Peppery Cheese Popcorn

 Ingredients:. Place the

• 6 cups air-popped popcorn (1/3 cup unpopped kernels)
• butter-flavored cooking spray
• 2 tbsp. finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• salto

Makes 2 (3-cup) Servings

 

Place popcorn in a large mixing bowl and coat lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle with cheese and pepper and toss to combine. Season with salt and more pepper to taste; serve.

 

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. Who says popcorn is not good for you? Popcorn is a favorite snack when you're watching TV or a movie or even when you come home from work or school. You don't need a popcorn machine to make popcorn at home. All you need is a pot and olive oil. Heat a pot over medium heat with the oil in it & put the kernels in to let them pop. The kernels will eventually pop and the popcorn will taste just as good as microwave popcorn or popcorn you get at the movies. The butter spray combined with the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper leaves a nice aftertaste in your mouth. There are only 5 ingredients in this recipe so feed this to Claire Robinson and she will be impressed. One bite of this popcorn and your movie night will never taste the same again.

Flank Steak with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto en Papilotte

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. flank steak, fat removed
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil.
• 1 lb. zucchini, cut on bias, 1/4-inch thick
• 8oz. tomatoes, about 8 slices
• 4 tbsp. Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto
• 1 tbsp. chopped basil, chopped
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 pieces parchment paper, 15 x 36 inches

Makes 4 Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place 2 baking sheets in the oven on separate shelves.
2. Cut meat in half lengthwise. Cut each lengthwise pieces in half across the middle. Season meat with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a saute pan over high heat. When the pan is smoking hot, add olive oil and meat. Smear meat on both sides and remove from pan. The meat should still be raw but browned on the outside. 
4. Fold each piece of parchment paper in half like a book. Cut into a large heart shape, with the fold at the center of the heart.
5. For each packet: Place the zucchini slices just off center of the fold. Season with salt and pepper. Lay 2 tomato slices on top of zucchini. Place flank steak on top of tomatoes. Spread pesto on top of steak. Sprinkle with basil.
6. Fold the other side of the paper over meat. Starting at the top of heart shape, fold up both edges of parchment, overlapping folds as you move along the edge of the paper. When you reach the end, twist the end several times to secure.
7. Place packets on preheated baking sheets in preheated oven. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Remove from oven and serve immediately. The meat should be medium rare and will need to be sliced across the grain.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. This meal takes about 40 minutes to make and it is elegantly delicious. Cooking en papilotte is a French cooking technique that delicately seals the flavors in a steam packet made from either foil or parchment paper. The vegetables add a nice aroma to the steak along with the pesto. I highly recommend seasoning the steak with garlic because garlic always makes everything taste better. You can use any kind of pesto in this recipe and your mel will still be delicious.

 

Mini Chocolate-Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp table salt
• 3 small bananas, ripe, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt
• 1/3 cup sugar, granulated
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 10 Tbsp. mini chocolate chips
• 4 spray cooking spray
• 1 cup lite whipped topping
• 3 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter

Makes 24 Servings (1 cupcake per serving)

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, yogurt, sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredient until just combined; gently stir in chocolate chips.
3. Coat a 24 hole mini-muffin pan with cooking spray (or line with cupcake liners) and fill each with a heaping tablespoon batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 13 minutes. Cool to room temperature in pan, about 45 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, to make frosting, beat together whipped topping and peanut butter by hand until light and fluffy. Frost each cupcake with a rounded teaspoon frosting and chill until ready to serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.



Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. You can have your cupcake and eat it too. These delicious treats are packed with flavor and are great for any occasion. These cupcakes are very cake-like in texture but you can really taste the cocoa, bananas and the chocolate chips in this sweet treat. I highly recommend adding a touch of cinnamon and nutmeg into this cupcake for a more Mexican chocolate taste. The peanut butter frosting adds a touch of protein and a nice touch to the cupcake.

Indian Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
• 3/4 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne
• 1 1/4 cups canned diced tomatoes
• 1 cup low-fat or nonfat yogurt
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4. tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups small cauliflower florets
• 4 oz. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Makes 4 (1-cup) Servings

1. In a food processor, combine garlic and ginger; pulse until finely chopped
2. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic mixture, onion, curry powder, cumin seeds, and cayenne; stir well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, 3/4 cup of yogurt, and salt; stir to combine. Add cauliflower, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Add green beans, chickpeas, and water; cover and simmer for 10 minutes more. Add zucchini and continue to cook, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes more.
4. Spoon curry into 4 bowls and season lightly with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Top with remaining yogurt and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve warm.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Die Taste of Summer Cookbook. If you like spicy food, this dish is for you.  This dish is also great when you've fallen off the wagon and you want to re-start your weight loss journey. There are 6 servings of vegetables and 6 different herbs and spices in this dish. Don't be intimidated if this dish looks like a hot mess. It's not a bad dish to eat. I highly recommend serving homemade Naan (Indian flatbread) with this dish to cool off your tastebuds and for a more authentic Indian flare.

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 10 medium uncooked red potatoes (2 1/2 lbs.)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup chives, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Makes 8 Servings (2/3 cup per serving)

1. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with an inch of water; bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer and cook until fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pot.
2. Mash potatoes with a masher. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well to combine.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. This yummy side dish only takes 30 minutes to make and it's worth the time and effort. Fat-free buttermilk and Parmesan cheese are the key elements that make this side dish so delicious. Serve these with any protein and your meal will be kicked up a notch in flavor.



Pan-Seared Sirloin Steaks with Fiery Pepper Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 scallions, cut into short lengths
• 1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro sprigs (leafy ends only)
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 small chipotle in adobo (seeded, if desired, for less heat)
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 4 thin-cut sirloin steaks (about 5 oz. each)
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. coarse Kosher salt
• 4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium bell peppers, cut into strips
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a mini food processor, combine the scallions, cilantro, garlic, chipotle, and cumin. Process to coarse paste.
2. Sprinkle the steaks with some black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
3. In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium heat. add the steaks and cook until browned on both sides and medium-rare, 3-4 minutes total. Transfer the steaks to a plate.
4. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and the bell peppers to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until the peppers are just slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the scallion-chipotle paste, toss to coat the peppers, and cook until quite fragrant and the peppers are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes to thicken the sauce and develop the flavors.
6. Place a steak on each of 4 plates. Dividing evenly, top each steak with fiery pepper sauce.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Gluten Solution Cookbook. Here is another great dish to eat when you kick-start your healthy lifestyle. this quick and easy dish is full of protein, vegetables and flavor. This dish is also a compliment to Mexico too. The fieriness of the scallion-chipotle sauce will depend on the size on the chipotle pepper and whether or not you leave the seeds in. If you're on Phase 1, serve a side of spinach, broccoli or sautéed zucchini alongside the steak. If you're on later phases, serve grilled sweet potatoes alongside the steak. This dish is such a compliment to Mexico you will think twice about going to a Mexican fast food joint or your local steak house.



Chicken Chop Suey

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. arrowroot
• 2 tbsp. gluten-free reduced sodium tamari soy sauce
• 1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 10 oz. white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 4 large celery stalks with leaves, thinly sliced on the bias
• 1 cup slivered red onion (1 cup)
• 1 can (8 oz.) sliced water chestnuts, drained & rinsed
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups fresh mung bean sprouts (about 10 oz.)

Makes 4 Servings (scant 2 cups per serving)

1. In a cup, combine the arrowroot, tamari soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon water. Stir well and set aside.
2. Halve the chicken breasts lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.
3. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cooik, stirring, until just beginning to brown but still very pink, about 1 minute.
4. Reduce the to medium-high and add the mushrooms, celery, onion, water chestnuts, and pepper. Stir to combine, cover, and cook until the mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the bean sprouts over mixture. Re-Stir the arrowroot mixture, add to the pan, and stir to combine. Cook, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Divide the chop suey among 4 bowls and serve hot.

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Gluten Solution Cookbook. Chop suey is a classic American-Chinese restaurant dish that loosely translates to bits and pieces or a little of this, a little of that. Chop suey was reportedly popular in early 1900's America but may or may not have been invented in the USA and there even entire restaurants called "chop suey joints" that specialized in this dish. Asian food does quickly fill you up and this dish doe that. I didn't like it but I didn't dislike it. I did eat this dish but I wouldn't eat it again because the texture dud nothing for me.