'Bella Asada Fajitas

I've said it before, and I'll say it many thousands of times in the future - "I love Mexican food!" There's just something about cumin, and lime, and avocados. AVOCADOS!!! This recipe caught my attention immediately, and it gets two thumbs up, four stars, and A+! Shall I continue?!?!?

This gem is from hungry-girl.com

Bella Asada Fajitas

PER SERVING (1/2 of recipe, 3 fajitas): 275 calories, 8g fat, 312mg sodium, 47g carbs, 8.5g fiber, 7.5g sugars, 7g protein -- PointsPlus® value 7*

1 tsp. olive oil
2 large portabella mushroom caps, sliced
3/4 cup sliced bell peppers (red, yellow, and/or green)
3/4 cup sliced onion
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/8 tsp. chili powder, or more to taste
1/8 tsp. cumin
Dash black pepper
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup roughly mashed avocado
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 tbsp. lime juice
Six 6-inch corn tortillas

Directions:
Drizzle a large skillet with oil and bring to medium-high heat on the stove. Add sliced mushrooms, bell peppers, and onion, and sprinkle with garlic powder, 1/8 tsp. salt, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper. Stirring occasionally, cook for 6 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, lime juice, and remaining 1/8 tsp. salt. If you like, season to taste with chili powder. Mix well and set aside.

Place tortillas on a microwave-safe plate, and warm slightly in the microwave. Top each tortilla with about 1/2 cup fajita veggies and a spoonful of the tomato-avocado mixture. Fold and chew!

MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Thai Curry Coconut Shrimp, revisited

MMMMMMM shrimp! MMMMMMM Curry! Need I say more?

Tonight's dinner was one that I've enjoyed more than a few times since I first tried it back in April. It is a fantastic one from my new favorite website, www.skinnytaste.com.

Here's the link to my original post: http://kittygram.blogspot.com/2012/04/red-thai-coconut-curry-shrimp.html

and here's a pic!

Smokey Grilled Shrimp

MMMM! I wanted a quick fix lunch today, since it was already after 1:30 when I thought about lunch! (Sidenote: It's nice that I actually "forgot" to eat till then - I've never been one to "forget" to eat!) This recipe was a very quick fix. About 10 minutes start to finish. I only had 1/2 lb of shrimp, but otherwise, all ingredients are exactly as Bree @ skinnymommy.com listed. Oh, and because I don't get the grill going for just one food, I made this on the stovetop.

I calculated that each of the 3 servings has 2 original Weight Watchers Points.

I give this one 5 stars!!

Smokey Grilled Shrimp

3/4lb jumbo shrimp
1/4 cup organic ketchup (I didn't have organic, so I used the regular stuff)
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 TBs worchestershire sauce
1 tsp apple cidar vinegar
1 TBS agave
Salt
Pepper

Peel and devein the shrimp and season with s+p. Heat a grill or grill pan sprayed with organic non-stick to medium-high. Stir together the remaining ingredients and then start to grill the shrimp “painting” on the sauce on both sides. Grill about five minutes total, turning once.

Rosemary Honey Chicken with Cashews

Eleven weeks into my healthy lifestyle, and as of Monday, I'm down 15.8 lbs. Normally by this time I'm ready to give up, but my goal of 56.5 lbs. by my 50th birthday is exactly the motivation I need. I really want this to happen, and if I don't do it now, then it's not going to happen. And no one but me can make it happen. So, I've buckled down and I've been working hard at it. Most of the time!!! I occasionally "slip", but I don't focus on those times. I put the quotation marks on the word "slip", because I do allow myself a "cheat" every now and then. Last week was my daughter's birthday, and the grandkiddos and I made her a brownie pizza. And I had a piece and a half. And it was fantastic! But that was 6 days ago, and I've been on course since.

When I allow myself those "cheats", I really do treat myself. My mindset is that since those foods are treats, to be indulged in only every now and then, I'm going to make them the tastiest treats that I possibly can. I love ice cream, and I used to have it in my freezer all the time. I've had ice cream on two occasions since I began my journey back in March. I indulged both times. I got my absolute favorite flavor of my favorite brand. Haagen Dazs Dulce de Leche. MMMMM! And I savored each bite. And I ate two servings at each sitting (finished the container each time). But both times, it's satisfied my sweet tooth for weeks on end. So, I consider those indulgences an investment of sorts.

Okay, so on to what I've been cooking lately!!! This recipe is from www.skinnymommy.com, and it was very good. I think next time I won't use the flour, though, because I could taste it with almost every bite.

The entire recipe as I prepared it was 32 original Weight Watchers points, so each of the 4 servings was 8 points total.

Rosemary Honey Chicken with Cashews
adapted from www.skinnymommy.com

1 lb chicken breasst meat, cut into cubes
Flour
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 T Balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 tsp Rosemary, diced (I used dried, about 1/4 t., crushing it between my fingers as I let it fall into the bowl)
1/2 cup of cashews (I measured 1/2 cup of the halved and whole ones, then chopped them)
Dash of cayenne

Preheat the oven to 400. Sprinkle flour onto a plate and dip the chicken into it, shaking off the excess and sprinkle with Salt and Pepper. Place the chicken in a baking dish, making sure it is spaced out. Bake for 15 minutes.

While the chicken is baking, mix together the garlic, balsamic, honey and rosemary. Remove the chicken from the baking dish, stirring it into the honey/vinegar mixture, stirring to coat each piece. Return the chicken to the baking dish, return it to the oven and bake for 5 minutes more, stirring a few times to be sure every piece is glazed evenly. Add in the cashews and tossing, and bake 5 minutes more. If you really like the flavor of rosemary add a few more fresh sprigs and serve.

Linguine with Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Here's another tasty recipe from skinnytaste.com. "Fra Diavolo" is Italian for "brother devil", so you can tell the red pepper adds a kick. But of course it can be toned down by either decreasing the red pepper or omitting it altogether. It's a very quick meal.

Linguini and Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 6 • Size: 2 oz pasta, 1/6th of shrimp/sauce • Old Points: 7 pts • Points+: 9 pts*
Calories: 376.2 • Fat: 4.8 g • Protein: 29.5 g • Carb: 54.5 g • Fiber: 5.5 g • Sugar: 6.6 g
Sodium: 569.3 mg (without added salt)

Ingredients:


3 tsp extra virgin olive oil
6-7 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined*
salt and fresh pepper to taste
1/4 cup celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
35 oz crushed tomatoes (I LOVE Tuttorosso)
1 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (or to taste)
1 tbsp capers, drained
8 fresh basil leaves, rolled and sliced thin

12 oz whole wheat, high fiber or brown rice pasta

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

While the water is heating up, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook until golden, about one minute. Add the shrimp and cook 2-3 minutes to brown but not cook through; sprinkle with salt to taste.

Transfer the shrimp to a plate, leaving garlic in the pan.

Add pasta to water and cook according to package directions for al dente.

Pour the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and add the celery and onions; cook 2 minutes then add the crushed tomatoes, season with salt and crushed red pepper and bring to a simmer.

Lower the heat and let it simmer about 8-10 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook another minute or two; remove from heat. Add the capers and serve in a large bowl over pasta topped with fresh basil, fresh black pepper and parmesan cheese on the side.

Garlic and Red Pepper Pasta

I think summer is upon us! It's near 90 degrees today, then sun is out, and barely a cloud in the sky. Yay, summer!!! I've anxiously been awaiting its arrival for how many months now?!? It's good to have it back again!

This recipe was quick, easy, light, and tasty! Seriously, is there anything better than pasta, garlic, red pepper flakes, and Parm? MMMMM! Delish!

I used "real" butter, so I adjusted the points to 8 in my case. Worth. Every. Bite.

Garlic and Red Pepper Pasta
from eat-yourself-skinny.com

Servings: 6 Serving Size: 1 cup Calories: 301 Fat: 15 g Carbs: 6.8 g Fiber: 0.8 g Protein: 4.3 g Old Points: 7.1 pts Points+: 5 pts

1 box of spaghetti
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
3/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. light butter
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 pinches red pepper flakes
1 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Boil water and cook pasta per box instructions until al dente. Meanwhile, saute olive oil, butter, garlic and red bell pepper on medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and allow to simmer until ready to toss.

Drain pasta and immediately toss with Parmesan cheese. Add the sauteed garlic sauce, sprinkle some extra Parmesan cheese on top and garnish with some fresh parsley.

Spanish-Style Paprika Shrimp

It's been a while since I've posted, I think a week, and the last recipe I posted was a Mexican-inspired shrimp dish too!

This recipe is fantastic! It's adapted from www.mylifetime.com, Cook Yourself Thin.

Spanish-Style Paprika Shrimp

Serves 2 as a first course

Calories per serving: 195; WW original points 5 (add 1 pt for each 1/4 cup of rice, if serving)

1 T. olive oil
1/4 t. smoked paprika
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 t. salt
1 t. dried Italian seasonings
pinch of cayenne
1 1/2 T. lemon juice

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add paprika and garlic, and saute for 1 minute, stirring constantly so the garlic and paprika don't burn.

Raise heat to medium-high, add the shrimp, and saute for about 3 minutes, until the shrimp turn pink and are opaque.

Transfer shrimp to a warm serving dish, and toss with salt, Italian seasonings, cayenne, and lemon juice. Serve over rice if desired.

Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad

Have I told you how much I love Mexican and Mexican-inspired foods??? Cilantro and lime have GOT to be the best combination of flavors ever conceived!!!

Tonight's dinner was soooo quick and easy, and so incredibly delicious! It comes from my new favorite recipe source, www.skinnytaste.com. Gina's never steered me wrong yet!!!

Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 7/8 cup • Old Points: 4 pt • Points+: 5 pt
Calories: 210.4 • Fat: 9.2 g • Protein: 25.1 g • Carb: 7.8 g • Fiber: 3.6 g • Sugar: 0.6
Sodium without salt: 260.8 mg

1 lb jumbo cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped*
1 medium tomato, diced
1 hass avocado, diced
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced fine
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 limes, juice of
1 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
salt and fresh pepper to taste

In a small bowl combine red onion, lime juice, olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper. Let them marinate at least 5 minutes to mellow the flavor of the onion.

In a large bowl combine chopped shrimp, avocado, tomato, jalapeño. Combine all the ingredients together, add cilantro and gently toss. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 3 1/2 cups

*Weight after shrimp has been peeled.

Spinach Stuffed Shells

Who doesn't like stuffed pasta shells! It's been years since I've made them, and in my hunt for low fat, low calorie recipes, I found this recipe. I made the sauce and cooked the shells last night, so that when I got home from work today, all I had to do was mix the spinach/cheese mixture and stuff 'em and then throw them in the oven. They'll be done in about 5 minutes, and they SMELL FANTASTIC!!!

This is adapted from yet another new-to-me site, www.skinnymom.com. It makes 10 servings - TEN SERVINGS!!! I'll be doing some freezing tonight!

First, the sauce:

Skinny Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Serves 10

•1 pound lean ground sirloin
•1 onion, chopped
•1 green pepper, chopped
•1 tbsp minced onion
•2 6 ounce cans tomato paste
•1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
•1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
•1 tbsp Italian seasoning
•2 basil leaves
•2 tablespoons Splenda granulated sweetener
•1 teaspoon salt
•1 teaspoon garlic powder

1.In a large skillet, brown lean ground sirloin for 4-5 minutes.
2.Add chopped onion, green pepper, and garlic and continue cooking meat until no longer pink and the onions and peppers start to soften.
3.Next, add tomato paste, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes to meat and onions. Add in 1/4 cup water and stir sauce.
4.Add garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and Splenda to sauce and stir until well mixed.
5.Add in basil leaves and turn heat down to low. Cover and let simmer for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with pasta immediately or

freeze or refrigerate for later.

Nutrition Info Per Serving: Calories: 165.9, Fat: 4.9g, Carbohydrates:19g, Fiber: 3.5g, Sugars: 9g, Protein: 13.3g; WW Points 3



.... and now the shells:

Spinach Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce

Serves 10

•1 box Barilla Jumbo Shells Pasta
•1 10 oz bag frozen spinach
•16 ounces Fat Free Ricotta Cheese
•1 tsp salt
•1 tsp pepper
•1 tsp garlic powder
•1/2 cup Tbsp reduced-fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
•1 Tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, grated
•10 Servings Skinny Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

Directions:
1.Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2.Add pasta shells to boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes until almost al dente.
3.Drain pasta shells and spread pasta shells onto a sheet of wax paper to dry.
4.Place spinach in microwave and cook for 5-6 minutes
as directed on package.
5.Drain spinach and make sure to remove all of the moisture from spinach until it is dry.
6.In a medium sized bowl, mix spinach, fat-free ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
7.Using a 9×13 casserole dish, spoon a small amount of Skinny Spaghetti and Meat Sauce to cover the bottom of dish.
8.Next, fill pasta shells with spinach mixture by using a spoon to place mixture inside each pasta shell.
9.Place filled pasta shells face up into casserole dish.
10.Top filled pasta shells with Skinny Spaghetti Meat Sauce and sprinkle reduced-fat Mozzarella cheese on top.
11.Heat pasta shells in oven for 15-20 minutes and serve hot.

Nutrition Info (3 stuffed shells with meat sauce): Calories: 323.4, Fat: 7.2g, Carbohydrates: 48.1g, Protein: 22g, Fiber: 5.1g, Sugars: 11.3g; WW Points 7

Buffalo Chicken Fingers

Yowza!! These are hot! And oh so good.

This one is a recipe from a site I hadn't used before, one more amazing healthy cooking site that I've found in my hours of searching for all these yummy recipes!

adapted from www.skinnyweek.com:

Buffalo Chicken Fingers

Serves 4, 5 WW Points

1 spray Pam
1 1/4 lb. uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 16 strips
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp minced garlic
2 Tablespoons butter
4 tsp. hot sauce or to taste
1/2 cup fat-free blue cheese dressing
4 stalks celery cut into 4 sticks each

Coat a large nonstick skillet with Pam and heat over medium-high heat.
Place chicken on a plate and sprinkle with salt and paprika. Add chicken to skillet and cook, turning occasionally until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic; reduce heat to low, stir and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Remove skillet from heat; stir in margarine and hot sauce until margarine melts, coating chicken with sauce. Serve chicken with celery and blue cheese dressing on the side. Yields about 4 pieces of chicken, 4 celery sticks and 2 tablespoons of dressing.

And if you like the heat like I do , add an extra splash of this:

Baked Potato Soup

I was a little nervous about trying this recipe - I have an aversion (although unfounded) about cauliflower replacing other vegetables - but it was very good. Next time I'll salt the cauliflower as it steams, or I'll boil the potatoes in salted water instead of baking, because it was just a little lacking in saltiness, but otherwise very good!

Another one courtesy of www.skinnytaste.com.

Baked Potato Soup

Servings: 5 • Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 207.6 • Fat: 7.8 g • Carb: 22.5 g • Fiber: 2.4 g • Protein: 11.9 g


2 russet potatoes, washed and dried
1 small head of cauliflower, stem removed cut into florets
1 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth
1 1/2 cups 1% reduced-fat milk
salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup light sour cream
10 tbsp reduced-fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese
6 tbsp chopped chives, divided
3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (you can use turkey bacon if you prefer)

Pierce potatoes with a fork; microwave on high for 5 minutes turn over and microwave another 3 - 5 minutes, until tender. Or if you prefer to use your oven, bake at 400° for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Peel potatoes.

Meanwhile, steam cauliflower with water in a large covered pot until tender. Drain and return to pot. On medium heat, add chicken broth, milk, potatoes and bring to a boil. Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth. Add sour cream, half the chives, salt and pepper and cook on low another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Top each serving with 2 tbsp cheese, remaining chives, and bacon.

Ginger Beef and Broccoli

I've been on an Asian dinner kick lately. Filipino Adobo Chicken; Red Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp; Broiled Tilapia with Thai Coconut Curry Sauce; and tonight, it was Ginger Beef and Broccoli. This time, it's from a Yahoo Group that I belong to, called LowFatGoodCooking. And yes, it's good cooking!!

Ginger Beef and Broccoli

Prep time 20 minutes, cooking time about 10 minutes
Makes 4 servings

1 lb. sirloin steak, thinly sliced
1 T. chopped fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 T. soy sauce
2 t. cornstarch
3 T. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
4 c. small broccoli florets
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. rice vinegar
1/4 c. ketchup
1/2 c. beef stock

Place the steak in a bowl. Add the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and cornstarch and toss to coat. Marinate the beef 20 to 30 minutes. Heat 2 T. of the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the beef and stir-fry until nicely colored, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan. Add the remaining oil to the pan. Add the onion and broccoli and stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Return the beef to the pan and heat through. Spoon onto a platter and serve.

per serving: about 306 calories; 27.4 g protein; 14.5 g fat (2.4 g saturated); 16.2 g carbohydrate; 2 g dietary fiber; 54 mg cholesterol; 1158 mg sodium

7 WW Points (original Points plan)

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp

Again, another winner from skinnytaste.com!!!

I don't even know where to start! The curry sauce in this recipe is very mild. The only thing I'd do differntly is to use fresh shrimp instead of the prefrozen stuff that I used. Excellent recipe!!

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp
www.skinnytaste.com

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1/4th • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 3 pts
Calories: 135 • Fat: 4.4 g • Protein: 18.5 g • Carb: 4.7 g • Fiber: 0.9 g

Ingredients:

1 tsp oil
4 scallions, whites and greens separated, chopped
1 tbsp Thai red curry paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 oz light coconut milk
2 tsp fish sauce
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
salt to taste

Directions:

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Add scallion whites and red curry paste and sauté one minute. Add shrimp and garlic, season with salt and cook about 2-3 minutes. Add coconut milk, fish sauce and mix well. Simmer about 2-3 minutes, until shrimp is cooked through. Remove from heat, mix in scallion greens and cilantro. Serve over rice and enjoy!

Filipino Adobo Chicken

And yet another fantastic find from www.skinnytaste.com!!! My six year old granddaughter "Rye" and I had this for lunch yesterday. She devoured the chicken quite quickly (granted, she is definitely a carnivore!). She wasn't sure she wanted the sauce on the rice, so she had butter on hers instead. We started the meal off with a very colorful salad.

Here's this fantastic find: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/11/filipino-adobo-chicken.html


Filipino Adobo Chicken
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes

8 chicken legs on the bone (skin removed)
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 small head of garlic, crushed
6 ground peppercorns
4 bay leaves
1 jalapeño, chopped (optional)


Marinate chicken in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, jalapeño and pepper, for at least an hour (overnight is ideal). Add chicken, 1/2 cup water, bay leaves and marinade into a deep nonstick skillet and cook on medium-low heat. Cover and cook until the meat is tender, about 45 minutes. Remove the cover and cook an additional 15 minutes, until the sauce reduces. Discard bay leaves and serve over rice.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

YUM!

I'd never even heard of such a thing until about a year and a half ago, and I've been dying to try it since. But it's finally now that I've had my chance. Now that I'm on my journey to great health by my 50th birthday, I've gone in search of some recipes that taste great and are healthy, recipes that I won't get bored with. This is definitely one of those recipes!!! It's fantastic!!!

The recipe is from www.skinnytaste.com. Gina's got some wonderful healthy recipes on her site, and better yet, she's listed all of the nutritional information, and she's done all the hard work calculating the Weight Watchers Points! I'm very familiar with the original Points program, and because of the ethnic diversity of her site, I know I'll be visiting her often!!!

Here's the recipe for Stuffed Pepper Soup! I didn't realize till I got ready to make it that I didn't have any brown rice, so I used white.






Stuffed Pepper Soup
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 6 • Size: 1 1/3 cups soup, 1/2 cup rice • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 pts
Calories: 261.2 • Fat: 4.8 g • Carb: 37.5 g • Fiber: 4.7 g • Protein: 17.6 g • Sugar: 6 g
Sodium: 606.3 g (without salt)


Ingredients:

3 cups cooked brown rice
1 lb 95% lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup finely diced onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans (14.5 oz each) cans petite diced tomatoes
1 3/4 cups tomato sauce
2 cups reduced sodium, fat-free chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
salt and fresh pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot or dutch oven, brown ground meat on high heat and season with salt. Drain fat if any, reduce heat to medium-low, then add peppers, onions and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes on low heat.

Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, marjoram and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Serve about 1 1/3 cups of soup in each bowl and top with 1/2 cup cooked brown rice.