Oatmeal Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tsp granular sugar substitute
• 2 tsp canola oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt

Makes 12 Pancakes

1. In a medium bowl, combine the oats and milk and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Stir in the egg, flour, wheat germ, baking powder, sugar substitute, oil and salt, mixing until evenly blended and only small lumps remain. Let the batter stand for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray or butter over medium heat. Working in batches, pour the batter by 1/4 cup into the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the top starts to bubble and the bottom is browned. Turn and cook for 1-2 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Repeat to make a total of 12 pancakes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts per pancake

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. As I have said before, "Who doesn't enjoy breakfast for dinner once in a while?" This meal hit the spot for dinner earlier tonight. Pancakes are a delicious treat for dinner sometimes because you can take the time to make them and enjoy them. Oatmeal as pancakes is so yummy and so dense and moist in your mouth. I highly recommend adding cinnamon, nutmeg or ground cloves for more flavor. Heck you can even add vanilla or almond extract for more flavor or your favorite fruit to these oatmeal pancakes for a flavor punch. The extra spices or fruits may add to the point value but it's worth it.

Chocolate-Mint Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup fat-free egg substitute
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 3/4 cup apple butter
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 oz. unsweetened chocolate baking square, melted
• 36 pieces Junior Mints, candies, chopped

Makes 24 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9- x 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together egg substitute, sugar, corn syrup, apple butter, oil and melted chocolate. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just blended.
3. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and sprinkle with candies. Bake until firm, about 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting into 24 squares. Yields 1 square per serving

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. How can you NOT love chocolate brownies? I found this recipe in the Chocolate cooking section and these brownies looked to good to pass up. These brownies are not your typical brownies with the unique ingredients. They are very chocolatey, minty and chewy and heavenly delicious. Replacing regular butter with apple butter makes these brownies much lower in fat, as well as moist and rich. These brownies are devilishly delicious you will be eating these again and again and make them you're new guilty pleasure.

Hawaiian Curried Chicken with Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients:

• Cooking Spray
• 2 tsp peanut oil
• 2 tsp minced ginger
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 lb. bonelesss, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 2 1/2 cups pineapple, diced
• 1/4 cup shallots, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut, toasted

Makes 6 Servings

1. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray; set over medium heat. Add oil; heat until oil starts to shimmer. Add ginger and onions; sauté until onions turn translucent and start to caramelize, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add curry powder, salt and sugar; cook, stirring, until curry becomes fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Push vegetables to side of skillet and sauté chicken until lightly browned, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add coconut milk and reduce heat to low; simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until chicken is done, about 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, to make salsa, combine pineapple, shallots and cilantro; toss well to coat
4. To serve, top chicken with salsa and sprinkle with coconut; sprinkle with salt if desired. Yields about 3/4 cup chicken, rounded 1/3 cup salsa and 2 teaspoons coconut per serving.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. This dish is the perfect weekend dish that is full of tropical flavor, heat and very filling. The ginger and curry give this dish heat and the pineapple and coconut give the dish an authentic tropical flare. This dish takes a while to make but it's worth making. I enjoyed this dish and would make it again. If you want to add more heat to this dish, use a curry with more flair.



Ranger Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup pecan pieces
• 1/4 cup 100 % bran cereal
• 1/4 cup old-fasioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup whole-grain pastry flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup trans-fat-free margarine
• 1/4 cup granular sugar substitute
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Makes 16 cookies

1. Heat oven to 375 F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
2. Place pecans on another baking sheet and bake until fragrant and lightly toasted, 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside and cool briefly. Pulse cooled pecans, bran cereal, oats, chocolate chips and coconut in a blender or food processor until coarsely ground.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at high speed, beat margarine, sugar substitute, egg and vanilla until creamy. With mixer on low, slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture and beat until incorporated. Stir in pecan mixture.
4. Drop well-rounded tablespoons of batter 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet. Bake until tops of cookies appear dry and bottoms are golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties and Holidays Cookbook. The true origintiflavored cookie is unknown, but it is said that it was named for park and forest rangers who appreciated it's energy-boosting ingredients such as coconut flakes and rolled oats. These cookies are so delicious you will forget they're healthy for you. These cookies can be made a day in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They are filled with so much flavor and chewy they can be made in 30 minutes and enjoyed by everyone.

Eggless Tex-Mex Caesar Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 plum tomato
• 3 anchovy fillets
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 3/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 (1/2-pound) head romaine lettuce, chopped (16 cups)
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 avocados, pitted and cut into 1/4 -inch cubes
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Makes 10 (2-cup Servings)

1. Core tomato and make an X in the skin on the opposite end. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Place tomato in boiling water and cook just until skin starts to pull away from flesh, about 30 seconds. Remove from water and drain. When tomato is cool enough to handle, peel off and discard skin.
2. Puree tomato, anchovy fillets, garlic, lime juice, mustard and chili powder in a food processor or blender. With machine running, add oil in a slow and steady stream; blend until incorporated.
3. Place lettuce in a large bowl; season lightly with salt and pepper. Add dressing and toss. Top with avocado, sprinkle with cilantro leaves, and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook. This Caesar salad is not like your typical Caesar salad. As Emeril Lagasse would say, this Caesar salad has been kicked up a notch. The original recipe called for lemon juice but I used lime juice for an authentic Tex-Mex flavor. The Tex-Mex Caesar dressing adds punch to this classic dish as do the avocado and cilantro. Anchovies are preserved in salt so don't overdo it with seasoning. I don't think Iron Chefs Jose Garces and Bobby Flay have this Caesar salad on their menus but they would be very pleased if you made them this dish. 

Apple-Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats, toasted until lightly browned
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and coarsely grated
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp dark raisins

Makes 12 Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F; spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray (don't spray if sheets are nonstick).
2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg (if using), baking soda and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on high spped, cream the brown sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Add apple, egg, vanilla and almond extracts; beat until combined. Add the oats mixture; stir to blend, then stir in the raisins.
4. Drop the dough by tablespoons onto the baking sheets, forming 12 cookies on each sheet; flatten with the back of a spoon. Bake until lightly browned, 12-15 minutes. Cool completely on a rack. Store in an airtight container.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts (2 cookies per serving)

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. Say goodbye to store-bought oatmeal cookies. This recipe is like a little bite of an apple crisp or apple oatmeal in your mouth. You can also use dried cranberries, cherries, blueberries or any other dried fruit in this recipe in place of the raisins. Heck, you could use chocolate chips to make it even sweeter but it would affect the point value. This is a wonderful treat that can be enjoyed anytime of the day.

Chocolate Chip Meringue Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cooking spray
• 1 tsp all-purpose flour
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, semi-sweet
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

 Makes 24 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 200ºF.
2. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray; coat with a light dusting of flour and shake off excess.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and beat until stiff, glossy peaks form; gently fold in chocolate and vanilla extract.
4. Drop mixture by heaping tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart, making 24 cookies
5. Bake until lightly golden and no longer sticky on the surface, about 1 hour. Turn oven off and let cookies sit in oven for 1 hour. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Yields 1 cookie per serving.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. I 've always loved meringue desserts and this dessert looked delicious. This was also my first time making a meringue dessert so it did not go as I wanted it to. Probably because I didn't beat the egg whites and sugar long enough. My cookies tasted more like chocolate chip meringue bars than cookies but they were still delicious.They were a nice combination of vanilla and chocolate and left a delicious aftertaste in your mouth.  I would make this dessert again but I would beat the sugar ans egg white mixture a little longer.