Creamy Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, minced
• 1 cup broccoli stems
• 3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. thyme, chopped
• 1/2 cup canned white beans, drained
• 1 tbsp. sour cream

Makes 4 (1 cup) Servings

1. Fill a mixing bowl halfway with ice and enough water to cover it. Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the broccoli florets until they are tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the florets from the pot to the ice bath. Remove when they are cold, in about 1 minute. Set aside. 
2. Heat a pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, onion, celery. Cook for 4 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook until aromatic Add broccoli stems and cook for 10 minutes over low heat until soft. 
3. Add chicken stock, bay leaf, thyme, and beans. Bring to a simmer. 
4. Add broccoli florets. Simmer for 5 minutes or until warm. 
5. Remove bay leaf. Pour soup into a blender and blend until completely smooth. Adjust seasoning and stir in sour cream. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. Homemade soup is delicious. This soup is flavorful and tasty. The cannellini beans and a touch of sour cream give this soup a creamy texture to it. If you don't have celery on hand, use chopped carrots and the soup will taste just as good. There are four servings of vegetables in this soup, you will forget it's good for you.  

Grilled Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice 
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 4 (5 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Makes 4 Servings (1 chicken breast per serving)

1. With the side of a large knife, mash garlic with salt until it forms a paste. 
2. To make the marinade, combine the lemon zest and juice, oil, garlic paste, oregano, and pepper 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 30 minutes or up to overnight. 
3. Spray grill rack with nonstick spray. Preheat grill to medium or prepare medium fire using direct method. 
4. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Place chicken on grill rack and grill until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Serve sprinkled with parsley. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. Grilled chicken is succulent, juicy and delicious when it's done right. The combination of lemon, garlic and herbs is quite tasty and delicious. This chicken dish will melt in your mouth it's that good. 

Green and Yellow Beans with Fresh Mozzarella and Pine Nuts

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. pine nuts
• 8 oz. green beans, trimmed
• 8 oz. yellow wax beans, trimmed
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 4 oz. fresh part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced

Makes 4 Servings 

1. Heat the oven to 275 F. Spread pine nuts on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant and lightly golden, 5-7 minutes. Set aside. 
2. While pine nuts are toasting, bring a large saucepan to a boil. Add beans and cook just until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander and run under very cold water 1 minute to stop cooking. Drain again and pat dry. Transfer beans to a medium bowl and toss with oil, salt and pepper. 
3. Slice cheese into 4 thin slices and cut each slice in half so that you have 8 half-circles. Divide cheese slices and beans among 4 salad plates, alternating the green and yellow beans with the cheese slices. Sprinkle with basil and pine nuts and serve. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. This salad makes a nice and refreshing light meal or side dish to serve with your protein of choice. This salad is like a caprese salad  but instead of tomatoes, beans are used. The pine nuts add protein and a crunchiness to the salad. The mozzarella cheese give the salad a nice, creamy texture to it as well. 

Sweet Onion, Bacon, and Cheese Tarts

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 slices Canadian bacon, finely chopped
• 1 egg, mixed well
• 2 tbsp. fat-free half-and-half
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• pinch cayenne 
• 24 frozen mini phyllo tart shells
• 1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat Swiss cheese

Makes 24 tarts (1 tart per serving)

1. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring, until onion is golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
2. Add bacon to skillet and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add to onion and mix well. 
3. Preheat oven to 350 F. 
4. Meanwhile, whisk together egg, half-and-half, mustard and cayenne in a small bowl. Arrange tart shells on baking sheet. Spoon onion-bacon mixture evenly into shells. Top each with about 3/4 teaspoon egg mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Swiss cheese; bake until filling is set, about 15 minutes. Serve warm. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. These tarts are both filling and delicious. These tarts may be little but they pack a lot of flavor. These tarts can be served as appetizers at a fancy party or can be enjoyed as a light snack at home. 

Roasted Pecan Salmon with Lentil-Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup dried small green lentils
• 4 (6 oz.) salmon fillets, with skin
• salt 
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup chopped pecan halves
• 1/2 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp. red wine vinegar

Makes 4 Servings

1. Heat the oven to 425 F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. 
2. In a medium saucepan, bring the lentils and 2 cups of water to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the lentils are just tender but not mushy, 15-20 minutes. 
3. While the lentils are cooking, place the salmon on the baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Spread each fillet with 1 teaspoon of the mustard, then top each with 2 tablespoons chopped pecans. Roast the salmon for 10-12 minutes, until the fish just flakes when tested with a fork.
4. Meanwhile, make the salad: In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, shallot, dill, lemon juice, oil, and vinegar. Add the lentils and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well. 
5. Divide the salad among 4 plates and top with the salmon. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 14 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook. The salmon dish is both filling and delicious. The pecans give the salmon a nice crunchy texture to it. You can also grill the salmon and it will be just as flaky and delicious as it would be cooked. 

Summer Salad With Fresh Herb Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. green beans, halved
• 1/4 lb. sugar snap peas, strings removed
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil, thyme, marjoram, chervil or a combination
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp. minced red onion
• 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• salt 
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups lightly packed baby lettuce leaves
• 1 small cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced

Makes 4 Servings 

1. Bring a medium saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans, return to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer the beans to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Transfer to a plate. 
2. Add the snap peas to the boiling water  and cook for 30 seconds Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Halve the snap peas lengthwise. Pat the beans and snap peas dry. 
3. In a cup, whisk together the basil (and/or other herbs), parsley, onion, vinegar, mustard, and garlic. Drizzle in the olive oil and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
4. In a large serving bowl combine the beans, snap peas, lettuce, cucumber, and bell pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. 

WW  POINTS VALUE: 3 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook. This salad is flavorful and delicious. It goes great with any lean protein dish and will quickly fill you up. You can use other vegetables such as zucchini, yellow squash and tomatoes in this side dish and it will stil lbe both colorful and delicious. 

Sweet-and-Spicy Chicken

Ingredients:

• 2 scallions, chopped
• 3 tbsp. mirin
• 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp. granular sugar or honey
• 2 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tsp. Asian (dark) sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 4 (1/4-lb.) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

Makes 4 Servings (1 chicken thigh per serving)

1. Combine the scallions, mirin, rice vinegar, honey, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of the oil, and the pepper flakes in a zip-close plastic bag; add the chicken. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag; turn to coat the chicken. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, for at lest 2 hours or up to overnight. 
2. Lift the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the marinade. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes on each side. Add the broth; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through and the liquid is syrupy, about 10 minutes. Turn the chicken to coat with the liquid. Cut the chicken into slices to serve. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook. Sweet and spicy chicken is quite delicious. Marinating the chicken takes a long process but the end result is delicious. The chicken is succulent and juicy. I highly recommend substituting honey in place of the sugar for a sweeter taste and a little lime juice and minced garlic to kick the flavor up a notch. I also highly recommend serving this chicken on a salad made of savoy cabbage, sliced carrots, thinly sliced radishes and a matchstick-cut Gala apple for a very filling dish.