Moo Shu Beef

Tonight we traveled to China for dinner with one of my favorite Chinese take-out dishes: Moo Shu Beef! The only thing missing from this recipe was a few shakes of Siriacha Hot Chili sauce for some heat! Only 6 points for this dish! The Siriacha is 0 points!

Originating in northern China this dish eventually made it to the US around the mid-60's. While it is most commonly made with pork, it can be made with chicken, tofu, beef or just vegetables. Typically served with Moo Shu Pancakes, a very thin tortilla-like wrapper. Mexican flour tortillas are commonly substituted, just be careful this dish can be very juicy!

Moo Shu Beef

8 oz uncooked lean trimmed sirloin beef

3 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 tsp cornstarch

2 tsp vegetable oil

2 medium uncooked scallion(s), chopped

3 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced

2 Tbsp sherry cooking wine

2 cup(s) uncooked Chinese cabbage, or Napa cabbage, chopped

1/3 cup(s) canned bamboo shoots, drained and chopped

1/3 cup(s) canned straw mushrooms, drained and sliced

1 large egg white(s), beaten

12 medium fat-free flour tortilla(s), warmed

1/2 cup(s) hoisin sauce

Place beef in a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce and cornstarch; stir to coat.

Heat oil in large skillet or wok. Add scallions and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add beef and cook until browned, about 2 minutes. Add remaining soy sauce and sherry; cook 1 minute more.

Add cabbage, bamboo shoots and mushrooms. Sauté until vegetables are browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in egg white and cook 2 minutes more.

To serve: Place a heated tortilla on a plate. Spread 2 teaspoons of hoisin sauce on tortilla and then place 3 tablespoons of beef filling on top of sauce. Roll up, folding in one end to seal in filling. Yields 2 filled tortillas per serving.

© 2012 Weight Watchers International, Inc. © 2012 WeightWatchers.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
WEIGHT WATCHERS and PointsPlus® are the registered trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc. and are used under license by WeightWatchers.com, Inc.

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Kale Chips

Looking for a healthy snack?? Kale Chips - The crunch of potato chips for ZERO POINTS!

Kale is a form of cabbage which is very high in beta-carotene, vitamin-K, vitamin-C, lutein, and rich in calcium. Kale contains sulforaphane, which is a chemical containing potent anti-cancer properties. Boiling will decrease the potency, by baking it as in this recipe you will not lose a significant amount!

Pre-heat oven to 350, Take 1 head of Kale (leaves only, discard stems) torn into pieces, spread onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, Spray with cooking spray tossing to coat, sprinkle with Sea Salt. Bake for 10-15 min until crispy, they will shrink down...keep checking after the first 10 so they don't burn! Thank you to my sister Ashley Parsells for this yummy snack idea! (*Picture 1- Before & Picture 2 -After)

Chicken Souvlaki Pita Sandwiches

Today we are exploring the Greek Isle's....with Chicken Souvlaki Pita Sandwiches! If you enjoy Gyros, you will love its resemblance to a chicken gyro. Souvlaki "Σουβλάκι" is a popular Greek fast food, served either on a skewer or pita sandwich. Traditionally made with lamb, but can also be made with pork, fish (swordfish), chicken, or beef.

The chicken has a lemon herb flavor, paired with a cucumber yogurt sauce. This recipe was extremely quick and easy to make, and for my friends doing Weight Watchers 2 halves comes in at 9 Points! My husband suggests adding some hot sauce, which gave it a nice little kick!

Trying to multitask and do laundry while I was cooking, I inadvertently over toasted the first batch of pitas. Luckily, it was not a complete loss, as we were able to smash them up into chips and dip them in the extra cucumber yogurt sauce as a nice snack!

Chicken Souvlaki Sandwich

1/4 cup(s) fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 Tbsp honey

2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced

2 tsp olive oil, garlic-flavored or extra-virgin

1 tsp dried oregano

1 pound(s) uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s), four 4 oz pieces

1/2 cup(s) plain fat-free yogurt

1/2 cup(s) cucumber(s), shredded

1 Tbsp dill, fresh, chopped

1/2 tsp garlic powder

4 large whole wheat pita(s), halved

· Preheat oven to 400ºF.

· In a shallow baking pan, whisk together lemon juice, soy sauce, honey, minced garlic, oil and oregano; add chicken and turn to coat.

· Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes, spooning sauce over chicken once or twice during cooking.

· Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine yogurt, cucumber, dill and garlic powder.

· When chicken is cool enough to handle, slice each piece crosswise into thin strips and place inside pita pocket halves. Spoon 2 tablespoons of yogurt sauce into each pita half. Yields 2 halves per serving.

© 2012 Weight Watchers International, Inc. © 2012 WeightWatchers.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
WEIGHT WATCHERS and PointsPlus® are the registered trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc. and are used under license by WeightWatchers.com, Inc.

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Cajun Chicken Wraps

Feeling Spicy tonight!!! Cajun Chicken Wraps! Super easy and delicious! It made a great dinner but would also make a quick and easy lunch. You could make them up in advance to grab on the go.

I added a slice of Kraft Singles 2 % milk American Cheese (0 points) and used "Chef Lenny's Cajun Style Seasoning" which is Mildly spicy, which offered a nice smokey flavor with a kick! I also sauteed the onions in the cooking spray before adding the chicken. This recipe including the wrap was only 5 Points for my weight watchers followers!! Enjoy!

Cajun Chicken Wrap

2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning

1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tsp paprika

3/4 pound(s) uncooked boneless skinless chicken breast(s), cut into strips

1/4 tsp table salt, or to taste

1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

1 spray(s) cooking spray

4 tsp fat-free mayonnaise

1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice, for dressing

4 large burrito-size wheat flour tortilla(s)

1/2 small uncooked red onion(s), thinly sliced

2 cup(s) fresh mixed baby greens

8 leaf/leaves basil, leaves

1/2 tsp Cajun seasoning

1 tsp fresh lemon juice, for sprinkling on wrap

Instructions

In a small, shallow bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning, flour, and paprika. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper; dredge in seasoning mixture and turn to coat.

Coat a large, nonstick pan with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan and sauté until cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes per side; remove from pan and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning; spread 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise mixture over each tortilla. Layer each with 1/4 of onion, greens, basil and chicken; sprinkle with fresh lemon juice, roll up and serve. Yields 1 wrap per serving.

© 2012 Weight Watchers International, Inc. © 2012 WeightWatchers.com, Inc. All rights reserved. WEIGHT WATCHERS and PointsPlus® are the registered trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc. and are used under license by WeightWatchers.com, Inc.

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Rigatoni with Creamy Sausage Sauce

The blog entry I was working on as I so graciously broke the screen on my laptop... again!!! I think I'm allergic to LCD screens, I'm batting 3 strikes with 2 computer screens and 1 TV screen down! Not good!! Anyways after a trip to Best Buy and finding out that laptops have dropped signifigantly in price with the whole tablet crazy of Ipads and Galaxy tabs I scored another HP at half the price of what I paid for my old one 2 years ago~ Winning!

So, on to discover a taste of Italy the weight watchers way! I used whole grain Fusili noodles and also chopped up a habanero pepper for some added heat! Boy was it spicy! One serving = 2 Cups = 11 Points. Now, I found that I was full on 1 Cup and ended up with a 6 point dinner! Pour me another 4 point glass of red wine please! Give this one a try the next time you need to cure that pasta craving!

Rigatoni with Creamy Sausage Sauce

8 oz uncooked rigatoni

1/8 tsp table salt

8 oz uncooked turkey sausage(s), Italian-style, removed from casings

8 oz cremini mushroom(s), or Baby Bella mushrooms, trimmed, quartered

1 Tbsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cup(s) fat-free skim milk

1 cup(s) frozen green peas, petite-variety

1/2 tsp table salt, or more to taste

1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

1/2 cup(s) roasted red peppers (packed in water), water-packed, sliced

1/2 cup(s) uncooked scallion(s), sliced

3 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, cook sausage stirring and breaking into chunks with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 3 minutes; remove to a bowl. Add mushrooms to skillet and sauté until browned and tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

In a measuring cup, whisk together flour and milk until smooth; stir into skillet along with peas, salt and black pepper. Bring sauce to a boil; simmer until thickened and peas are tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in sausage, roasted peppers and scallions; remove from heat.

Drain pasta; return to pot. Add sausage sauce and cheese; toss to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl. Yields about 2 cups per serving.

© 2012 Weight Watchers International, Inc. © 2012 WeightWatchers.com, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Crab Cakes with Dill Mayo Dip

Day 2 of the Long weekend and my first attempt at Homemade Crab Cakes = A complete Success!!! Rob called them "Restaurant Quality". They were so easy to make and for my Weight watchers followers, Crab Cakes = 3 POINTS EACH!!!

I recommend using the Lump crab meat you can buy canned in the seafood section (if they are on sale make sure you stock up, they have a shelf life of up to a year!). The only thing I added was a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce for added flavor. I also made a yummy Dill Mayo Dip = 0 POINTS to go on the side! I'll include the recipe below! this recipe is so versatile and can work with any kind of fresh fish, shrimp, or scallops. Just grind the fish in your food processor so it's pliable.

Crab Cakes

3 Sprays cooking Spray

4 tsp salted butter divided

2/3 cup Panko Breadcrumbs

1 pound Lump Crabmeat

2 Eggs

1 Tbsp Sherry (dry or sweet)

1 tsp Salt

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

1 ½ Tbsp Low fat Mayonnaise

¼ cup Parsley – fresh minced

¼ cup Dill – fresh minced

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray; set over medium heat. Melt 2 teaspoons butter in skillet. Add onion; cook, stirring frequently, until onion turns translucent and start to caramelize, about 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in panko; cook, stirring frequently, until toasted, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Place crabmeat in a large bowl. Add onion mixture, eggs, sherry, salt and mustard; mix well. Add mayonnaise and parsley; mix well again.

Working with wet hands, form eight 3-inch crab cakes, about 3/4-inch thick; place on a metal baking sheet, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to help crab cakes stick together while cooking.

Coat a very large skillet with cooking spray; set over medium heat. When skillet is heated, melt 2/3 teaspoon butter. Place a batch of crab cakes in skillet in a single layer and cook until golden, about 3 to 4 minutes per side; remove to a serving plate and cover to keep warm (or place in a 200°F oven to keep warm). Repeat with remaining ingredients. Yields 1 crab cake per serving.

Dill Mayo Dip

¼ Cup low fat Mayonnaise

¼ Cup Dill Pickle relish

2 tbsp Dill – fresh minced

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

Mix thoroughly, garnish with extra dill. Serve chilled.

© 2012 Weight Watchers International, Inc. © 2012 WeightWatchers.com, Inc. All rights reserved.

Click Here to print: http://www.scribd.com/doc/78358577/Crab-Cakes-with-Dill-Mayo-Dip

Broccoli and Sausage Casserole

This holiday weekend my sister from another mother, Heather is up visiting from our hometown of Camp Hill, Pa. Because we are both in this Weight Watchers thing together; we've scoured the recipe section of the WW website for ideas to help make it through the 3 day weekend without going off track!

One of our Household staples that I make for a quick & easy dinner at least once a month is the "Stovetop Easy Cheesey Chicken Bake" (It's the one on the back of the box, I'll post the Link below). We found a Weight watchers recipe that is a comprable substitute. Guess what??! It's HALF the Points! The Stove top version = 12 points per serving, Weight Watchers version = 6 Points!! WINNING! The taste test Verdict= Weight watchers version wins hands down!! Roasting the veggies first gives it a nice smokey flavor and not using the cream of chicken soup Stovetops version calls for, kept it from getting soggy and sloppy. Again even Rob said he liked the healthy version best!

I only switched up a couple of things: used Chicken Sausage, because they were out of Turkey sausage at the store. I also bought a loaf of Cheese bread from the bakery section instead of plain, as I figured it would add a little extra cheesey goodness to the overall taste of the recipe. Yea it's probably an extra point but hey, upping the flavor was worth it!

Broccoli and Sausage Casserole

Ingredients

	12 oz Italian bread, do not use slices; use in loaf form
	2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), peeled and smashed (or to taste)
	1 large uncooked red onion(s), cut into thin wedges
	4 cup(s) uncooked broccoli, florets
	1 tsp olive oil
	12 oz uncooked turkey sausage(s), sweet Italian-variety
	1/2 cup(s) canned chicken broth
	1/2 tsp table salt
	1/4 tsp black pepper
	1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
	1 spray(s) cooking spray
	3/4 cup(s) low-fat shredded Cheddar cheese, sharp-variety

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400ºF.
  
  
• Slice bread in half length-wise; rub insides with garlic clove. Place bread, open-face, on one side of a baking sheet; spread onion on other side. Place broccoli on another baking sheet. Coat vegetables and bread with cooking spray. Bake until broccoli is tender, flipping bread over and stirring vegetables halfway through, about 15 to 20 minutes total. Remove pans from oven and cut bread into 1/2-inch cubes; reduce oven temperature to 350ºF.
  
  
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Remove sausage from casing; cook sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in broccoli and onion, bread cubes, broth, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. (Make sure to scrape up any browned bits of food on sides of skillet and stir into mixture.)
  
  
• Coat a 9-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon 3 cups broccoli mixture into prepared dish; sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Top with remaining broccoli mixture; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and casserole is heated through, about 30 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving

© 2012 Weight Watchers International, Inc. © 2012 WeightWatchers.com, Inc. All rights reserved.
WEIGHT WATCHERS and PointsPlus® are the registered trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc. and are used under license by WeightWatchers.com, Inc.

Click here to Print: http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/prt/RecipePage.aspx?Type=1&RecipeID=213941

The Stovetop Recipe: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/stove-top-easy-cheesy-95138.aspx

Citrus Beef Stir-Fry with Carrots

So after savoring one last batch of Grandma's sinfully delicious baked Macaroni and cheese; I started the new year with Weight Watchers! My best friend Heather and I joined the online program together and In One week we each lost 5 lbs! In addition to changing my diet I've added in 30 minute workouts 3 times a week.

For those of you who also are also on WW, stay tuned as I will be posting a lot of Healthy recipes in upcoming blog posts. Just because its healthy doesn't mean it won't taste just as good! Case in point...tonight's recipe, the flavor combination was mouthwatering! Rob said this was way better than any Orange Beef he's ever had from the Chinese take out! He could not believe this was one of my "healthy meals". I contemplated licking my bowl! LOL!

The best part it was only 7 points!!!! I served it over 1/2 cup of Jasmine Rice = 2 points. Total= 9 point dinner!

Citrus Beef Stir-Fry with Carrots

Ingredients 1 pound(s) uncooked trimmed beef strip sirloin, cut into thin strips 1/4 cup(s) low-sodium soy sauce, divided 1/2 cup(s) fresh orange juice 3 Tbsp unpacked light brown sugar 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 Tbsp orange zest 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes 2 tsp sesame oil 2 cup(s) uncooked carrot(s), matchstick-cut 1 medium uncooked onion(s), cut into 8 wedges and separated Instructions Place beef in a shallow dish; pour 2 tablespoons soy sauce over beef. Turn to coat completely. Let marinate 15 minutes in refrigerator. Combine orange juice, sugar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, vinegar, orange rind and red pepper in a small bowl. Stir with a whisk. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add beef and cook 6 minutes. Remove from heat and place on a serving platter; keep warm. Reduce heat to medium-high; add carrot and onion. Cook 7 minutes or until carrot is lightly browned and crisp-tender, stirring frequently. Increase heat to high; add beef and its juices and orange juice mixture. Cook 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup).

© 2012 Weight Watchers International, Inc. © 2012 WeightWatchers.com, Inc. All rights reserved. WEIGHT WATCHERS and PointsPlus® are the registered trademarks of Weight Watchers International, Inc. and are used under license by WeightWatchers.com, Inc. Click here to print: http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/prt/RecipePage.aspx?Type=1&RecipeID=129361

Kung Pao Chicken

This recipe goes out to my BFF Heather! She said she needed more healthy chicken recipes to try, and loves spicy food! So tonight I made Kung Pao Chicken served over Jasmine Rice. Originally called Gong Bao Chicken, it originated in Sichuan Province of central-western China. During the Cultural Revolution, it was deemed politically incorrect and renamed Kung Pao.

I personally omitted the 4 oz of peanuts it calls for, as I am not really a big fan of putting peanuts in my food. I doubled the sauce recipe as we like ours a little sloppy, so the rice can soak up the flavors. Additionally I added a bit more of the chili & garlic sauce than it called for since we like ours VERY Spicy!!

For those of my followers doing Weight Watchers: 12 Points for 1 serving of the entree and 2 points for 1/2 cup Jasmine Rice.

Kung Pao Chicken

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks

2 tablespoons white wine

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided

2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

1 ounce hot chile paste

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

2 teaspoons brown sugar

4 green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts

4 ounces chopped peanuts

Jasmine Rice

Directions

To Make Marinade: Combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture and mix together. Place chicken pieces in a glass dish or bowl and add marinade. Toss to coat. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

To Make Sauce: In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon wine, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon cornstarch/water mixture, chili paste, vinegar and sugar. Mix together and add green onion, garlic, water chestnuts and peanuts. In a medium skillet, heat sauce slowly until aromatic.

Meanwhile, remove chicken from marinade and saute in a large skillet until meat is white and juices run clear. When sauce is aromatic, add sauteed chicken to it and let simmer together until sauce thickens.

Prepare Jasmine rice while sauce is simmering and serve chicken & sauce mixed overtop of the rice.

Recipe Courtesy: www.Allrecipes.com

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http://allrecipes.com/recipe/kung-pao-chicken/

Smoked Polynesian Pot Roast

Some people think grilling is something you only do in the summer...wrong! Rain, Snow, or Shine: In our family we grill year round! For Christmas this year Rob got a new Gas powered Smoker from his Dad. So we are putting it to the test tonight to see how it compares to our traditional charcoal smoker. We now have (3) Grills and (2) Smokers on our deck! That's more grilling items than rooms in this house!

I added in some dried lemongrass to the marinade. Smoked it to med-rare 150 degrees. Served over Jasmine Rice and drizzled with the reserve marinade sauce. Looking back I would have taken it out closer to 145, as it would have tasted good if was a bit more rare for our tastes.

It is essential that you use a meat thermometer when grilling meat. Use this helpful Cooking Chart Temperature Guide: http://www.brinkmann.net/recipes/cooking_charts/charcoal_smokers.aspx

If you do not have a smoker you can also prepare this recipe on your grill using the In-direct method:http://www.weber.com/weber/grilling-tips/direct-indirect-cooking

Smoked Polynesian Pot Roast

3-1/2 to 4-1/2 pound pot roast
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup sherry
1 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper

Fill water pan 3/4 full with liquid. Put meat in heavy duty plastic bag or glass baking dish. Combine all ingredients and pour over roast. Tightly close bag and turn to coat meat with marinade, or turn roast in dish and cover.

Refrigerate several hours or overnight, turning meat in marinade once or twice. To cook, lift pot roast from marinade and place on grill. Reserve marinade.

Smoke cook about 4 or 5 hours or until tender.

Meat will not fall from bone as braised pot roast would, but can easily be cut with sharp knife. Heat reserved marinade to boiling and serve as sauce with pot roast.

Serves 6 to 8

Recipe Courtesy of: The Brinkmann Corporation - All Rights Reserved

Click Here to Print Recipe: http://www.brinkmann.net/recipes/beef/smoke_polynesian_pot_roast.aspx