Asparagus Omelets wth Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 cup liquid egg substitute
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 2 tbsp chopped scallions
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed ad cut into 1" pieces
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 tbsp crumbled reduced-fat goat cheese
• chives, for garnish

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg substitute, eggs and milk. Stir in the scallions, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper.
2. Place the  asparagus and water in a large microwavable bowl. Cover with vented plastic wrap and microwave on high power for 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Stop and stir after 2 minutes. Drain, pat dry and add to the egg mixture.
3. Heat a medium nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Pour one-quarter of the egg mixture into the skillet, allowing it to cover the bottom of the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the bottom just begins to set. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp of the cheese. Add one-quarter of the asparagus pieces. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the eggs are almost set.
4. Using a large spatula, fold the omelet in half. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the omelet is golden and the cheese is melted. Turn onto a plate and keep warm.
5. Coat the skillet with cooking spray and repeat the process with the remaining ingredients to make 3 more omelets. Garnish with the chives.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts per omelet

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. There is nothing like having a breakfast dish for dinner. I really enjoy omelets and I've always wanted to make them but didn't know how. Omelets look challenging but they are very easy to make when you follow the recipe. This dish was delicious and I would eat this again. If you don't have goat cheese on hand, feta cheese will work just as well. I highly recommend having eggs for dinner once a week and whatever you don't finish, wrap it up and have the egg dish for breakfast the next day. Eggs will keep you filled up and you won't feel as hungry later on. Eggs mixed with herbs and veggies make a tasty and nutricious combination.

Pumpkin-Apple Bread

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup granular sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and grated
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp confectioners' sugar

Makes 10 Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F; spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray.
2.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. In a small bowl, beat the egg; add the buttermilk, apple and pumpkin. Pour over the flour mixture; stir until just blended (do not overmix).
3. Spoon into the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 1-1 1/4 hours. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes; remove from the pan and cool completely on the rack. Dust with the confectioners' sugar.

WW POINTS VALUE: (1/10 OF LOAF) 3 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. If you ever saw the picture for the pumpkin-apple bread, you would want to cook this recipe. This bread is the perfect time of year because apple and pumpkin are in season now and it's also the perfect dish for Thanksgiving. This bread has such a nice flavor to it. If you don't have or can't find any pumpkin pie spice, don' worry. You can substitute pumpkin butter from Trader Joe's and it will work just as well.

Raspberry-Lime Rickey

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unswetened frozen raspberries
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 16 oz. seltzer

Makes 4 Servings

Combine the frozen raspberries, lime juice, sugar and seltzer in a blender; blend until smooth. Remove blender conainer from stand and shake it; blend again. Serve immeadiately.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1pt

Note: This recipe appears on http://www.weightwatchers.com/. Raspberries and limes make a very tasty combination. This is a refreshing and fruity spin on a classic lime-based cocktail. You can also add vodka, gin or rum for the real deal but it will affect the point value.

Vegetable Frittata with Parmesan

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp trans-free margarine
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 zucchini, thinly sliced
• 4 large mushrooms. chopped or 6 sun-dried tomatoes thinly sliced
• 1/2  large red pepper, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme, crushed
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup liquid egg substitute
• 1 1/2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Makes 4 Servings

1. Place the broiler rack in the lowest (6-7" from the heat source) and preheat the broiler.
2. Melt 1 tbsp of the margarine in a large oven-safe nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, zucchini, mushrooms or sun-dried tomatoes, bell pepper, 1/4 tsp of the salt and 1/8 tsp of the pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and no juices remain in the pan.
3. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, egg substitute, the remaining 1/4 tsp salt, the remaining 1/8 tsp pepper and the cheese, if using.
4. Melt the remaining 1 tbsp margarine in the skillet with the vegetables over very low heat. Pour in the egg mixture. Cook, uncovered, and without stirring, for 15 minutes, or until only the top remains runny. Place the skillet under the broiler an cook under the broiler for 2 minutes, or until the eggs are just set. Slide the fritatta onto a large serving plate to serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 PTS

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. I have never had a fritatta and I've always wanted to try to make one. You'll be surprised how easy it is to make and how delicious it is. All of the veggies in this dish make this dish a very colorful and healthy meal. Plus it's perfect to serve all your vegetarian friends. Although this recipe is listed in the breakfast chapter, I highly recommend serving this dish at dinner or as a brunch because you won't have the time and effort in the morning to make this.

Sole in Lemon Caper Butter

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs sole filets or whole sole
• Unbleached all-purposed flour
• Grapeseed oil
• 3 tbsp butter or margarine
• 1/2-1 tsp minced garlic
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp capers
• 1-2 tbsp minced fresh parsley or 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon or marjoram

Makes 4 Servings

1. Dip the sole fillets in the flour. Pour the grapeseed oil into a heavy nonreactive skillet to a depth of about 1/4  of an inch. Heat the oil until very hot. Add the fillets and saute for about 2-3 minutes on each side, or until browned and cooked through. Watch carefully and turn the heat down if necessary. You want the fillets to brown, not burn.
2. Remove the fish to a platter. Wipe out the pan, add the butter, and turn the heat to medium-high. Add the garlic, stir for 30 seconds, then pout in the lemon juice and capers. Immediately pour around the sole on the platter. Sprinkle the sole with herbs.

 

WW POINTS VALUE: Who knows?

 

Note: This recipe  appears in the New Legal Seafood Cookbook. I was in the mood for fish but not in the mood to make the dish complicated. You can use any white fish with this recipe and it will tasted delicious. The butter will go well with a side of green vegetables and rice.

Peppered Steak with Brandy-Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns, crushed or 2 tsp cracked black peppers from a jar
• 4 (1/4-lb.) filet mignons trimmed
• 2 large zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 4 shallots minced
• 3 tbsp brandy
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1 tbsp coarse-grained Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt

Makes 4 Servings

1. Put the peppercorns on a plate; lightly press both sides of the steak into the peppercorns to coat evenly.
2. Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set ove medium-high heat. Add the steaks and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the sideof a steak registers 145 F for medium, about 5 minutes on each side. Trnsfer to a platter and keep warm.
3. Add the zucchini and shallots to the skillet; cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the brandy and cook about 20 seconds. (If the brandy ignites, cover the skillet with the lid and remove it from the heat until the flame is extinguished.) Stir in the broth, mustard and salt. Simmer until the sace is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Spoon the vegetables and sauce over the steaks.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 (1 steak and about 1 cup vegetables with sauce)

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. I was craving steak for dinner and I was inspired after watching an old episode of Tyler's Ultimate when Tyler Florence was cooking the ultimate french bistro. This was another delicious steak dinner. The brandy and the Djion mustard made the steak and vegetables taste so delicious. Zucchini is a very bland vegetable and can be added to almost any dish.

Classic Guacamole

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2 scallions (white and light green portion only), thinly sliced
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (wear gloves to prevent irritation)
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp salt

Makes 6 Servings

Cut the avocado in half and discard the pit. Scrape the avocado pulp into a small bowl; coarsely mash with a fork. Add the tomatoes, scallions, jalapeno pepper. lime juice and salt; mix until just combined. Scrape into a serving dish and serve at once.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1PT (1/4 cup)

Note: This recipe appears in the New WW Complete Cookbook. I had a craving for my Jalapeno Turkey Burger and I wanted to add a little kick to it and this recipe lookd perfect. Guacamole is not only a perfect appetizer but it's also delicious on sandwiches and burgers. A little avocado goes a long way when you add tomatoes to the guacamole. If you wanto to give the guacamole an extra kick, add some hot sauce to it.