. Brush fruit with syrup and grill, turning occasionally, until fruit is lightly browned and starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Serve warm.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt per skewer

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. Star Anise is a star-shaped spice with a licorice taste similar to anise and is commonly used in Chinese cuisine. The whole spice can be ground using a spice grinder or coffee grinder. You can also use preground star anise for this recipe and the dessert will still taste delicious. I have become to really enjoy cooked fruit whether baked, broiled, sauteed or even grilled. This was such a nice, filling dessert I would eat this again and highly recommend serving this dish at a backyard bar-b-que or even at a tailgating party. You can also use pineapple in place of the mango or with the strawberries and mango and it will still taste delicious. Other fruits you can use are apples, peaches, plums, nectarines, papayas, grapefruit and oranges. I also recommend serving these fruit skewers with vanilla ice cream for a sophisticated dessert. 

Sweet Potato & Red Beet Drum with Almond Flakes in a Raw Sugar-Balsamic Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 small sweet potato, peeled and sliced
• 1/4 red beet, cooked and sliced
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 oz. dark brown sugar
• 2 oz. granulated sugar
• the juice of 1 lime
• 3 pieces star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp almond flakes, roasted and chopped
• 1/2 slice pineapple to garnish

Makes 2 Servings

1. Pre-cook the sweet potato in a pot filled with water for 3-5 minutes.
2. Heat the water in a skillet; add the brown sugar and sugar, stirring until it dissolves. Add the star anise, cinnamon stick, lime juice, the sweet potato and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
3. Remove the anise, cinnamon stick and sweet potato from the pan; reserve the pan from the liquid. Make a puree of the sweet potato with some of the liquid that stayed in the pan or some water.
4. For the sauce, add the balsamic vinegar into the pan where the sweet potato was cooked and mix well (reheat of the sauce os too thick).
5. To serve, grab a round cookie cutter and make round beet slices. With the same cookie cutter place one layer of the sweet potato puree and 1 red beet slice ( 2 layers each). Sprinkle the almond flakes on top and garnish witht he pineapple slice and the sauce.

WW POINTS VALUE: Who Knows?

Note: This recipe is something I learned at the Cocina Cosmopolita Culinary School in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. I never had sweet potato or red beet before and I was anxious to try this. I felt like I was training for Iron Chef America with all the ingredients and tools I was using to make this dish. This dish is considered to be a dessert in Mexico but  I would serve this as a light dinner. I don't consider sweet potatoes or beets to be dessert but they do taste good together.