Sole a la Menuiere

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chickpea flour
• 4 (6 oz.) sole fillets
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp. capers, drained & rinsed
• 2 tsp. cold trans-fat-free margarine
• 1/4 cup whole parsley

Makes 4 Servings

1. Place the chickpea flour in a pie plate or shallow bowl. Sprinkle the fillets with the salt. Dredge the fillets in the flour, shaking off excess.
2. In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add 2 fillets to the skillet and cook until crisp, browned, and cooked through, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a platter and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and remaining fish.
3. To the same skillet, add the lemon juice, capers, and 2 tablespoons water. Cook for 30 seconds, scraping up any browned bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and swirl in the margarine.
4. Transfer a fillet to each of 4 plates, sprinkle with the parsley leaves, and spoon 1 tablespoon sauce over each.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook. Who says fast food can't be elegant and good for you? Meunire means 'miller's wife' in French and it refers to a rustic style of cooking when fish fillets are drench in flour and then browned in butter. Chickpea flour is use in this recipe but you can use whole wheat flour in this recipe and the fish will still be tasty. This was my first time cooking sole and it was a success. It was a little messy but it tasted delicious. This dish tastes just as good as what you would order at a restaurant. You could easily make this any night of the week for family and friends and everyone would be happy.

Farmer's Market Tomato, Eggplant, & Zucchini Casserole

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small eggplant (about 3/4 lb.), unpeeled and cut into 1-inch chucks
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
• 3/4 lb. small tomatoes, preferably heirloom, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 large zucchini (about 3/4 lb.) cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/4 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese

Makes 4 Servings (1 cup per serving)

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray a shallow 8-cup casserole dish or 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with olive oil nonstick spray.
2. Heat oil in a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggplant, onion, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon or salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper; cook, stirring, until eggplant is very tender and browned in spots, about 10 minutes, reducing heat if eggplant browns too quickly. Transfer to prepared casserole dish.
3. Mix together parsley, basil, oregano, and remaining 1/2 teaspoons salt  and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in small bowl; sprinkle evenly over eggplant. Arrange tomato and zucchini slices on top of eggplant in alternating rows, overlapping slices.
4. Bake until vegetables are tender and browned along the edge. 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle evenly with cheese and bake until softened, about 2 minutes longer. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. This is a colorful vegetarian dish to enjoy any night of the week now that the weather is getting warmer and the Farmers' Market is in bloom. Vegetarians and carnivores will enjoy this dish because it's both colorful and flavorful. This dish also reminds me of Italy and France because of their use of fresh herbs and produce. This dish is also gluten-free too.

Hunter-Style Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 (2 1/2-3 lb.) chicken, cut into 8 pieces and skinned
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3  tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 assorted color bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 lb. white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 (1-pint) container refrigerated fresh marinara sauce

Makes 8 Servings (1 piece chicken with scant 1/2 cup vegetables & sauce)

1. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
2. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the same skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the bell peppers, mushrooms, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5-6 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet; add the pasta sauce and stir to coat. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook. Hunter-Style refers to a dish that is cooked with onions, garlic, bell peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes. Hunter-style chicken is known as Cacciatore in Italian restaurants. Chicken cacciatore is a company favorite. You can even cook this dish with pork, turkey or veal and it will be delicious. If you're going to serve this dish to company, I highly  recommend serving this dish over 1 cup of cooked whole wheat pasta for filling and presentation. 

Grilled Pork Chops with Orange-Tamarind Glaze

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 4 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1/2 tsp. ginger, grated & freshly peeled
• 1 tsp. unsalted butter
• 1 tsp. curry powder
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 4 (5 oz.) lean thin-sliced bone-in center-cut pork loin chops, trimmed

Makes 4 Servings (1 pork chop + 2 teaspoons glaze per serving)

1. To make the glaze, stir together broth, orange juice, tamarind paste, honey, and ginger in a medium skillet until combined well; bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is slightly thickened, about 8 minutes (you should have 1/4 cup). Remove skillet from heat; swirl in butter until melted. Transfer 1 tablespoon glaze to cup for basting. Set aside remaining 3 tablespoons glaze.
2. Meanwhile, to make rub, stir together curry powder, salt, and pepper in another cup. Rub spice mixture on both sides of pork; lightly spray with olive oil nonstick spray.
3. Heat grill pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add pork to pan and grill 3 minutes per side. Brush pork with 1/2 tablespoon of glaze reserved for basting; turn pork over and grill 1 minute. Brush pork with remaining 1/2 tablespoon glaze; turn pork and grill until cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Serve pork  drizzled with reserved 3 tablespoons glaze.

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. Pork is the other juicy white meat. This pork dish is tasty, succulent and juicy. If you're an adventurous eater, this dish is for you. Don't be intimidated by the ingredients in this meal. The ingredients blend well together for a spicy and succulent dish. This glaze also goes well with chicken or fish. You can also serve this glaze with grilled vegetables too.

Buffalo-Style Stuffed Celery

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup light cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp. blue cheese crumbled
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 5 celery stalks, cut into 4 pieces each
• 2 1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce, or to taste
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

Makes 10 Servings (2 pieces stuffed celery per serving)

1. Stir together cream cheese, blue cheese, garlic, and salt in a small bowl until smooth. Spoon or pipe out about 1/2 tablespoon cheese mixture into each piece of celery.
2. Arrange stuffed celery on serving plate; drizzle each with about 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce and sprinkle with chives.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. These treats make a lively appetizer at a gathering or a delicious snack during the day. You can also serve the cream cheese filling with sliced carrots alongside the celery. Heck, you can even serve the cream cheese as a dip with other vegetables such as broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, baked pita chips or even alongside chicken bites.

Drumsticks Roasted with Garlic

Ingredients:

• 4 celery sticks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large Golden delicious apple, cored & chopped
• 2 tsp. finely chopped fish tarragon
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 8 (5 oz.) chicken drumsticks, skinned
• 1 large head garlic, broken into cloves and peeled

Makes 4 Servings (2 drumsticks with 1 cup vegetables and sauce per serving)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a  9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.
2. Combine the onion, celery, apple, tarragon, and thyme in a large bowl; turn into the baking pan and spread out, making a bed for the drumsticks. Tuck the bay leaves into the vegetables, then sprinkle the salt and pepper over the mixture. Lay the drumsticks on top, then tuck in the garlic cloves, pushing them down among the vegetables.
3. Cover the baking pan and bake until the vegetables are soft and an instant-read thermometer inserted in a drumstick registers 165 F, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
4. Discard the bay leaves. Place 2 drumsticks in each of 4 bowls, then spoon the vegetables and roasted garlic around them, like a stew.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook. Here is another take on comfort food. It's basically chicken and vegetables with roasted garlic. It's different but it has a nice aftertaste to it. Baking the garlic cloves with the chicken and vegetables mellows the garlic's flavor. When the cooking is done, squeeze out the pulp and eat it with the chicken or spread it on toasted slices of French bread for an additional 2 points.

Slow-Cooker Pulled Beef

Ingredients:

• 1 (14.5 oz.) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained, juices reserved
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 1 large red onion
• 1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 apple, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 tsp. coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly  ground black pepper
• 1 bottom round rump roast (3 1/2 lbs.)
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. chipotle chile powder

Makes 12 Servings (3/4 cup per serving)

1. In a 6-quart slow cooker, combine the diced tomatoes (without the juice), wine, onion, bell pepper, apple, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the black pepper. Set to high and cook while you brown the meat.
2. Pat the meat dry. Untie the meat if it was tied as a roast and cut off any external fat. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt over bottom of the pan. Add the meat and lightly brown on all sides, including the ends, 5-7 minutes total.
3. Nestle the meat into the tomato mixture in the slow cooker. Add the reserved juice from the tomatoes to the skillet and stir to get up any browned bits. Pour the liquid over the meat. Sprinkle the meat with chipotle powder. Turn the heat to low and cook for 4 hours. Turn the roast over and cook on low until the beef is tender and you can pull it apart with a fork, 3-4 hours longer (check at 3 hours and if it needs more time, turn the roast over again and cook for another hour).
4. Remove the beef from the cooker and put onto a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, use two forks to pull the beef into shreds.
5. With an immersion blender, puree the sauce in the slow cooker (taste and add more chipotle powder, if desired), then return the beef to the sauce. Serve on its own or spoon over 1/2 cup cooked quinoa, if you like.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. without quinoa, 8 pts. with quinoa

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Gluten Solution Cookbook. If you love beef stew, this dish is for you. Beef stew is a wonderful comfort food to enjoy when it's done right. The people at South Beach have done it again with beef and comfort food. You can use any color bell pepper in this dish and it will taste just as good. If you don't want to add an apple in this stew, add diced carrots or parsnips and it will still hearty and delicious. This stew also makes nice leftovers too.