Chicken Cobb Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 6 cups mesclun greens
• 2 cups bite-size pieces cooked chicken breast
• 2 tomatoes diced
• 1 avocado halved, pitted, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 hard-cooked large egg whites, finely chopped
• 3 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained and crumbled
• 2 tbsp. crumbled blue cheese

Makes 6 Servings (1 cup per serving)

1. To make the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, oil, pepper and salt in a small bowl until blended, set aside. 
2. Place the greens on a large serving platter. Arrange the chicken, tomatoes, and avocado in rows on top of the greens. Sprinkle the salad with the cooked egg whites, bacon, and cheese. Drizzle with the dressing and serve at once. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook. A cobb salad is a wonderful dish to enjoy for lunch or dinner. The Cobb salad originated at the Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood in 1937. The owner, Bob Cobb, used the ingredients he had on hand to create what was to become a famous and delicious main course salad. This salad is flavorful and filling and is great for on-the-go or at home. 

Sea Bass with Green Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 (6 oz.) sea bass filets
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup packed fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions
• 1/4 cup lightly packed tender watercress sprigs
• 2 quarter-size slices peeled fresh ginger
• 3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp. water
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Makes 4 Servings (1 bass filet and about 2 tablespoons sauce per serving)

1. Sprinkle the sea bass with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Spray a skillet with olive oil spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the fillets, skin side up, and cook until just opaque in the center, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a platter and keep warm. 
2. Combine the parsley, scallions, watercress, ginger, vinegar, water, oil, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender and puree. Spoon the sauce over the fish. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. Who says fast food is not good for you? You can have your fast food and eat it too when it's done properly. The green sauce adds an elegant touch to this dish. You can use any kind of meaty white fish in this recipe and the dish will still be good. 

Chicken with Red And Yellow Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups red and/or yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tbsp. water
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil or 2 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar

Makes 4 Servings

1. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper and garlic. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook for 10-12 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 F), turning once. Transfer chicken to a serving platter; cover and keep warm.
2. Drain fat from skillet. Add tomatoes, water, parsley, vinegar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to the skillet. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes or until tomatoes begin to soften, stirring occasionally. Serve the tomato mixture over chicken.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. This is a quick and easy meal that's full of flavor. It's got a nice Mediterranean flare, it's juicy and moist. You can use red or yellow cherry tomatoes or even both in this dish. I added garlic to the chicken because garlic always makes everything taste better. Serve a glass of white zinfandel or pinot noir and you've got a complete Mediterranean meal. 

Warm Salmon & Asparagus Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds asparagus, trimmed
• 2 tbsp. + 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra for baking dish
• 4 (6 oz. ) salmon fillets
• 2 tbsp. coarse-grain Dijon Mustard
• 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 5 oz. mesclun greens (6 cups)
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings

1. Heat oven to 450 F.
2. Place asparagus in a single layer in a baking pan; drizzle with 2 teaspoons of the oil, season with salt and pepper, and turn to coat. Bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
3. While asparagus is roasting, season salmon with salt and pepper. Lightly brush a baking dish with oil, add salmon, and bake until fish flakes easily with a fork, 10-12 minutes.
4. Place mustard, vinegar, remaining oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a glass jar with a lid. Close tightly and shake vigorously to combine; adjust seasoning if necessary.
5. Combine greens and 2 tablespoons of the dressing in a mixing bowl; toss to coat. Drizzle remaining dressing over  the fish and serve with asparagus and greens.

WW POINTS VALUE: 12 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. This is a nice and filling way to kick-start your new lifestyle. Salmon may have a lot of point value the health benefits include protein, thiamin, niacin, omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, Vitamin D, Vitamins B6 and B12. You can enjoy this salad in the summer by grilling both the asparagus and the salmon and your salad will still be delicious. The mustard vinaigrette dressing adds a nice touch of flavor to the salad.  I highly recommend adding garlic to the dressing and to the salmon because garlic always makes everything better. You can also use arugula or spinach in place of the mescluns as well. Fast food can be good for you any day of the week.

 

Joe Louis Cakes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups  all-purpose flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup reduced-calorie margarine
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup fat-free egg substitute
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp reduced-calorie margarine
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 6 tsp water, or as necessary
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

Makes 12 Cakes

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. To make cakes, sift together flour, baking powder, 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together 1/2 cup reduced-calorie margarine and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar until creamy; beat in egg substitute. In a small bowl, combine milk, vinegar, baking soda and 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
4. Add half of flour mixture to margarine mixture; mix. Add milk mixture and then remaining flour mixture. Mix until smooth and creamy. Spoon mixture into prepared muffin pan, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, to make filling, combine egg whites, remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons of water, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and remaining 1/8 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl and place bowl over boiling water (or use a double boiler). Using a hand-held mixer, beat egg whites until stiff and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
6. To make icing, combine remaining 2 tablespoons each of margarine and cocoa, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a small mixing bowl; beat until smooth and creamy. Sift powdered sugar over bowl and stir with a spatula, adding water by teaspoonfuls, until thick and spreadable.
7. Slice cakes in half horizontally. Spread each botton half with 1 1/2 tablespoons of vanilla filling. Frost top halves with 1 to 1 1/4 tablespoons of icing and place on top of bottom halves.

WW POINTS VALUE: 8 pts (1 cake per serving)

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. According to the website, these chocolate treats are named for the inventors' sons, not the famous boxer. I don't know who Joe Louis the inventor is but these cakes were so delicious. The photo you see below is not the photo you'll see when youo visit weightwatchers.com. I used a special cupcake tool I got at Bed Bath and Beyond to remove the top and put in the filling. I LOVE the gadget and it was a great idea to put the filling in the cupcake and the top of the cake to cover the filling and then drizzle with frosting. As I said in the title, these Joe Louis cakes are so heavenly delicious I think they are the alternative to the Hostess Chocolate cupcake. The Hostess Cupcakes are so dry and flavorless compared to these sinfully chocolate treats which are moist and chewy. I highly recommend serving these treats for a special occasion after dinner. Trust me, you and your guest (s) will love them, especially if your guests include  Jacques Torres or Francois Payard.

Honey-Mustard Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt
• 4 tsp Dijon mustard
• 4 tsp honey
• 1 tbsp snipped fresh dill
• 2 tsp white-wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp ground white pepper

Makes 4 Servings

In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients. Refrigerate , covered, 2-3 hours. Whisk again before serving.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt (3 tbsp per serving)

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. This is a delicious dressing that is sophisticated compared to the traditional yellow hot dog mustard. The dill gives this dressing a bit of Greek flavor for a more sophisticated taste.You can also use freshly ground black pepper in place of white pepper and it will still taste delicious. This dressing is perfect for marinating in chicken, pork, beef and seafood. Dressing can be prepared in advance and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for a few days; small glass jars are ideal containers. Remember to shake well or whisk to blend just before serving.

Herbed Vinegarette

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh majoram
• 2 tsp chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tbsp drained and chopped capers
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1/2 tsp sugar or sugar substitute
• ground black pepper (optional)

Makes 1 1/2 cups

In a jar with a tightlt fitted lid, combine the vinegar, olive oil, vasil, tarragon, parsley, majoram, oregano, capers, mustard, sugar and pepper, if using. Close the jar tightly and shake vigorously. Refrigerate until serving.

WW POINTS PER SERVING: 3 PTS per Tablespoon

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. This dressing can be used in salads and be used as marinade in chicken, pork and fish dinners. It's a nice healthy alternative to those store-bought dressings because you made it yourself and you know what's in the dressing.