Grilled Pork Chops with Smoky Black Bean Relish

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless pork chops, cut 1/2-inch thick
• Kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn, thawed
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1-2 tsp. canned chipotle in adobo sauce, finely chopped

Makes 6 Servings

1. Trim fat from chops. Season chops with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the lime juice and cilantro; brush over chops.
2. For a charcoal grill, place chops on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 7-9 minutes or until chops are done (160 F) and juices run clear. For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place chops on grill rack over medium heat. Cover and grill as above.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add corn; cook and stir for about 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Clear a spot in the center of the pan, reduce the heat, and add garlic; cook for 30 seconds.
4. In a large bowl, combine the corn mixture, tomatoes, black beans, scallions, 1/4 cup cilantro, chipotle peppers, and the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice. Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.
5. Serve chops with corn mixture.

WW POINTS VALUE: 14 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. This is a new healthy way to enjoy Mexican food. You get your share of colorful vegetables and your protein too. You can use chicken, turkey, or even fish in this recipe and your dish will still be delish. It may look messy but it's really delicious. You don't always have to enjoy Mexican food in a tortilla.

 

Tomato and Feta Frittata

Ingredients:

• cooking spray
• 1 small shallot, chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 4 large egg whites
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half if large
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 Tbsp dried bread crumbs, panko variety

Makes 4 Servings (1 wedge per Serving)

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Coat a large heavy-bottomed ovenproof skillet with cooking spray; set over medium heat. Add shallot to skillet; cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, egg whites, salt and pepper; stir in tomatoes and shallot.
4. Coat bottom and sides of same skillet with cooking spray; set over medium heat. Pour egg mixture into skillet; cook until almost set, loosening edges of frittata occasionally, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over eggs; top with panko.
5. Place skillet under broiler, 4 inches from heat; broil until cooked through and panko browns, about 30 seconds to 1 minute (watch carefully to avoid burning). Remove from broiler immediately and let sit for 1 minute; cut into 4 wedges.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. This is a quick and easy dish that can be made and enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even Sunday brunch. If you don't have a shallot, half of a diced onion will work just as well. The combination of tomatoes and feta cheese is creamy they go well in any dish, including eggs. This frittata is even tasty without the bread crumbs. If you don't have feta cheese, any crumbled cheese will do just fine. If you have any frittata leftover, store it in an air tight container and have it for breakfast the next day and it will taste just as good. If you want an authentic Mediterranean flare to this frittata, I highly recommend adding some herbs such as parsley, oregano, or dill.



Mini Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 tbsp. whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. allspice
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 (8 oz.) packages low-fat cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs, beaten

Makes 12 Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 300 F. Line muffin cups with paper or foil liners.
2. Combine the pumpkin with flour and 1/2 of the spices. Set aside.
3. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down sides as needed. Add sugar, vanilla, the remaining spices, and salt. Mix for 1 minute. Pour in eggs in 2 batches, mixing after each addition. Do not overmix when adding the eggs or the cheesecakes will crack during baking.
4. Remove 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture. Fold remaining cream cheese mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Divide the pumpkin mixture among the muffin cups. Then divide the reserved cream cheese mixture among the cups. Using a skewer or paring knife, drag tip through the mixture to form a swirling pattern or marbled look.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. The mixture should not be completely set; the centers will move slightly when jiggled. The cheesecakes will continue to cook once removed from the oven.
6. Set on wire rack and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. If you're a cheesecake lover, these min cheesecakes are definitely for you. These cheesecakes have a nice texture to them and are full of flavor for the fall and winter holidays. The key to making these cheesecakes flavorful are the spices-cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Those three spices will kick any fall dessert up a notch. Plus, these treats are perfect portion size so there's an equal serving size for everyone. Be careful, these treats are addictive.

Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic

Ingredients:

• 3 medium garlic bulbs (about 40 cloves), separated & unpeeled
• 1 (3 1/2-4 lb.) chicken, cut into 8 pieces and skinned
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

Makes 8 Servings (1 piece chicken, about 3 cloves roasted garlic, & 2 tablespoons sauce per serving)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F.
2. Place the garlic in a single layer in a small baking dish; spray with extra-virgin olive oil nonstick spray. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast 15 minutes. Stir, then cover and roast until the garlic just begins to brown, about 15 minutes. Uncover, then stir and spray with nonstick spray and roast until browned and tender, about 10 minutes longer.
3. Meanwhile, sprinkle the chicken with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a large plate. Add the wine and broth to the skillet; bring to a boil, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add the garlic to the skillet, then add the chicken, nestling the pieces among the garlic cloves.
4. Place the skillet in the oven and roast the chicken until an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh registers 165 F, 10-15 minutes. Lift the chicken from the broth mixture in the skillet and transfer to a serving dish; cover with aluminum foil and keep warm. Transfer 12 of the garlic cloves to a fine-mesh sieve. Arrange the remaining garlic around the chicken. With a rubber spatula, press the reserved garlic through the sieve into a bowl; discard the skins. Whisk the pressed garlic paste into the broth mixture in the skillet; bring to a simmer. Serve the chicken with the remaining roasted garlic and the sauce.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook. The combination of roasted garlic, olive oil, white wine and chicken broth is SO heavenly delicious. The roasted garlic sauce may look messy but it's really good. If you're not a fan of garlic, this dish is not for you because this dish is very strong in smell and taste. If you have any leftover roasted garlic cloves, put them on toasted French bread for roasted garlic bread at dinner. This dish makes a great meal whenever you're having company over and will become a company favorite. You can also use turkey, quail, duck or even fish in place of the chicken and your dish will still be delicious.

 

Tomatoes with Crispy Bread Topping

Ingredients:

• 8 Roma tomatoes, cored & cut in half lengthwise
• Kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated

Makes 4 Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Sprinkle the cut sides of the tomatoes with kosher salt and pepper. Arrange tomatoes, cut side up, in a shallow baking pan. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, scallions, thyme, parsley, tarragon, olive oil, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over tomato halves. Bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until the tomatoes are heated through and the bread crumbs are browned and crisp.

WW POINTS VALUE:  2 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. This side dish goes great with any Mediterranean protein and will quickly fill you up. They may look a little messy but they are delicious. These have a French flavor to them due to the flavorful herbs of thyme, parsley and tarragon. You can even put Italian herbs such as basil, oregano, marjoram, or parsley if you're cooking Italian food and the tomatoes will still be delicious. Oven roasted tomatoes are so flavorful and delicious they melt in your mouth. You can use flavor infused olive oil in these tomatoes to enhance the flavor. For a complete list of choices of olive oil, visit www.TheImperialOlive.com.

 

Brussels Sprouts with Garlic

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. Brussels Sprouts, halved
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup water

Makes 6 Servings

1. Heat the oven to 425 F.
2. Place Brussels sprouts, garlic, oil, salt, and a pinch of pepper in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; toss to coat. Spread out in a single layer. Pour the water into the dish and roast until Brussels sprouts are lightly browned and pierced easily with a paring knife, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook. This was my first time cooking Brussels sprouts at home and I must say they wre quite a success. This side dish is bright in color and good for you. You can use this side dish with any flavored protein and your meal will be filling. Oven roasted vegetables are so delicious when they are seasoned properly and they melt in your mouth. I highly recommend using flavor infused olive oil when cooking these. FOr a complete list, visit www.TheImperialOlive.com.

 

Guacamole Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp. minced red onion
• salt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 (4 oz.) bunches watercress, thick stems removed
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large ripe tomatoes, diced, with juices reserved
• 2 medium avocados, pitted, peeled & diced

Makes 8 (1-cup) Servings

1. Whisk together lime juice, onion, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small bowl; let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Add cilantro, oil, scallions, and garlic; whisk to combine.
2. Place watercress in a large serving bowl. Add dressing and toss gently; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes and their juices and avocados; gently toss again and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook. This is a great salad to have when you're starting your healthy lifestyle, you fell off the bandwagon & you want to get back on or you ate so much holiday sweets and you want to cleanse your system. This is really a spring or summer salad but if you're lucky enough to find ripe avocados and tomatoes, this is  the salad for you. The dressing is made from olive oil, lime juice, onions and garlic. Real cooks NEVER use bottled dressing. Real cooks make their own dressing for their salad. This salad can be enjoyed by vegetarians and carnivores alike and guacamole lovers too. I highly recommend using Garlic or Lime infused olive oil for an authentic Mexican taste. Fore more information, visit www.TheImperialOlive.com.