Baked Tomatoes with Crab

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup ground nuts such as pecans or walnuts
• 2 large tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup fresh lump crabmeat, well-drained
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil

Makes 4 Servings (1 tomato half with mixture per serving)

1.  Bake the oven to 350 F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Place the ground nuts on a plate. Coat both sides of the tomato halves with cooking spray. Dip the cut sides into the nuts to coat well. Place the tomatoes, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheet. 
3. In a large bowl, combine the crabmeat, cheese, olives, mushrooms, parsley, garlic, oregano, and basil. Evenly divide the crab mixture among the tomatoes. 
4. Bake for 15 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. This is a quick, easy and filling dish to make and enjoy to kick-start your lifestyle or get back on track. The combination of shellfish and tomatoes is deliciously divine when it's done right. The original recipe calls for Monterey Jack cheese, but I highly recommend using mozzarella cheese or any other kind of Italian cheese in this recipe for an authentic Mediterranean flare. This dish is very filling and tasty and will leave you satisfied.  

Arroz Con Pollo

Ingredients:

• 4 (5 oz.) skinless bone-in chicken thighs
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 assorted bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 1/2 tsp. saffron seeds, lightly crushed 
• 1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 12 pimiento-stuffed green olives

Makes 4 Servings

1. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8  teaspoon of the black pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon of the 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. 
2. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the same skillet. Add the bell peppers, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 7 minutes. Add the rice and saffron; cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, broth, and chicken; bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the liquid is absorbed and the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir in the peas, olives, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove the skillet from the heat and let stand, covered, for about 5 minutes. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 11 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook. Arroz con pollo is a traditional dish whose components vary from one region to another throughout Spain, the Caribbean, and Latin America. It is a popular one-pot comfort food that is made with flavorful ingredients such as chicken, onions, garlic and tomatoes are the base to which a variety of vegetables, such as bell peppers, peas and olives, are added. This dish makes a nice comfort food dish to enjoy on the weekend and will become a favorite. 

Burritos with Turkey and Pinto Beans

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 lb. ground turkey breast
• 1 (15 1/2 oz.) can pinto beans, rinsed & drained
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 4 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
• 8 tbsp. fat-free salsa
• 4 tbsp. shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced

Makes 4 Servings (1 burrito per serving)

1. To make the filling, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, about 6 minutes. Add beans, garlic, and chili powder; cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through, about 2 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, warm tortillas according to package directions.
3. Place tortillas on work surface; spoon one-fourthof filling along center. Top with 2 tablespoons salsa and 1 tablespoon cheddar; sprinkle with one-fourth of scallions. Fold sides of  tortilla over to enclose filling. Place, seam side down, on platter. Repeat with remaining tortillas, filling, salsa, cheese, and scallions. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 10 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. If you're having a craving for Mexican food, do not go to the local fast food joint or restaurant. You can make these tasty treats at home in 20 minutes or less. Turkey burritos taste just as good as beef burritos. Also, when you make your own salsa, you have your healthy serving of vegetables and you know what's in the salsa. If you don't have pinto beans on hand, use black beans and the burritos will be just as good. Don't forget to season your turkey with salt and ground pepper. Nobody wants to eat bland food. 

Spiced Sweet Potato-Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup hulled pumpkin seeds 
• 1 (14 1/2 oz.) can spicy diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 wedges (3/4 oz. each) light spreadable cheese
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings (1 1/4 cups per serving)

1. In a steamer, cook the sweet potatoes for 10-15 minutes, or until tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. 
2. Meanwhile, in a small ungreased skillet, toast the pumpkin seeds over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned and puffed up a bit, 3-5 minutes. Scrape onto a plate to top the cooking. 
3. Transfer the hot sweet potatoes to a food processor. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the broth, cheese, coriander, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth. 
4. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls an sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve warm. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook. Forget going out for fast food. Make this soup instead and you will be happy and satisfied. This vegetable soup is quick, easy, flavorful and delicious. Who knew the combination of sweet potatoes and tomatoes would make a flavorful combination. I recommend using cream cheese in this recipe to give a soup a creamier texture. I also highly recommend adding minced garlic to the soup mixture in the blender because garlic always makes everything taste better. 

Rosemary-Grilled Salmon

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary + 6 sprigs
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 6 (6 oz.) salmon steaks
• 6 (1/4-inch) slices lemon

Makes 6 Servings (1 salmon steak per serving)

1. Stir together lemon zest and juice, oil, chopped rosemary, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Arrange salmon in shallow baking dish; drizzle with lemon juice mixture. Refrigerate 15 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, spray grill rack with nonstick spray. Preheat grill to medium-high or prepare medium-high fire. 
3. With tongs, push 3 rosemary sprigs through grill rack onto lit burners. Place salmon and slices of lemon on grill rack and grill until fish is just opaque throughout and lemon is lightly charred along edges, about 5 minutes per side. Discard marinade. Transfer salmon to platter; top with grilled lemon slices and remaining 3 rosemary sprigs. 

WW  POINTS VALUE: 8 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. If you enjoy grilling, this dish is for you. This dish will light up the grill and fill you up. Salmon is filled with good fats and it's good for your heart and waistline. Firm-fleshed fish is great for grilling. Salmon, halibut, catfish, arctic char, and trout are good choices for grilling fish because they are nice and thick and are juicy and delicious as a result. This dish has a nice taste to it. I do highly recommend adding garlic to the lemon juice mixture because garlic always makes everything taste better. Don't forget to serve a side of grilled vegetables of your choice alongside the salmon to make the meal complete. 

Old-Fashioned Ginger Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp. granulated sugar

Makes 36 Cookies (1 cookie per serving)

1. Place the oven rack in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. Whisk together pastry flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground ginger in a medium bowl. Whisk together the oil, molasses, egg, and fresh ginger in a large bowl until smooth; whisk in 1 cup of the sugar. Add the flour mixture and stir until blended. Let the dough rest about 10 minutes.  
3. Spread the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar on a small plate. Roll scant tablespoonfuls of the dough into 1-inch ball, making a total of 36 balls. Dip the tops of the balls in the sugar and place, sugar side up, on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are cracked, soft in the center, and firm along the edges, 10-12 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets on racks about 2 minutes. With a spatula, transfer the cookies to racks and let cool completely. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. If you love gingerbread cookies, these treats are for you. These cookies are tasty and addictive. I had to make adjustments to this recipe to make the dough more doughy. I cut the sugar from 1 cup to 1/2 a cup, added 1 egg to make it 2 eggs and I added 1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg to make the cookies more flavorful. If you don't have canola oil on hand, use olive oil instead and the cookies will be just as tasty. 

Baked Portebello Caps with Melted Goat Cheese

Ingredients;

• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 4 large portebello mushroom caps
• 4 oz. reduced-fat goat cheese
• 2 tbsp. pine nuts, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
• basil sprig, for garnish

Makes 4 Servings (1 stuffed cap per serving)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Spread the sauce in the bottom of a 9" x 9" baking dish. Arrange the mushroom caps, grill side up, on top. Place the goat cheese on each mushroom. Sprinkle evenly with the pine nuts. Bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Top with the chopped basil. Garnish with the basil sprig.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. This is a simple dish to either kick-start your healthy lifestyle or if your fell off the wagon and want to get back on track. You can enjoy cheese, tomato sauce and mushrooms when they are cooked the right way. These mushroom caps are like mini pizzas without the guilt. I highly recommend using homemade tomato sauce in this recipe because you know what is in the sauce and homemade sauce is more flavorful.