Baked Beef Ziti

Ingredients:

• 12 oz. ziti
• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 lb. ground beef
• 1 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Makes 8 Servings (1/8 of casserole per serving)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Cook ziti according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes; drain off any fat and return pan to heat. Stir in oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes longer.
4. Spread small amount of tomato-beef mixture in 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover bottom of dish); top with half of ziti. Layer with half of tomato-beef mixture, 1/2 cup of mozzarella, and remaining ziti. Top with remaining tomato-beef mixture and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake until heated through and cheese is melted and golden, about 30 minutes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. This is what I call Italian comfort food. Who does not like beef, pasta and tomatoes? The herbs make this dish more aromatic and flavorful. I highly recommend adding a touch of dried basil to this dish to add more Italian flare to this dish. I highly recommend making your own fresh pasta for this dish for a more comforting feeling. I also highly recommend adding a touch of Parmesan cheese on the top because Parmesan cheese always makes almost every Italian dish taste better. This dish is the perfect comfort food to enjoy in the cold winter months and is great to enjoy when you're watching football, basketball, hockey or for movie night.

Spicy Chicken-Asparagus Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

• 3 tsp. canola oil
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tbsp. grated, peeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
• 1 1/2 cups matchstick-cut carrots
• 1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 small yellow bell peppers, cut into strips
• 2 tbsp. water
• 3 tbsp. black bean sauce
• 1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp. hot chili oil
• 2 tsp. toasted sesame seeds

Makes 4 Servings (1 2/3 cups per serving

1. Heat wok or large deep skillet over medium-high heat until drop of water sizzles in it. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of canola oil and swirl to coat pan. Sprinkle chicken with salt; add to wok and stir-fry until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
2. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons canola oil to wok and swirl to coat pan. Add ginger and garlic; stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add asparagus, carrots, bell peppers, and water; cook, covered, until vegetables are crisp-tender, 4-5 minutes.
3. Return chicken to wok along with black bean sauce, soy sauce, and chili oil. Stir-fry until chicken is heated through, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook.  If you're ever craving Asian takeout food, leave the phone alone and cook this dish instead. It's flavorful, colorful and good for you with all the protein and vegetables in it. If you don't have a wok on hand, use your grill instead. You can grill the chicken and vegetables and dish will taste just as good as takeout. If you want to make you dish more filling and Asian authentic, serve a half cup of cooked brown rice per serving and it will increase the Smart Points value by 3.



Chocolate-Cappucino Eclairs

Ingredients:

Pastry Cream:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. instant espresso powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup fat-free milk
• 1/4 cup thawed frozen fat-free whipped topping

Cream Puff Dough:

• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tbsp. confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Makes 8 Servings (1 éclair per serving)

1. To make the pastry cream, whisk together the granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla in a bowl. Whisk in the cocoa, cornstarch, espresso powder, and cinnamon. Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan; whisk in the cocoa mixture. Return the milk mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook, whisking, until thickened. Spoon into a bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface; refrigerate until cool. Fold in the whipped topping; refrigerate.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lightly spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray; line with parchment paper.
3. To make the cream puff dough, combine the water, oil, butter, granulated sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Cook until the butter melts and the mixture boils, about 3 minutes. Stir in the flour all at once; cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the pan, 1-2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the eggs and egg white, one at a time, beating vigorously after each addition until the dough is shiny.
4. Fill a large pastry bag (no need to use a tip) with the dough. Pipe onto the baking sheet  to form eight 4-inch long by 2-inch wide fingers. Bake until golden, about 35 minutes. Turn off the oven. Make a small slit in one end of each éclair. Return to the oven for 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.
5. To assemble the éclairs, with a small knife, make a hole in the end of each éclair. Spoon the pastry cream into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip. Pipe about 2 tablespoons pastry cream into each éclair. Dust with the confectioners' sugar. Serve within 2 hours.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. This was the first time I made éclairs and they turned out tasty. These are healthy eclairs but they still tasted delicious. These eclairs are healthy and they have a France meets Italy taste to them. The French and the Italians know how to do dessert. Eclairs are a staple of France and the filling has a taste of Italy to them. The filling is flavorful and creamy and the pastry dough is not bad. These eclairs taste good you'll forget there isn't much sugar in them.

Fudgy Cocoa Brownies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 egg whites
• 3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Makes 16 Servings (1 square per serving)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, allowing the foil to extend over the rim of the pan by 2 inches. Spray with nonstick spray.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl; set aside. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan set over low heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the cocoa and vanilla; let stand 5 minutes. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and egg white to the cocoa mixture; whisk until blended. Stir in the flour mixture until blended. Stir in the walnuts.
3. Scrape the batter into the baking pan and spread evenly. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging, 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack. Lift from the pan using the foil as handles; cut into  16 squares.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. These brownies are a new take on brownies. They're fudgy and they go great as a topping over frozen yogurt, ice cream, or even in a parfait. They're packed with chocolate flavor and it is highly recommended to be washed down with a cold glass of milk.

Caesar Salad with Poblano Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1 small poblano pepper
• 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
• grated zest of lime
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 garlic love, minced
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 (12 oz.) package romaine lettuce hearts, thinly sliced
• 1 cup fat-free croutons
• 1/3 cup Pecorino-Romano cheese

Makes 6 Servings (2 1/3 cups per serving)

1. Preheat broiler.
2. To roast poblano, put pepper on broiler rack and broil 5 inches from heat, turning, until charred on all sides, 8-9 minutes. Transfer to small zip-close plastic bag and seal; let steam 10 minutes. Peel of charred skin, remove stems and seeds, and mince flesh.
3. To make dressing, transfer poblano to salad bowl. Add buttermilk, mayonnaise, cilantro, lime zest and juice, garlic, and salt, whisking until blended well. Add romaine, croutons, and Romano; toss until coated evenly with dressing.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. A Caesar salad is a wonderful comfort food anytime and it's also a great salad to cleanse your system whenever you had a rough day. This is a different take on the traditional Caesar salad. This salad uses a roasted poblano pepper mixed with lime juice, cilantro and mayonnaise. This dressing certainly kicks up the heat and is flavorful in its own way. This dressing would go great on grilled chicken or fish.

Thanksgiving Turkey on the Grill

Ingredients:

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh sage
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (10 lb.) turkey, giblets removed

Makes 12 Servings, plus leftovers (2 slices white turkey & 1 slice dark turkey per serving)

1. Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray; prepare the grill for indirect cooking and maintain a medium-hot fire.
2. Combine the garlic, sage, paprika, oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl; mix well. Loosen the skin around the turkey breast by running your fingers between the skin and the meat. Make a 1-inch slit on each thigh and each drumstick; run your fingers between the skin and meat to loosen the skin. Rub the garlic mixture under the skin on each side of the breast and the legs. Tuck the wing tips underneath the turkey and tie the legs together with the kitchen string to help hold the shape of the bird during grilling.
3. Place the turkey on the indirect heat section of the grill rack (away from the heat source), cover the grill, and grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh registers 165 F, about 3 hours. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let stand for about 10 minutes before carving. Remove the skin before eating.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook. Looking for alternative ways to cook Thanksgiving dinner? Try this method. Cooking a turkey on the grill is not that scary or difficult. Cooking a turkey on the grill not only frees up your oven for other dishes but it also tastes delicious as well. The turkey is still succulent, juicy and flavorful with the garlic and spices rubbed all over. Don't forget to make your own homemade gravy to serve alongside the turkey; it makes the turkey and other side dishes more comforting.

Beef with Asparagus and Mushrooms

roilIngredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. London broil, divided
• 4 garlic cloves, minced, divided
• 4 tsp. crushed dried rosemary, divided
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, sliced lengthwise
• 1 lb. asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 lb. white mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings

1. Score both sides of steak in a diamond pattern with carefully making 1/8-inch-deep diagonal cuts with a sharp knife at 1-inch intervals.  Rub half of the garlic and 2 teaspoons of the rosemary into both sides of meat and season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak and cook, turning once, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with foil to keep warm. Heat remaining oil in the same skillet. Add onion and cook, stirring often, for about 2 minutes. Add remaining garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add asparagus and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until asparagus is crisp-tender and almost all of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon zest and remaining rosemary, season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Cut steak into thin slices and serve with the vegetables.

WW POINTS VALUE: 9 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. Who doesn't love a really good steak dinner? You can make this elegant and tasty dish any night of the week and everyone will be satisfied. The aromatic flavors of rosemary, garlic and a zesty lemon give an ordinary steak and vegetables a sophisticated bite. If you're 21 or older, don't forget a glass of red wine to make the dinner complete.