Chocolate-Cranberry Scones

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cranberries
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Makes 12 Scones (1 scone per serving)

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
2. Whisk together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. With pastry blender or two knives used sciccors-style, cut butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add chips, cranberries, and buttermilk to flour mixture, stirring just until moist dough forms.
3. With floured hands, knead dough, 6-8 times in bowl to bring dough together (dough will be shaggy).
4. Turn dough out onto lightly floured work surface and pat to 1/2-inch thickness. With floured 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut into 10 rounds without twisting cutter. Gather scraps and reroll, making total of 12 scones. Place scones 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet.
5. Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer to wire rack; serve warm.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. The original recipe was called whole wheat-buttermilk scones with  a variation of chocolate-cherry scones. I decided to make chocolate-cranberry scones to get into the holiday spirit. These scones are so delicious! They are full of chocolately flavor and soft. The cranberries give the scones a nice tart and a little succulent taste. Leave these for Santa and I promise he'll leave you an extra present.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted & cooled
• 3/4 cup packed granulated brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips (6 oz.)

Makes 24 Cookies (1 cookie per serving)

1. Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray2 baking sheets with nonstick spray.
2. Put oats in blender or food processor and process until finely ground. Whisk together oats, flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. With electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough by level tablespoons, 2 inches apart, on prepared baking sheets, making a total of 24 cookies. With bottom of glass dipped into flour, press each mound to form 2-inch cookies.
3. Bake until cookies are browned along edges, 9-11 minutes, rotating baking sheets after 5 minutes Let cool on baking sheets on wire racks about 1 minute. With spatula, transfer cookies to racks and let cool completely.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. You can have your cookies and eat them too ( in moderation, of course!). These are different take on the old-fashioned chocolate chip cookie with the addition of the oats. It's kind of like an oatmeal cookie meets the chocolate chip cookie. You can even replace the chocolate chips with 1 cup of chocolate covered raisins and it would be like an oatmeal chocolate raisin chip cookie but the point value might be affected. Don't forget to wash these cookies down with a glass of cold milk.



Tartar Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped cornichons or gherkins
• 1/4 tsp. cornichon or gherkin liquid
• 1/4 tsp. lemon zest
• pinch black pepper

Makes 12 Servings (1 tablespoon per serving)

 

Stir together all ingredients in a small bowl until mixed well. Serve at once or refrigerate in covered container up to 4 days.

 

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. Tartar sauce is the perfect accompaniment for white fish and chips. It's very quick and easy to make and very tasty too.

Oven Fries

Ingredients:

• 1 1 /4 lbs. baking potatoes, peeled & cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. granulated sugar
• 4 tsp. canola oil
• 1 tsp. paprika

Makes 4 Servings (1/4 of oven fries per serving)

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Spray nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray
2. Combine potatoes, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the sugar with enough cold water to cover in a large bowl. Soak 15 minutes; drain and pat dry with paper towels or clean kitchen towel.
3. Toss together potatoes, oil, and paprika in a large bowl until evenly coated. Spread in single layer on prepared baking sheet. Bake, turning potatoes over as they brown, until cooked through and crisp, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. You can have your fries and eat them too. If you soak your potatoes in sugar and salt, it helps remove some of their liquid which makes them crispier when they're baked. 45 minutes may be a little too long for these treats to be baking. You want to be able to enjoy your 'fries.' These are actually tasty with fish, steak, and any kind of burger you choose to make.

Strawberry Fool

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen strawberries (5 oz.)
• 4 tsp. granular sugar substitute
• 1 1/2 cups nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup no-sugar-added lite whipped topping

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a food processor, pulse the strawberries on and off to break them up, then process until smooth. Add 2 teaspoons of the sugar substitute and pulse to combine. Let sit in the food processor for 20-25 minutes to thaw completely.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk the Greek yogurt to lighten, the whisk in the vanilla and remaining 2 teaspoons sugar substitute. Whisk in the whipped topping.
3. Process the strawberry puree again to loosen, then pour over the yogurt mixture. Gently fold in with a rubber spatula, leaving streaks of strawberry.
4. Divide the fool evenly among 4 dessert dishes and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook. Although this recipe appears in the dessert chapter, you can enjoy this dish at breakfast, dessert or even as a light lunch or snack. It's a really nice fruity treat and it's tastier than store-bought yogurt. You can use blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries or even cherries in this recipe or even a combination of berries and this fool will still be tasty.

Whole Wheat Orange-Vanilla Buttermilk Waffles

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tsp. canola oil
• grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Makes 4 Servings (1 waffle & 1 tablespoon maple syrup)

1. Spray waffle make with nonstick spray. Preheat according to manufacturer's directions.
2. Whisk together whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, egg, oil, orange zest and vanilla in a small bowl. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until batter is just smooth.
3. When waffle baker is ready, ladle in 1/2 cup of batter. Close lid and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer waffle to plate and keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter, making a total of 4 waffles. Serve with maple syrup.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. The original recipe was called whole-wheat buttermilk waffles and the orange and the vanilla were different variations. I decided to combine the orange and vanilla to make whole-wheat orange-vanilla buttermilk waffles. Vanilla pair well with any fruit and the dish always tastes good. These waffles are so crisp and delicious you'll have these again and again. If you have any leftover waffles, wrap them in plastic and freeze them And when you want to eat waffles, take them out, defrost them, put your favorite toppings on them, heat them in the microwave and enjoy them. As for enjoying these waffles fresh out of the waffle iron, I highly recommend adding your favorite fresh fruit on top of these waffles to fill you up. One bite of these and you'll never go the local waffles house or pancake parlor again.

Ragu Bolognese

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 lb. lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (28 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup low-fat milk
• 1/2 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Makes 6 Servings (1 cup per serving)

1. Heat oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and cook, breaking it apart with wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring, until evaporated. Stir in onion, carrot, celery, oregano, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 12 minutes. Stir in milk and cook, stirring, until creamy and thickened, about 5 minutes longer.
2. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti, according to package directions, omitting salt if desired; drain well.
3. Add pasta and Parmesan to skillet and cook, tossing, until heated through, about 2 minutes longer.

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. This is what I call a taste of Italy. Don't be intimidated by all the ingredients. Once you get your mise en place together, it's all smooth sailing from then on. The original recipe calls for dry white wine but I prefer red wine with my ground beef. You can use ground turkey, chicken, pork or veal in the Bolognese and this dish will still be deliciously comforting. You can use the white wine with the white meat and the red wine with the ground beef. I also recommend 3 garlic cloves minced in with the vegetables for a more aromatic flavor and garlic always makes everything taste better. If you make this dinner, I promise you it will bring your family and friends to the table and people will love it. As for the olive oil, you can use a variety of Mediterranean in fused olive oil in this dish. For a selection, visit www.TheImperialOlive.com.