Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup regular butter, cold
• 1/2 cup buttermilk, cold
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour, for rolling out dough

Makes 12 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 450 F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well.
3. Cut cold butter into about 8 pieces. Work butter into flour mixture with a pastry cutter, knife or fork until butter forms pieces in the size of small peas. (Do not blend butter in completely; dough should look lumpy.)
4. Mix a well in the center of dough and pour in buttermilk. work buttermilk into dough just enough to moisten all of flour; start with a pastry cutter and finish by kneading dough against side of bowl about 4-6 times until all flour has been worked in and dough comes together. Do not overwork; small pieces of butter should still be visible.
5. Work on a lightly floured surface, roll out dough into a 6X8-inch rectangle, about 1/2-inch thick. Cut dough into 12 equal pieces with a sharp knife. Place biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake until tops start to turn golden, about 10-12 minutes. Yields 1 biscuits per serving.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 PTS

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. Who does not love buttermilk biscuits? These Southern favorites will give restaurant chains a run for their money they are that tasty and delicious. Most buttermilk biscuits are drenched in butter and filled with so much fat and cholesterol. These Southern favorites are rich in flavor and flaky in texture and can be served as a side dish to a fried chicken dinner or backyard picnic.

 

 

 

French Onion Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Spanish onions, slivered
• 1 small leek, cleaned and sliced
• 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup water
• 2 sliced semolina bread, toasted
• 4 tsp grated Parmesean Cheese
• 1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss Cheese

Makes 2 Servings

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil. Saute the onions and leek until the onions are golden, about 15 minutes. Add the stock, pepper and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes.
2. Preheat the broiler. Set 2 flameproof bowls on a baking sheet. Ladle the soup into the bowls; top with the bread. Sprinkle with the Parmesean, then with the Swiss cheese. Broil until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. Soup is the best comfort food when the weather is cold. French onion soup is so deliciously comforting and a classic French bistro dish. Even though the recipe calls for 2 Spanich onions, you only need 1 Spanish onion because you'll be pretty full with the bread, cheese, onion and leek.

Ocean Breezes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pink or red grapefruit, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cranberry juice
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 tbsp granular sugar substitute
• 2 cups chilled sugar-free cranberry seltzer water
• 4 lime wedges

Makes 4 (1-Cup) Servings

In a blender, combine grapefruit, cranberry juice, lime juice and sugar substitute; puree until smooth. Slowly add seltzer and stir gently with a wooden spoon to blend. Pour Ocean Breezes into 4 large martini glasses, garnish with lime wedges and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet taste of Summer Cookbook. I have passed this recipe over and over and I finally decided to try it. The weather was warm and I needed a cool refreshing drink. This beverage is a bubbly fruit punch with  tasty flavors and it makes you feel like you're on a tropical island regardless of where you are. I highly recommend you have this drink as an after-dinner drink or serve it with a tropical dish for that authentic beach flair.



Shrimp Scampi-South Beach Style

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. fresh or thawed  frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3 tbsp trans-fat-free margarine
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juce
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings

1. Rinse shrimp  under cold water and pat dry well with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat margarine and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat until melted and bubbling, 1-2 minutes. Add shrimp and stir to coat with margarine.
3. Add lemon juice, parsley and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are pink, about 2 minutes; do not overcook or the shrimp will be tough. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and serve hot.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook.  I have now come to really enjoy shrimp and I wanted to try to cook a classic for dinner. My first time cooking shrimp was a success. The shrimp was cooked beautifully and was nice and tender with all the buttery, garlic and lemon flavors. If you can't go out to a restaurant and order this dish, let this classic dish come to your table in under 30 minutes. You can serve this dish alongside Caesar Salad or over whole wheat pasta.

Chicken Yakitori

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 1-inch pieces
• 10 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tbsp mirin or rice wine
• 2 tsp dark sesame oil
• 2 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Special Equipment:

• 8 (8-inch) skewers (if wooden, soak inwater for 30 minutes)

Makes 4 Servings

1. Heat oven to broil
2. Thread chicen, scallions and pepper onto skewers; place in a large shallow dish. Whisk together soy sauce, mirin, oil, ginger and garlic. Cover skewers with 1/2 cup of the mixture and marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes; set aside remaining soy sauce mixture for dressed cooked skewers.
3. Lightly coat a broiler pan with cooking spray. Place skewers on the pan, reserving marinade. Broil, turning skewers and basting occasionally wth reserved marinade, unti lchicken is no longer pink, about 10 minutes.
4. Serve hot with reserved soy sauce mixture.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. If you ever saw the photo in the cookbook, you would want to  cook and eat these skewers. The weather was beautiful and I wanted to cook and delicious chicken dish. Plus, I saw Bobby Flay make Tuna Yakitori on his show, 'Bobby's BBQ Addiction' and he made it look so easy to make. The flavors of ginger, sesame, and garlic leaves a heavenly scent and taste in your mouth. Yakitori is a common Japanese type of skwered chicken and can also refer to skewered food in general. You can find mirin or rice wine in the Asian section of the grocery store or health food store or you can substitute 1/3 cup dry white wine + 2 tsp granulated sugar. This dish alone was heavenly delicious without rice, veggies or any other side dish. The chicken, red peppers and scallions will quickly fill you up. I highly recommend serving this dish at a BBQ or during your favorite ballgame, whether it be football, basketball, baseball or hockey and this dish will be a hit. Iron Chefs Morimoto and Bobby Flay and Super Chef Ming Tsai will be very proud of you for making it as well.



Cocoa Brownies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 2 tbsp vanilla extract

Makes 16 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Whisk the coca powder, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. The use a wooden spoon to stir in the yogurt and vanilla until smooth but quite thick.
3. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray. Spread the thick batter into the pan, evenly to the corners.
4. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before cutting into 16 squares, 2X2-inches each.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts (1 square per serving)

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. I was craving chocolate and I was desperately searching for a good recipe and I came across this one and I had to try this recipe. Boy was I glad I did. This brownie recipe was easy to make and delicious to eat. They are fudgy and rich and very easy to make, plus they give you your urgent chocolate fix when you need it. This recipe is also a favorite of Jennifer Hudson and I'd say she has pretty good taste!

Individual Lemon Souffles

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/3 cup water
• 4 large egg whites
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Makes 6 Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Coat 6 1-cup souffle dishes with cooking spray. Coat with 2 tbsp sugar, tapping out excess so dishes are evenly coated.
2. In a small saucepan, stir together remaining sugar and cornstarch. Gradually whisk in lemon juice and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until boiling, thick and translucent, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Let cool to room temperature.
3. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff. Fold into lemon base. Divide among souffle dishes and smooth tops.
4. Set in a roasting pan and add hot water to come halfway up the sides of dishes. Bake 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. This is a delicious dessert that is light and airy and will melt in your mouth. If you don't have any lemon juice on hand, any citrus fruit will do such as lime, orange, grapefruit, tangerine, etc. Souffles are just as enjoyable cold as they are out of the oven so whatever you don't eat put in the fridge for a snack for later.