Ginger-Lime Chicken

 Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 tsp. lime zest
• 2 tbsp. ginger root, finely minced or grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tbsp. chili oil or other hot oil
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped and divided
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp. scallions, finely minced

Makes 4 Servings (1 chicken breast & 1/3 cup sauce per serving)

1. In a large non-reactive bowl, combine soy sauce, lime juice, lime zest, ginger, garlic, honey, oil and 2 tablespoons cilantro; mix well. Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade. Add chicken to bowl, tossing to make sure each piece is coated; refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
2. Preheat broiler to high. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a baking dish; discard marinade. Broil chicken, 4 to 6 minutes; flip and brush chicken with reserved marinade. Return chicken to oven and broil until chicken is cooked through, about 4 to 6 minutes more.
3. To serve, sprinkle chicken with scallions, remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro and any sauce accumulated in baking dish. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. This is  a new succulent take on grilled or broiled chicken. Citrus and spices are used in this Caribbean recipe. The combination of ginger, lime and garlic make this chicken heavenly delicious. You can use this marinade on chicken, pork, turkey, fish and vegetables. You can serve grilled vegetables or pineapple with this chicken for a filling and flavorful meal. 

Orange-Almond Ricotta Cheesecake

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds 
• 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/3 cup granular sugar substitute
• 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1 (32 oz.) container part-skim ricotta cheese
• 2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• orange twists, for garnish (optional)

Makes 12 Servings

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 275 F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast for 10-12 minutes, or until light golden. Let cool.
2. In a food processor, pulse the cooled almonds until finely ground. Add the graham cracker crumbs and  pulse to combine. Increase the oven temperature to 325 F. 
3. In a large metal bowl, with an electric mixer at high speed, beat the egg whites until frothy, about 1 minute. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes longer. 
4. In a separate large bowl, beat the egg yolks, sugar substitute, vanilla, and almond extracts for 1 minute. Add the ricotta, orange zest, and orange juice. Beat on high until smooth. Gently fold one-third of the whites into the yolk mixture, then add the rest of the whites and gently fold until well combined. Spread the crumb mixture over the bottom of the pan. Pour the batter into the pan and place the pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until cake is golden and mostly set. Cool completely. 
5. Run a knife around the edge and release the cake from pan. Chill, loosely covered, for 4 hours or overnight. Serve chilled, garnished with orange twists if you like. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super-Quick Cookbook. This is a new and  flavorful take on traditional cheesecake. This is a lighter version of cheesecake to enjoy on later phases and it's a wonderful dessert for get-togethers. The crust is made from ground graham crackers, ground almonds, cinnamon and nutmeg which give the crust a nice flavor. The vanilla and almond extracts and orange zests add a nice tough of zing to this cheesecake. If you want to add more flavor to this cheese cake, I highly recommend adding lemon juice and zest to the cheesecake for a more authentic Amalfi Coast flare. I also highly recommend adding a touch of berries of your choice for a more fruity flavor. 

Peanut Butter Pancakes

 Ingredients:

• ½ cup creamy, natural peanut butter (no sugar added)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup zucchini, diced
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. stevia
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• ½ cup almond flour

Makes 4 Servings (3 pancakes per serving)

1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. 
2. Preheat a large pan over medium heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Using a ¼ cup measuring cup, pour the batter into the pan to create pancakes.
4. Cook the pancakes until bubbles start to form on the batter, about 2-3 minutes. Carefully flip using a spatula and continue to cook for another minute.
5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 until all the batter is used.
6. Serve with desired toppings. 

WW POINTS VALUE: ?

Note: This recipe appears on palm.southbeachdiet.com/recipes/. If  you are a devoted fan of the South Beach Diet, you can enjoy these treats on all 3 phases of the diet. These low-carb pancakes are a great way to start your day or even for Sunday brunch or a weeknight dinner. Yes, you can enjoy breakfast for dinner once in a while. These pancakes are different because they use almond flour and diced zucchini in the recipe which makes them filling. These pancakes are filling and flavorful. You  can use any kind of nut butter such  as peanut, almond, cashew, etc. and your pancakes will be just as delicious. I highly recommend adding a touch of cinnamon or nutmeg while mixing these pancakes for more flavor. Feel free to pile on your favorite low-carb toppings such as peanut butter, berries, nuts or plain Greek yogurt. Just make sure to count anything you add towards your Healthy Fats, Proteins or net carbs for the day. 

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Crispy Chicken with Braised Cauliflower

 Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp. chopped tarragon
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs
• 4 cups cauliflower florets
• 1 cup diced onions
• 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
• 2 cups Swiss chard or kale, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Makes 4 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Let sit while your prepare the remaining ingredients
3. Combine egg, mustard, 1 tablespoon tarragon, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Set aside. 
4. Combine bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon tarragon, and 1 tablespoon olive oil; toss to coat bread crumbs with oil. Pour onto a flat pan. Set aside.
5. Heat a Dutch oven or a large deep saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and chicken. Brown the chicken on both sides. Remove from pan. Pour off any excess grease. Add cauliflower to pan; saute 5 minutes until golden brown. Add onions and garlic; cook until aromatic. Add greens and chicken broth; bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. 
6. Toss the chicken in the bowl with the egg mixture. Stir to coat each piece. Place 1 side of each piece of chicken in the bread crumbs to coat. Place chicken with crumb side up on top of the cauliflower in the Dutch oven.
7. Bake in oven for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the bread crumbs have browned. Remove from the oven; let rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Diet Cookbook. This is a healthy alternative to fried chicken or fast food fried chicken. This chicken is seasoned with an egg, Dijon mustard, dried bread crumbs and herbs and cooked with healthy vegetables. The cauliflower and kale give this dish a healthy  and satisfying filling with the chicken. The chicken is so succulent and juicy it will melt in your mouth. I highly recommend adding more herbs of your choice to the bread crumb mixture to make the chicken more flavorful. 

Pork Roast with Winter Vegetables

 Ingredients:

• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• grated zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (2 lb.) boneless center-cut pork loin roast, trimmed
• 1/2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 16 pieces
• 2 large parsnips, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 2 large carrots, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 4 large celery stalks, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Makes 8 Servings (2 slices pork & 1 cup vegetables per serving)

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Spray large roasting pan with olive oil nonstick spray.
2. Mix together garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, 3/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in cup. Rub all over pork. Place pork in roasting pan. Scatter squash, parsnips, carrots, and celery around pork; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of pork registers 160 F for medium and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. 
3. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes. Cut pork into 16 slices and serve with vegetables. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook.  Roasted pork and vegetables are delicious together they should be on your weekend comfort food menu. Roasted pork is succulent and juicy it will melt in your mouth. The roasted vegetables will melt in your mouth too they are that good. If you didn't like vegetables, you will love eating vegetables after eating this meal. 

Chicken & Bell Pepper Fajitas

 Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut on diagonal into thin strips
• 2 tsp. canola oil
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 4 (6-inch) fat-free flour tortillas, warmed
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Makes 4 Servings (1 fajita, 2 tablespoons salsa, & 1 tablespoon sour cream per serving)

1. To make marinade, combine lime juice, soy sauce, chili powder, cumin, and pepper flakes in a large zip-close plastic bag; add chicken. Squeeze out air and seal bag; turn to coat chicken. Refrigerate, turning bag occasionally, at least 2 hours or up to over night. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. 
2. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bell peppers and onion; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes, adding 1 or 2 tablespoons water if skillet becomes dry. Transfer to plate; keep warm. 
3. Increase heat to medium-high. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil in skillet. Add chicken and cook, stirring, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. 
4. Place tortillas on work surface; top each with one-fourth of chicken vegetables. Roll up tortillas to enclose filling. Serve with salsa and sour cream. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. Fajitas are a wonderful comfort food of the Latin culture. They are flavorful, they quickly fill you up and leave you satisfied. These fajitas are delicious they will quickly become a favorite in your home. You can use any kind of protein in this dish such as chicken, turkey, beef, pork and even fish in this recipe and your fajitas will be delicious. 

Italian Pepper & Egg Sandwiches

 Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 large eggs
• 3 large egg whites
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 4 reduced-calorie hamburger rolls, toasted if desired

Makes 4 Servings (1 sandwich per serving)

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds longer. Transfer vegetables to plate. 
2. Whisk together eggs, egg whites, salt and black pepper in a medium bowl. Pour into skillet and cook over medium heat until eggs begin to set, about 1 1/2 minutes, pushing eggs toward center of skillet to form large, soft curds. Return vegetables to skillet and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until eggs are just set, about 2 minutes longer. 
3. Place about 3/4 cup egg-vegetable mixture on bottom of each roll; cover with tops of rolls. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. These sandwiches are flavorful, filling and delicious. The combination of eggs, egg whites and vegetables is quite delicious when it's done right. If you don't have hamburger rolls on hand, use whole wheat bread or whole wheat tortillas and the sandwiches will be just as delicious. I also highly recommend adding shredded Italian cheese such as Parmesan or Asiago for more flavor. You can enjoy these sandwiches for breakfast, lunch, or dinner and you will be satisfied.