Preamble: I made most of these recipes up on the fly, but if I got a recipe from a magazine or site, I give credit where credit is due. Anchors coming soon, I ran out of time today to put an index together. Points values are listed for most recipes.
Curried Pork Tacos
4 boneless 1/2″ thick porkchops
3/4 c chopped sweet onion
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 c chicken broth
1 tbsp olive oil
Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft. Place pork chops in a food processor and process until ground. Add to onions. Stir in cumin, chicken broth and curry powder. Season with salt & pepper. Serve on soft flour tortillas with pickled veggies and thinly sliced cabbage.
Summer Squash & Corn Chowder
Cooking Light, August 2010
Ingredients
- 2 slices applewood-smoked bacon
- 3/4 cup sliced green onions, divided
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1 pound yellow summer squash, chopped
- 1 pound frozen white and yellow baby corn kernels, thawed and divided
- 2 1/4 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1. Cook bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan. Crumble bacon, and set aside. Add 1/2 cup onions, celery, and squash to drippings in pan; sauté 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
2. Reserve 1 cup corn; set aside. Place the remaining corn and 1 cup milk in a blender; process until smooth. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups milk, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to blender; process just until combined. Add pureed mixture and reserved 1 cup corn to pan. Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly. Stir in 1/8 teaspoon salt. Ladle about 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 4 bowls; top each serving with about 1 tablespoon bacon, 1 tablespoon remaining onions, and 1 tablespoon cheese.
Light Potato Salad
Notes: The original version of this is from Cooking Light (here). I’ve adapted it quite a bit, adding sour cream to the dressing, and eliminating a few ingredients.
Dressing:
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 c. FF Sour Cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salad:
5 cups cubed red potato (about 2 pounds)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped peeled cucumber
3/4 cup sliced hot cherry peppers or other mild to hot pepper (like cubanella)
1/4 cup minced chives
1/2 cubed zucchini
3 hard-boiled egg white, chopped
1/2 c. sliced grape or cherry tomatoes
1. To prepare dressing, combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.
2. To prepare salad, place potato and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Cover with water to 2 inches above potato; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until tender; drain.
3. Add potato to dressing in bowl, tossing gently to coat; let stand 15 minutes. Stir in cucumber and remaining ingredients; toss well. Cover and chill.
Corn Pudding
Notes: This is not light AT ALL. But it is amazing and a good dish to take to a holiday picnic. People will talk about it for months.
1 can creamed corn
1 can whole corn, drained
2 eggs
1/3 c. sugar
8 oz. low fat sour cream
1/2 c. oil
1 pkg. Jiffy cornbread mix
Drain whole corn and combine with other ingredients. Mix and pour into 2 quart casserole spray with non-stick cooking spray. Bake about 1 hour in 350 degree oven until firm.
Spicy Cabbage
Notes: Awesome and easy and a family favorite.
1 small head of cabbage, sliced
2 cans of fire roasted tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tsps. cajun seasoning
Put all ingredients in a big ole soup pot and cook for 20 minutes or so on medium, stirring occasionally. 1 point per cup.
Hamburgers
12 oz. ground sirloin (95% lean)
2 tbsp. light bbq sauce
2 tbsp. Italian-style breadcrumbs
Salt & Pepper
Mix beef, bbq sauce and breadcrumbs together by hand. Pat into two super giant patties. Heat a grill pan on medium-high heat. Cook for 5 minutes each side. Salt & pepper to taste.
Serve on a 1 pt English Muffin with relish, mayo, mustard, etc. but don’t forget to add the points for these things!
Burger Patty: 5 pts.
Ham & Potato Soup
4 tbsp. butter
2 c. cubed potatoes
1 c. chopped celery
3/4 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 c. cubed ham
4 c. chicken broth
1 c. skim milk
2 tbsp. flour
1. In a large stockpot, melt 2 tbsp. of the butter. Add potatoes, celery & onion and cook for 4 minutes. Add ham and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 5 minutes.
2. While broth & veggies are boiling, melt additional 2 tbsps. butter in a small suacepan. Added flour and stir with whisk until lightly browned. Add skim milk and stir until thick (about 3 minutes or less.) WATCH YOUR HEAT! THIS WILL BURN!
3. Add browned butter & milk to stock pot and adjust your heat to low. Allow to cook another 10 minutes or so or until celery softens.
Makes 6 1-cup servings. 4 points per serving.
Turkey Thighs
Note: Completely amazing and the tastiest “gravy” ever.
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless turkey thighs
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 onion, sliced into 1/4 inch rings
1/2 tbsp dried herbs (I used rosemary, sage & parsley)
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1/2 tbsp olive oik
1/2 tbsp sugar (or Splenda)
1/4 tsp peppercorns
a pinch of cloves
1. Place turkey in large pot, cover with cold water. Add slat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for one hour. If any froth forms on the surface, skim and sicard.
2. Remove turkey from water and cool. Raise heat to boil. Boil until liquid is reduced by half.
3. After reduction, add onions, herbs, vinegar, oil, sugar, peppercorns and cloves. Simmer 20 minutes or until onion is soft. Return turkey to broth, warm turkey thoroughly.
Delicious. And 4 points per turkey thigh. I served mine with a baked potato. The gravy that it makes is life-changing.
Chicken Basil Calzones
Note: From Cooking Light
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound ground chicken breast
3/4 cup prepared pizza sauce
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add garlic and chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, stirring to crumble. Stir in pizza sauce and pepper. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; stir in basil. Let stand 10 minutes.
3. Unroll dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; cut dough into quarters. Pat each portion into an 8 x 6–inch rectangle. Divide chicken mixture evenly among rectangles; top each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese. Working with one rectangle at a time, fold dough in half over filling, pinching edges to seal. Repeat procedure with remaining rectangles. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes or until golden.
Root & Squash Soup (terrible name, I know.)
1 pie pumpkin, roasted and removed from skin
1 acorn squash, roasted and removed from skin
2 tbsp. butter
1 small potato, diced
1 onion, chopped finely
3 c. veggie broth
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1. Melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, cook until translucent. Add potatoes, cook about 6 minutes or until soft.
2. Stir in broth. Heat to a simmer.
3. Add squash & pumpkin, salt & pepper and cook until hot.
Two options:
1. Blend with immersion blender or mixer for smooth soup.
2. Leave chunky. Save time and you get to chew. Nice, right? (This is the option I prefer.)
2 points per 1 cup serving
Apricot Crisp
12 medium size apricots
1 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
4 tbsp. butter
Slice apricots in half. Remove pit. Lay apricots cut side up in a 9 x 13″ baking pan.
In a large bowl mix together oats and sugars. In a smal bowl, melt butter. Mix hot butter into oatmeal/sugar mixture. Spoon over the top of the apricots.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes or until top is crisp and golden.
Points: 8 servings at 4 points a piece.
Pasta with Fresh Veggies & Sausage
1/2 lb. fresh okra, sliced
2 Japanese eggplants, sliced
1 Yellow Squash, sliced
10 (or so) grape tomatoes, sliced in half
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. loose sausage
4 oz. whole wheat pasta
1 tbsp. light butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
1. Get out every pot & pan that you own.
2. Boil 3 c. of water in large pot. Add sliced okra and boil for 5 minutes or until soft. Drain and rinse well. If you’ve never used okra, you’ll be surprised by the goo. Just rinse it well, it will still be gooey but no biggy.
3. In small skillet, brown sausage. While sausage is browning, boil yet more water in large pot. Add pasta, boil according to package directions.
4. In large skillet, heat oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add sliced eggplant & squash. Cook until tender. Add garlic and okra. Stir and continue to cook for five more minutes. Stir in sausage and tomatoes.
5. Drain pasta and add immediately to veggie mix. Salt & pepper to taste. Add another tsp. or so of olive oil, if desired. Serve immediately.
Points: I calcualted this as 2.5 servings, as Allison ate some. It’s 11 points per huge (I’m talking GIANT) serving. And completely delicious.
Potato Salad
1 pound red potatoes, cubed
1 ear corn, boiled
3/4 roasted red peppers
1 sm. can of green chilies
1 sm onion, chopped
1/4 c. light mayonaisse
1/2 tbsp. lime juice
salt & pepper, to taste
Boil potaotes until they are soft-firm. Remove corn from cob. Slice roasted red peppers into strips. Mix everything together in mixing bowl, refridgerate 6 hours or overnight.
Points: 1 c = 2 points. This recipe can be tweaked. As long as you don’t use more fat, the points should stay the same.
Peanut Seafood & Veggies
1 bag of Trader Joe’s Seafood Blend or a total or 2 pounds of mixed, raw shrimp, scallops & calimari rings
1 lb. fresh snow peas
3 green onions, chopped
1 c. green peas
1 kohrabi, julienned
1/2 peanut sauce
2 c. of cooked rice (I used Trader Joe’s Frozen Jasmine Rice, but any cooked rice will do.)
In a large skillet, brings 2 or so cups of water to a boil. Boil snow peas until bright green. Add kohlrabi, peas and onions and simmer until kohlrabi is tender (about 5 minutes.) Move to colander and allow to drain thoroughly. Drain seafood, and place into skillet. Cook for about 7 minutes, or until shrimp is pink. Add veggies back to pan and stir in peanut sauce. Serve with rice.
Makes two big, meal-sized servings. 10 points per serving. A great dinner, serve with a salad.
Kohlrabi Slaw
3 kohlrabi, peeled and julienned
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 orange bell pepper, jullienned
3 green onions, chopped
1/4 c. salsa
1/4 c. light mayonaisse
1 tsp. cajun seasoning
salt & pepper, to taste
Mix it all up and allow to sit in fridge overnight. About 6 half-cup servings. 1 point per serving.
Orange Seafood
Seafood:
1 bag of Trader Joe’s Shrimp, Scallops & Calimari blend
1/2 c flour
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1/4 c canola oil
1 tbsp dark sesame oil
Sauce:
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1/4 orange marmelade
1. Heat canola oil and sesame oil in large skillet. In large bowl, mix together flour ans sesame seeds. Toss seafood in flour mixture.
2. Add to hot oil. Cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently or until shrimp is pink.
3. Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, vinegar and marmelade together ina small bowl. Add to seafood mixture. Toss a few times until sauce is hot.
8 points per serving. Serve with rice and broccoli.
Fiber One® Crunchy Fudge Cookies
1 box Betty Crocker® low-fat fudge brownie mix
2 cups Fiber One® original bran cereal
2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray cookie sheets with cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, mix all ingredients with spoon. Onto cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart.
3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container. Freeze up to 2 months if desired.
Makes about 30 cookies, at one point per cookie.
Basil Swordfish
2 6 oz swordfish steaks
1 big pinch oregano
1 big pinch parsley
1 tbsp fresh chopped basil or the refrigerated tube kind. (if you don’t have the tube herbs in your grocer, you don’t know what you’re missing)
1 tbsp olive oil
Mix herbs and oil together in small bowl. Spoon onto fish and press the herbs into the meat (massing them in, if you want to get personal). Lightly salt & pepper the fish. Grill over medium-high for 7 minutes on each side. Delicious!
1 point per oz of fish.
Squash Noodles
1 large zucchini or 2 small
1 large summer squash or 2 small
1 jar roasted red peppers
2 c. prepared spicy pasta sauce
4 oz. whole wheat pasta
Using a vegetable peeler, shred your sqaushes into long thin strips. See photo below. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain pasta, reserving about a cup of the cooking liquid. Add cooking liquid back to pasta pot. Add shredded squash to water and cover, allowing squash to steam for about 5 minutes. Drain squash. Return squash and pasta to pot. Add pasta sauce and roasted red peppers. Heat thoroughly.
Makes two giant servings worth 4 points each.
Sesame Shrimp Salad
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
1 tablespoon water
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee), divided
1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon orange marmalade
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil, divided
24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 1 pound)
5 cups shredded napa (Chinese) cabbage
1 1/2 cups trimmed watercress leaves
1 1/2 cups shredded carrot
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1. Combine sugar, 2 tablespoons juice, 1 tablespoon water, and garlic in a small microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 40 seconds or until sugar dissolves. Cool. Stir in 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, fish sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
2. Combine remaining 1 tablespoon juice, remaining 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, marmalade, and 1 teaspoon oil in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add shrimp to bowl; toss to coat. Marinate shrimp in refrigerator 15 minutes, tossing occasionally. Remove shrimp from bowl, reserving marinade. Thread 3 shrimp onto each of 8 (8-inch) wooden skewers.
3. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp skewers and reserved marinade to pan; cook 3 1/2 minutes or until shrimp is done and glazed, turning once.
4. Combine cabbage and remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle fish sauce mixture over cabbage mixture; toss well to coat. Arrange 2 cups cabbage mixture onto each of 4 plates; top each serving with 2 skewers.
Makes 4 servings, for 5 points per serving.
Black Bean Slaw
Notes: This is a Core recipe, but the points value is only 1 point per cup for you Flexies out there.
1 small cabbage, sliced thinly
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, deveined & chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 16 oz jar of roasted peppers, sliced thin
1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbps. lime juice
1/2 c. white vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
After all of the slicing and the dicing, put all of the veggies into a large bowl. In small bowl, whisk together lime juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper. Add the dressing to the veggies. Toss well to coat. Allow to sit overnight for best flavor.
Fish Sandwiches
1 pound of cod, cut into sandwich size pieces
2 egg whites
1/4 c. flour
2/3 c. Italian breadcrumbs
1 tsp. cajun seasoning or seasoned salt
salt & pepper
Thomas’ Light 100 Calorie English Muffins
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly beat egg whites in a bowl. Combine flour and salt & pepper on a plate. On another plate, combine breadcrumbs and cajun seasoning. Dredge fish in flour mixture, then dip in egg white, then dredge again in breadcrumb mixture.
Place on cookie sheet that has been coated with Pam. Bake 10 minutes, turn fish and bake another 8 – 10 minutes.
Toast English muffins. Place baked fish on muffin. Eat.
Points value: fish, 5 points for 6 oz. fillet, bun, 1 point. Awesome 6 point fish sandwich.
Asian Pitas
Notes: Made this one up on the fly and it was so good, I couldn’t stop telling myself how awesome I am.
1 carrot, sliced thinly on the bias
2 stalks of celery, sliced thinly on the bias
1 onion, sliced
1/2 green pepper, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pound 95% ff ground beef
1/2 c. hoisin sauce
A dash of soy sauce
1/4 c. Thai Kitchen Coconut Curry Stir Fry sauce (optional)
1 small can of pineapple chunks (optional)
4 WW 1 point pitas
In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots, onion & celery and saute for 4 minutes. Add beef, cook until brown. Add hoisin sauce and optional curry sauce. Cook until heated through.
Cut the pitas in half, and microwave them for 30 seconds to soften them. Add 1/2 cup of filling to each pita and four or so chunks of pineapple. Salt & pepper to taste.
Serving size: two pita halves and 1 cup of meat mixture. Makes four servings at 5 points a piece.
Most Amazing Pot Roast
1 lb. chuck roast
1/2 head of cabbage
1 green pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 can string mushrooms
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1/2 c hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
3 c water
So easy: put it in a crock pot on high and walk away for 5 to 6 hours. About 6 points for 4 oz of meat and 1 c of veggies.
Pork Tenderloin w/ Apples and Cranberries
1 1 lb. pork tenderloin, butterflied
2 tbsp. butter
1 ambrosia or other firm apple, sliced very thinly
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
1/2 c. Craisins
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 c. water
salt & pepper, to taste
1. Melt 1 tbsp. butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and apples and saute until semi-soft, about 8 minutes. Add applesauce, water and Craisins. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes.
2. Add additional butter and lay pork over the apple mixture. Salt and pepper as desired. Add additioanl 1 cup of water, cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until pork is no longer pink.
3. Slice pork and serve with whole grain egg noodles.
3 oz. pork with 1/4 of apple mixture = 5; whole grain egg noodles, 2 oz dry = 2
Homemade Applesauce
3 lbs of sour apples
1 c. of apple cider
1/2 c. sugar
Core, peel and slice apples. Add to large pot with cider and sugar. Bring to a boil. Add a tsp. of cinnamon, if you like. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for about 15 mins or until apples have turned to mush. Stir with a wisk. Tada! Applesauce.
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I have never thought of making a “curried pork taco”…. I must try this! 😀