Grilled T-Bone Steak

Ingredients:

• 4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
• 2 tsp freshly chopped sage
• 1 (1 1/4-lb.) T-bone steak (at least 1 1/2-inches thick), trimmed of all visible fat
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground pepper to taste

Makes 4 Servings

1.  Spray the grill rack with nonstick cooking spray; preheat the grill
2. In a small bowl, mix the oil, rosemary and sage. Rub the steak with herb mixture; place on the grill  rack. Grill 3 inches from the heat, turning once, 6 minutes on each side for rare. Season with salt and pepper as soon as the steak is done. Transfer the steak to a cutting board; let stand about 5 minutes before slicing.

WW POINTS VALUE: (1/4 of steak) 6 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. I was craving protein and in desperate need for a juicy piece of steak. This is a wonderful dinner if you have very food in your kitchen and you want to put dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes. This steak is a flavorful steak with very  few ingredients. You can use any piece of steak for this recipe. Plus it's perfect for the grill when the weather gets nice.

Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp butter or fat-free margarine
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
• 2 tbsp heavy cream or fat-free half-and-half
• 1 tsp brandy or dark rum
• 3 tbsp sugar

Makes 3/4 cup

Put the butter, cocoa, cream, sugar and 1 tbsp water in a small nonreactive saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly, and cook for about 2 minutes or until mixture thickens and the cocoa is dissolved. (If the mixture is too thick, thin with cream or water.)

 

WW POINTS VALUE: Who Knows?

 

Note: This recipe appears in The New Legal Seafoods Cookbook. I was craving chocoalte for dessert and this recipe looked so simple. This chocolate sauce is delicious and can be made in minutes. This sauce is ideal for dipping or drizzled over ice cream.

White Wine Butter Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 2 tsp  crushed black peppercorns
• 4 tbsp butter or fat-free margarine
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 tsp flour
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp capers

Makes 1 Cup

 

WW POINTS VALUE: Who knows?

Place the cream or half-and-half  and garlic in a small nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil and gently boil until reduced to 1/2 cup. Set aside. Meanwhile, in another nonreactive saucepan, boil the wine and peppercorns until the wine is reduced to about 1 1/2 tbsp. Whisk in the cream, and then, tablespoon by tablespoon, the butter. Stir in the lemon juice and flour to make the the sauce thicker. Season with a pinch of red pepper flakes, if desired, and salt. Add capers to the sauce before serving. Either drizzle over food or place along side the dish.

 

Note: This recipe appears in The New Legal Seafoods Cookbook. I was hungry and craving fish and I didn't want to make a complicated dish. I had just returned from vacation and I was so inspired by this delicious fish dish I had at an Italian restaurant. I had this Grouper Vicatta and I wanted to recreate this dish in my own way and this sauce looked like it came close. I added some ingredients tomake this sauce thick and it was delicious. I added the lemon and capers for more flavor and flour to thicken the sauce. This sauce is heavenly and can be served over chicken, fish, rice, vegetables and even pasta. If you have any sauce leftover, I highly recommend serving it over pasta and vegetables and it's so heavenly delicious.

Asparagus Soup with Parmesean Sprinkle

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 1/2 lbs.asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths
• 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 4 tsp freshly grated Parmesean cheese
• Salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Makes 4 (1 1/4-cup) Servings

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Add onion, garlic and asparagus and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften, 5-7 minutes. Do Not Brown!
2. Add broth, bring to a simmer, and cook until asparagus is just tender, about 10 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and carefully puree with a blender or hand blender. Return to the pan, gently reheat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve each with  a sprinkle of Parmesean.

 WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook. This dish is a delicious dish for lunch, a small snack or can even be served as an appetizer or main course for dinner. It may look disgusting to look at but it's certainly heavenly in your mouth. Even though there are a few simple ingredients in this soup, it is rich and flavorful. Plus if you have any vegetarian friends, they will love you if you cook this soup.

Chicken and Veggie Chowder

Ingredients:

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 oz. mushrooms, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4" strips
• 2 tbsp trans-free margarine
• 3 tbsp whole wheat flour
• 1 cup skim milk
• 3 spears asparagus, cut into 1" pieces or 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a large pot, combine the broth, carrots, celery, onion, mushrooms, garlic, thyme and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove half of the vegetable mixture to a food processor and process until pureed. Return to the saucepan.
2. Stir in the chicken, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink.
3. Melt the margarine in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour until smooth and cook for 1 minute. Gradually add the milk and cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes, or until thickened. Stir into the chicken mixture. Add the asparagus or broccoli, parsley and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, or until heated through.

 WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. This is a wonderful alternative to the typical chicken noodle soup with all the herbs and vegetables. Normally, chowders have heavy cream in their ingredients but this chowder has skim milk as an alternative. The puree of vegetables also thicken this dish and the herbs add a touch of flavor. I highly recommend serving this chowder for company along with a Savory Cheddar Cheese Biscuit to make it a hearty-one dish meal or course. This dish is also a great comfort food and perfect to make for someone who is sick.

Apple and Almond Souffle

Ingredients:

• 3 medium baking apples, peeled, cored and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tbsp. sugar substitute
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 5 egg whites
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted (optional)

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the apples and water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until apples are tender. Stir in the sugar substitute and almond extract. Remove from the heat and place in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. (Place a hot pad underneath the pot in the refrigerator.)
2. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
3. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until puff peaks form. With a rubber spatula, gently fold into the cooled apple mixture. Spoon the mixture into a 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, or until soufflé is puffed and browned. Sprinkle with almonds before serving, if using. Serve Warm.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. This is  delicious dessert that is light and fluffy and full of flavor with very few ingredients. The almonds add more flavor to the dish along with some heart-healthy fat. You will want to cook this dish again and again.

 

Filet Mignon with Red Wine Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 spray(s) cooking spray
• 8 oz Beef, filet mignon, trimmed, raw, washed and patted dry (use two 1/4 lb pieces)
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
• 6 Tbsp red wine, such as Burgundy or Bordeaux
• 1 tsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 Tbsp chives, or parsley, fresh, chopped
• 1/2 pound(s) asparagus, trimmed, steamed or roasted

 Makes 2 Servings

1. Coat a grill pan (with sides) with cooking spray; set pan over medium-high heat.
2. Rub salt and pepper all over steak. When pan is hot, cook steak for about 4 minutes without flipping. Flip steak and cook for about 4 to 6 minutes more for medium doneness.
3. Remove steak to a cutting board and loosely cover with aluminum foil; let rest for at least 10 minutes (steak will continue to cook under foil).
4. While steak is resting, pour wine onto grill pan; increase heat to high. Reduce liquid by about 75%, scraping bottom and sides of pan while sauce is boiling (the thicker the sauce, the more the flavor it will have), about 2 to 4 minutes. If any juice has seeped out of steak while it’s resting, add it to grill pan. Once sauce is reduced, add butter to pan; cook until just melted.
5. Very thinly slice steak against grain and place on plates; drizzle with sauce. Garnish with chives or parsley and serve with asparagus. Yields about 3 1/2 ounces steak, 1 tablespoon sauce and 1/2 of asparagus per serving.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. If you are ever in the mood for a romantic Parisian dinner, this is a special treat for you. You can use this recipe with any kind of steak; just simply adjust the cooking time to accommodate the thickness. You can also broil the steak if you don't want to cook it in the fry-pan and it will taste just as delicious. Other side recommendations: roasted asparagus, light creamed spinach, mashed potatoes with celeriac root or even a light salad with a glass of red wine to wash it all down.