Roast Pork Puertorriqueno

Ingredients:

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  grated zest of 1 orange
  
  
  
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  1/4 cup orange juice
  
  
  
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  4 tsp olive oil
  
  
  
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  1 jalapeno pepper, sliced (wear gloves to prevent irritation)
  
  
  
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  2 garlic cloves, sliced
  
  
  
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  1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  
  
  
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  1/2 tsp salt
  
  
  
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  1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
  
  
  
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  1 (1lb) pork tenderloin
  
  
  

Makes 4 servings

1. 
   
   To prepare the marinade, in a gallon-size ziplclose plastic bag, combine the orange zest, orange juice, oil, jalapeno pepper, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper; add the pork. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air; turn to coat the pork. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, at least 2 hours or overnight.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Preheat the oven to 450 F; line a roasting pan with foil and coat with nonstick spray.
   
   
   
3. 
   
   Place the tenderloin in the pan; drizzle with the remaining marinade. Roast 5 minutes; reduce the oven temperature to 350 F and roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 F, 15-18 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into 12 slices.
   

WW Points Value: 4 per serving (3 Slices)

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. I have been cooking for 10 months now and of all the healthy recipes I have cooked, this was my least favorite. There was very little flavor when I my dinner. It did smell delicious when I was ccoking it though. Of the many recipes I've cooked, this was the only one that was not good. Not Bad.

Souffle Stuffed Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 package (12 oz.) Stouffer's frozen Spinach Souffle, not thawed
• 4 boneless, skinless chiken breasts, pounded into 1/4" thickness
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced or 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• salt (optional)
• ground pepper
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  1 tbsp shopped parsley, for garnish
  
  
  
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  Lemon Slices for garnish
  
  
  
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  Sprig parsely, for garnish
  
  
  

Serves 4

1. 
   
   Preheat hte oven to 400 F. Using a serrated knife, cut the spinach souffle crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Top half of each whole breast with one of the pieces of souffle. Flod half of the chickenover the filling and fasten the edges with wooden picks.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes, or until golden. Discard the garlic. Add the chicken breasts to the skillet and cook for 7 minutes per side, or until well-browned on both sides.
   
   
   
3. 
   
   Remove the chicken breasts to an oven-proof dish. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 170 F and the juices run clear.
   
   
   
4. 
   
   While the chicken is baking, add broth, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper to the skillet. Heat to boiling. Reduce the heat to low,cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced to 1/2.
   
   
   
5. 
   
   To serve, remove and discard the wooden toothpicks. Arrange the chicken on a warm serving platter, and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with the chopped parsley, lemon and parsley sprig.
   

WW Points Value: 7

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. My dish DID NOT appear like the picture in the cookbook but it was a nice dinner. I used frozen spinach instead of the Stouffer's frozen spinach souffle and it worked just as well. I also reduced the number of chicken breasts in half and I cut the chicken breasts in half because I don't eat as much chicken as Iused to.

Greek-Style Cod Filets-who knew fish tasted so good?

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion(s), chopped
2 tsp garlic powder
2 (14 1/2 oz) canned diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 (5 oz) cod fillets raw
1/4 tsp table salt
3 tbsp Feta cheese, crumbled

Serves 4

1. Heat the Oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the the tomatoes with their juice, oregano, and pepper; cook, stirring, until heated throught, about 3 minutes.

2. Sprinkle the cod with the salt. Place in the skillet and spoon some of the tomato mixture on top. Cook, uncoverd, until the fish is just opaque in the center, 6-8 minutes. Spinkle with the Feta Cheese and serve.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Mintues Cookbook. This is one of my favorite recipes and my mom loves this dish too. Mediterranian food tastes so good you forget htat it's good for you. If you have any leftover fish, you can eat it fo lunch and it tastes just as good as you cooked it.

Spicy South Beach Diet Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 8 oz whole-wheat or spelt elbow pasta
• 1 tbsp trans-fat-free margarine
• 1 tbsp whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1 1/4 cups fat-free half-and-half
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, or 2 tbsp dried
• 1/4 tsp salt (optional)
• 2 large plum tomatoes, chopped, or 1 (14.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes
• freshly ground pepper

Makes 4 (1 1/4-cup servings)

1. Heat the oven to 400 F. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water for about 30 seconds.
2. While pasta is cooking, in a large nonstick skillet melt margarine over medium heat. Add flour and cayenne, reduce the heat to low, and whisk constantly until flour is incorporated, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the half-and-half to the skillet, bring to a simmer over low heat, and cook, whisking, until blended and thickened, 3-5 minutes. Add cheese, basil and salt; stir until blended. Add pasta and stir until coated and warmed, about 1 minute; remove from heat.
4. Lightly coat an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer macaroni and cheese to the baking dish. Sprinkle tomatoes on top and mix them in with the macaroni and cheese. Season with pepper. Bake until hot and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Place under the broiler and broil until the top is lightly browned, 3-4 minutes. Serve hot.

WW Points Value: 7

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. I was in the mood for a pasta dish tonight and I was dying to try this recipe. Pasta is such a nice comfort food once in a while and this was a nice pasta dish with a very cosmopolitan flavor. You'll forget you're eating macaroni and cheese. Besides, it's healthier than eating the one from Kraft or Velveeta, TRUST ME!

Peppered Roast Tenderloin

Ingredients:

• 1 (2 1/2lb) beef tenderloin or filet mignon
• 2 garlic cloves, slivered lengthwise (or 2 tsp powdered garlic)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. cracked black peppercorns
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary, or 1/2 tsp dried
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh sage, or 1/2 tsp dried
• 1/2 tsp salt (optional)

Makes 10 servings

1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. With a small sharp knife, make several small incisions in the tenderloin; insert a sliver of garlic in each incision. Rub the tenderloin with the oil. In a small bowl, combine the peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, sage and salt; pat the mixture on all sides of the tenderloin.
2. Place the tenderloin in a shallow roasting pan. Roast 10 minutes; reduce the oven temperature to 350 F. Roast about 15 minutes longer for rare, about 20 minutes for medium. Transfer the roast to a cutting board; let stand 15 minutes before slicing (the roast should yield about 20 slices). 2 slices per serving.

WW Points Value: 5 (2 Slices per serving)

Note: This recipe appears in the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook. I was in the mood for some good beef and I've always wanted to try this recipe and it was so delicious. I highly recommend drinking a lot of water with this dinner the spices are hot. It was also the first time I cooked a nice piece of tenderloin.

Breakfast for dinner again? Of Course! Fruit-Filled Crepes with Brown Sugar Sour Cream

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup light sour cream (or cottage or ricotta cheese)
• 2 tbsp packed dark brown sugar
• 12 starwberries hulled and halved
• 6-8 oz. mixed berries (blackberries, blueberries, rasberries)
• 2 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 4 (9-inch) ready-to-use crepes
• a pinch of cinnamon

Serves 4

1. Combine the sour cream and 1 tbsp of the brown sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Combine the strawberries, mixed berries, orange juice, lemon juice and the remaining 1 tbsp brown sugar in a medium nonstick skilletand set over high heat. Cook until berries are slightly softened, about 2 minutes.
3. Place 1 crepe on each of the four plates. Spoon 1/2 cup of the fruit mixture down the center of each crepe. Fold one edge of the crepe over the filling, then fold into the two opposite sides. Roll the crepe up jelly-roll style to enclose the filling. Top evenly with the remaining fruit mixture and 1 tbsp of the sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with a touch of cinnamon and enjoy!

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. I've been dying to cook crepes for a long time and it was quite a fun challenge! I made my crepes before I made this crepe recipe. I used the Stonewall Kitchen Traditional Crepe Mix and a crepe maker to make my crepes. The sour cream looked questionable so I used cottage cheese instead. The brown sugar and cottage cheese topped with cinnamon was so delicious. I highly recommend making the crepes ahead of time and storing them when you have nothing to do because it can be time consuming. More Crepe recipes coming soon, I promise!

Fast Fresh Fish-Mediterranian-Style Swordfish

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 4 (6-oz.) Swordfish steaks, about 3/4 inch thick
• 2 tbsp chopped pitted kalamata olives (optional)

Serves 4

1. Combine the parsley, lemon juice , mustard, oil, basil, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp of the pepper in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Spinkle the swordfish with the remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper. Spray a nonstick ridged grill pan with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Place the swordfish on the grill pan and cook until browned, about 4 minutes in each side. Brush with half the parsley mixture; turn and grill about 1 minute. Brush with the remaining parsley mixture; turn and grill until the fish is just opaque throughout, about 1 minute longer. Serve sprinkled with the olives.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. It's one of my favorites but I usually use cod because cod is my mom's favorite fish. I really like swordfish because it's so meaty but it has a strong fishy scent to it. You can use any fish with this recipe.