Chili Rubbed Pork Chops

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 20 oz lean pork loin, boneless center-cut chops, four 5 oz pieces
• 1 spray(s) cooking spray

Instructions
In a small bowl, combine chili powder, brown sugar, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
Butterfly pork chops by laying them flat on a cutting board and slicing in half horizontally, stopping a 1/2-inch from edge to keep halves attached. Pry chops open, then flatten them on your work surface. Rub spice mixture on both sides of chops. Place chops on a plate, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
Coat grill rack or a large grill pan with cooking spray; heat grill or set pan over medium heat. (Note: Never spray cooking spray directly into a heat source, whether a grill or a stove.)


Grill chops for 3 minutes, then turn and continue cooking until grill marks appear and chops are firm, about 4 minutes more. (An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of a chop should register 160°F.) Transfer to a serving plate or cutting board; let stand 5 minutes before serving. Yields 1 chop per serving.

WW Points Value: 5

Filet Mignon with Sun-Dried Tomato Garlic Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 beef tenderloin steaks (4 0z.) 1 inch thick
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed)
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• 1/4 cup A.1 Steak Sauce

Makes 4 Servings

1. Heat large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add steaks; cook 10 -13 minutes for medium-rare to medium doneness, turning occasionally. Season with salt and pepper. Remove steaks from skillet; cover to keep warm.
2. Add tomatoes, oil and garlic to skillet; cook 1 minute. Stir in beef broth. Increase heat to medium-high; cook and stir 5 minutes or until liquid is slightly reduced. Remove from heat. Stir in steak sauce. Serve over steaks.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

Note: This recipe appears courtesy of http://www.kraftfoods.com/. I was desperate for a healthy recipes for Christmas dinner and this looked so good. It's one of my favorites and one of the easiest. You can use any kind of steak with this as well as chicken, pork, turkey or even duck in this dish and it will still be yummy. Also, if you don't have any beef broth, use red wine in place of the broth or even a mixture of both. I highly recommend serving a side of potatoes and vegetables with this dish and this dinner will be better than what you'd order at a steakhouse.

 

         

Roast Pork Puertorriqueno

Ingredients:

• 
  
  grated zest of 1 orange
  
  
  
• 
  
  1/4 cup orange juice
  
  
  
• 
  
  4 tsp olive oil
  
  
  
• 
  
  1 jalapeno pepper, sliced (wear gloves to prevent irritation)
  
  
  
• 
  
  2 garlic cloves, sliced
  
  
  
• 
  
  1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  
  
  
• 
  
  1/2 tsp salt
  
  
  
• 
  
  1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
  
  
  
• 
  
  1 (1lb) pork tenderloin
  
  
  

Makes 4 servings

1. 
   
   To prepare the marinade, in a gallon-size ziplclose plastic bag, combine the orange zest, orange juice, oil, jalapeno pepper, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper; add the pork. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air; turn to coat the pork. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, at least 2 hours or overnight.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Preheat the oven to 450 F; line a roasting pan with foil and coat with nonstick spray.
   
   
   
3. 
   
   Place the tenderloin in the pan; drizzle with the remaining marinade. Roast 5 minutes; reduce the oven temperature to 350 F and roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 F, 15-18 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into 12 slices.
   

WW Points Value: 4 per serving (3 Slices)

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. I have been cooking for 10 months now and of all the healthy recipes I have cooked, this was my least favorite. There was very little flavor when I my dinner. It did smell delicious when I was ccoking it though. Of the many recipes I've cooked, this was the only one that was not good. Not Bad.

Souffle Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 package (12 oz.) Stouffer's frozen Spinach Souffle, not thawed
• 4 boneless, skinless chiken breasts, pounded into 1/4" thickness
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced or 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt (optional)
• ground pepper
• 
  
  1 tbsp shopped parsley, for garnish
  
  
  
• 
  
  Lemon Slices for garnish
  
  
  
• 
  
  Sprig parsely, for garnish
  
  
  

Serves 4

1. 
   
   Preheat hte oven to 400 F. Using a serrated knife, cut the spinach souffle crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Top half of each whole breast with one of the pieces of souffle. Flod half of the chickenover the filling and fasten the edges with wooden picks.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes, or until golden. Discard the garlic. Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for 7 minutes per side, or until well-browned on both sides.
   
   
   
3. 
   
   Remove the chicken breasts to an oven-proof dish. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 170 F and the juices run clear.
   
   
   
4. 
   
   While the chicken is baking, add broth, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper to the skillet. Heat to boiling. Reduce the heat to low,cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced to 1/2.
   
   
   
5. 
   
   To serve, remove and discard the wooden toothpicks. Arrange the chicken on a warm serving platter, and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with the chopped parsley, lemon and parsley sprig.
   

WW Points Value: 7

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. My dish DID NOT appear like the picture in the cookbook but it was a nice dinner. I used frozen spinach instead of the Stouffer's frozen spinach souffle and it worked just as well. I also reduced the number of chicken breasts in half and I cut the chicken breasts in half because I don't eat as much chicken as Iused to.

Greek-Style Cod Filets-who knew fish tasted so good?

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion(s), chopped
2 tsp garlic powder
2 (14 1/2 oz) canned diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 (5 oz) cod fillets raw
1/4 tsp table salt
3 tbsp Feta cheese, crumbled

Serves 4

1. Heat the Oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the the tomatoes with their juice, oregano, and pepper; cook, stirring, until heated throught, about 3 minutes.

2. Sprinkle the cod with the salt. Place in the skillet and spoon some of the tomato mixture on top. Cook, uncoverd, until the fish is just opaque in the center, 6-8 minutes. Spinkle with the Feta Cheese and serve.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Mintues Cookbook. This is one of my favorite recipes and my mom loves this dish too. Mediterranian food tastes so good you forget htat it's good for you. If you have any leftover fish, you can eat it fo lunch and it tastes just as good as you cooked it.

Spicy South Beach Diet Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 8 oz whole-wheat or spelt elbow pasta
• 1 tbsp trans-fat-free margarine
• 1 tbsp whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1 1/4 cups fat-free half-and-half
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, or 2 tbsp dried
• 1/4 tsp salt (optional)
• 2 large plum tomatoes, chopped, or 1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes
• freshly ground pepper

Makes 4 (1 1/4-cup servings)

1. Heat the oven to 400 F. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water for about 30 seconds.
2. While pasta is cooking, in a large nonstick skillet melt margarine over medium heat. Add flour and cayenne, reduce the heat to low, and whisk constantly until flour is incorporated, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the half-and-half to the skillet, bring to a simmer over low heat, and cook, whisking, until blended and thickened, 3-5 minutes. Add cheese, basil and salt; stir until blended. Add pasta and stir until coated and warmed, about 1 minute; remove from heat.
4. Lightly coat an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer macaroni and cheese to the baking dish. Sprinkle tomatoes on top and mix them in with the macaroni and cheese. Season with pepper. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Place under the broiler and broil until the top is lightly browned, 3-4 minutes. Serve hot.

WW Points Value: 7

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. I was in the mood for a pasta dish tonight and I was dying to try this recipe. Pasta is such a nice comfort food once in a while and this was a nice pasta dish with a very cosmopolitan flavor. You'll forget you're eating macaroni and cheese. Besides, it's healthier than eating the one from Kraft or Velveeta, TRUST ME!

Peppered Roast Tenderloin

Ingredients:

• 1 (2 1/2lb) beef tenderloin or filet mignon
• 2 garlic cloves, slivered lengthwise (or 2 tsp powdered garlic)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. cracked black peppercorns
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary, or 1/2 tsp dried
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh sage, or 1/2 tsp dried
• 1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Makes 10 servings

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. With a small sharp knife, make several small incisions in the tenderloin; insert a sliver of garlic in each incision. Rub the tenderloin with the oil. In a small bowl, combine the peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, sage and salt; pat the mixture on all sides of the tenderloin.
2. Place the tenderloin in a shallow roasting pan. Roast 10 minutes; reduce the oven temperature to 350 F. Roast about 15 minutes longer for rare, about 20 minutes for medium. Transfer the roast to a cutting board; let stand 15 minutes before slicing (the roast should yield about 20 slices). 2 slices per serving.

WW Points Value: 5 (2 Slices per serving)

Note: This recipe appears in the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook. I was in the mood for some good beef and I've always wanted to try this recipe and it was so delicious. I highly recommend drinking a lot of water with this dinner the spices are hot. It was also the first time I cooked a nice piece of tenderloin.