Chicken Potstickers

What you'll need:

16 oz. ground chicken

24 wonton wrappers (thawed)

1 clove garlic, minced (use your microplane)

2 - 3 Tbsp sriracha sauce(a.k.a. rooster sauce, depending on how spicy you want it)

kosher salt & ground black pepper

olive oil

water

corn starch

dipping sauces you like: I like light soy sauce with minced scallion and thai chili sauce

• In a medium bowl mix the ground chicken, garlic, sriracha with a pinch and pepper until well mixed.  Prepare a baking sheet sprinkled with corn starch to keep the assembled potstickers on before you cook them.

• When working with wonton skins keep them covered with a damp paper towel so that they don't dry out.  

• Taking one skin at a time place a scant teaspoon of the mix into the center of the wrapper.  Using a finger dipped in water, moisten 2 edges of the wrappers and seal into a triangle.  Then moisten a spot on each fold about 1/2 way up from the corners and fold the points towards the center to make a purse.  Place completed potsticker on your baking sheet, cover with your damp towel and assemble the rest.

• In a medium non-stick covered sauce pan, heat 2 tsp olive oil over medium heat until hot and almost smoking.  Place half of the potstickers in the pan and cook 3 minutes.  Add 1/3  cup water to the pan and cover.  Let the dumplings steam for 8-10 minutes or until liquid is evaporated.  Shake pan slightly to un-stick the dumplings and transfer to serving plate to keep warm while you cook the second batch.

• Serve with your favorite dipping sauces.  Serves 4.

Light Greek Pasta

What you'll need:

2 oz. Poached chicken breast,  diced
1-2 small sweet peppers,  chopped
1 oz. Fat free feta cheese, crumbled
2 oz. Orchiette pasta or other small shape
Pinch or oregano, dried
Salt & pepper
Cooking spray, olive oil flavor

•Cook pasta to package directions.   While the pasta cooks, preheat a small saute pan, coated with cooking spray, over medium-low heat.  Cook the peppers with a pinch of salt, pepper and oregano until the peppers are cooked but still crisp, 5-7 minutes.

•Drain the pasta,  reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta water.  Reduce heat on saute pan to low and add into the peppers the pasta, chicken and pasta water and cook until the chicken is hot and the water absorbed, about 3 minutes.

•Turn off the heat, add the feta, mix and serve!  Serves 1 and makes a great dinner with a side salad.

*8 Points Plus

Taco Biscuit Empanadas

Adapted from Pillsbury

What you'll need:

1 package Pillsbury Grands Flaky Rolls, reduced fat
10 oz. raw ground beef, 93%/7% (8 oz. cooked)
1 packet taco seasoning
80 g. fat free shredded cheddar (this is about 2/3 cup, try Kraft)
fat free sour cream and salsa
a few pinches of flour
cooking spray

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Cook beef with taco seasoning as package directs.

• Using a rolling pin and a few sprinkles of flour, roll out each biscuit into a thin round about 1/8" thick and place on a baking sheet that's been sprayed with cooking spray.

• Place a heaping tablespoon (1 oz) of taco meat onto each biscuit and then sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons of cheese.  Using a little bit of water on the edges, seal each biscuit into a pocket and then crimp the edges with a fork. 

• Bake for 15-17 minutes until golden and crisp.  Serve each with a tablespoon of fat free sour cream and a tablespoon of salsa.  Serves 8.

  * 6 Points Plus per serving ( This makes a nice dinner with a light salad.  If you decide to have two then it's 13 points!)

Pepper & Feta French Omelet

An easy and delicious breakfast!

What you'll need:

2 eggs, beaten
mini sweet bell pepper, diced
1 oz. fat free feta
kosher salt & pepper
pinch or parsley
cooking spray

• In a small non-stick skillet or crepe pan sprayed with cooking spray sauté diced pepper, with a pinch of salt and crack of pepper, over medium heat until soft and slightly charred, 5-7 minutes.  

• Pour beaten eggs into pan over the peppers and tilt pan slightly until the egg are spread evenly.  Let cook without touching until eggs are set and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.

• Crumble all but a teaspoon of the feta over the inside of the omelet.

• Using a rubber spatula carefully fold the first third of the omelet over into itself and then repeat so that the omelet is folded into thirds. Carefully slide the eggs onto a plate and sprinkle with the remaining feta and a sprinkle of parsley.  Serves 1.

* 5 points plus

Creamy Mushroom & Rice Soup

Adapted from SkinnyTaste

What you'll need

3 Tbsp flour

1 medium spanish onion, chopped

1 clove garlic,sliced

32 oz. mushroom broth (look for Pacific Natural Foods Organic Mushroom Broth or you can sub veg or chicken stock)

8 oz. fat free cream cheese

5 oz. shitake mushrooms, sliced without stems

8 oz. baby portabella mushrooms, sliced without stems

1/4 cup jasmine rice

6 sprigs fresh thyme plus more for garnish

cooking spray

kosher salt & pepper

• In a small lidded container shake 1/2 cup broth and flour into a slurry,set aside.  

• Warm a medium dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium heat, add in onions, pinch of salt and crack of pepper and saute 5-8 minutes until onions are soft and translucent.  Add in sliced garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.  Add shitake mushrooms and broth, pinch of salt and crack of pepper and simmer covered for 10 minutes.

• Cut cream cheese into small blocks and stir into soup along with the flour slurry, reduce heat to medium low.  Cook for 3-5 minutes stirring while it cooks until the cream cheese melts into the broth.  Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until smooth.  This can also be done in a blender in batches but be careful!!

• Stir baby Bella mushrooms and rice into the soup and cook for 15 minutes more or until the rice is tender.  Taste for seasoning and adjust salt & pepper as needed.  Serve with a garnish of more fresh thyme.  Serves 4, about 1 1/2 cups each.

* 4 points plus

Pumpkin & White Bean Soup

From Weight Watchers

What you'll need:

cooking spray
1 medium spanish onion, chopped
1/2 tsp oregano
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree (not pie filling, just pumpkin)
1 can (15.5 oz.) Great Northern beans (I like Goya brand)
3 1/2 cups vegetable stock (try Kitchen Basics, no salt added)
6 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper

• In medium stockpot, sprayed with cooking spray, sauté onions over medium-low heat until onions are tender and translucent, 5-7 minutes.  Add a pinch of salt, crack of pepper and oregano and stir to mix. 

• Add in beans (undrained), pumpkin and stock and simmer over medium heat, 8 minutes.

•  Puree until smooth with immersion blender or in batches in a blender.

•  Serve with 1 Tbsp of parm sprinkled over the top .  Serves 6, about 1 cup each.

*4 points plus 

 

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Adapted from SkinnyTaste

What you'll need:

8 oz fat free cream cheese (1 brick) softened

1 cup fat free sour cream

1 cup Frank's Red Hot (reduce this to 1/2 a cup if you want it less spicy)

2 cups shredded chicken breast (poached is easiest)

stuff for dipping (carrots, celery, baked scoops)

 Combine all ingredients until well mixed and heat on low in a small Crockpot for 2-3 hours or simmer over low heat on stove for 20-30 minutes.  Serves 9, 1/3 cup per serving.

*2 points plus (add points for dippers)      

Microwave Cake

What you'll need:
2 Tbsp flour
1 packet Splenda
2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder (like Hershey's)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp instant coffee crystals (please don't leave this out, coffee makes chocolate more chocolatey!)
pinch of salt
2 Tbsp 1% milk
1 tsp oil (I like to use sunflower but you could use canola or olive)
drop of almond extract (or vanilla)

• In a coffee mug or ramekin sprayed with cooking spray mix the flour, Splenda, cocoa powder, baking powder, coffee crystals and salt until well combined.

• Add in milk, oil and extract and stir until smooth.

• "Bake" in microwave 35 seconds, NO MORE!

• Let set a minute or two and enjoy!!!  Serve as is or with 0 point Walden Farms Caramel Sauce and ReddiWhip (also 0 points!) or with powdered sugar glaze as Matt likes! (1 tbsp powdered sugar & splash of milk; extra points)

*3 points plus

Spicy Chicken Pasta

What you'll need:

10 oz. chicken breast, trimmed ( 2 small)
6 oz. strand pasta (like angel hair, spaghetti or bucatini)
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcumbs)
1/4 oz. grated parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced (use your microplane)
1 tsp red pepper flake (or less)
6 baby zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
fresh or dried parsley
kosher salt & pepper

• Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions.  While pasta cooks, slice chicken breasts into thin strips. Pre-heat non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and cook chicken until cooked through and browned.  
• Reduce heat on skillet to low.  Pull pasta out of water and put in skillet with chicken and 1/2 - 1 cup of the pasta water.  Cook baby zucchini in pasta water 1-2 minutes until tender while you sauté the chicken & pasta over low heat until water is absorbed.
• Add zucchini, red pepper flake and cheese to pasta and mix.  Remove from heat and taste for seasoning, adding salt & pepper as needed.  Mix in panko and parsley and serve right away.  Serves 4.

*7 points plus

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

What you'll need:

1 medium spanish onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (use your microplane for this!)
1 large head cauliflower
3-4 small heads broccoli
1 box (30 oz.) vegetable or chicken stock (low or no-salt) I like Kitchen Basics
1/4 tsp Liquid Smoke
kosher salt & pepper

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Break down head of cauliflower into large florets and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes or until just brown.

• About 5 minutes before cauliflower is done, heat medium stockpot over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic, pinch of salt and grind of pepper, and cook stirring frequently, until onions are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.

• Add in stock, liquid smoke and roasted cauliflower, salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and simmer over medium heat 15-20 minutes until cauliflower is softened and falling apart.

• Using immersion blender, puree mixture until smooth.  Chop florets off of broccoli heads and add to soup.  Continue to simmer over medium heat until broccoli softens, about 10 minutes.  Serves 8.  

This is great served with fat-free shredded cheddar cheese, tastes just like baked potato soup!!
 (changes points plus value)

**2 points plus per serving