Shrimp With Serranos

Start to Finish: 25 minutes Makes: 4 servings

1 pound fresh or frozen peeled and deveined medium shrimp
2 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped shallots
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 1/2 teaspoons minced)
1/4 cup chopped red sweet pepper
2-3 fresh serrano or jalapeno chile peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 TBSP. lemon juice
1 TBSP. chopped fresh cilantro

1. Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Rinse shrimp; pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots and garlic; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add peppers. Stir-fry for 1 minute more. Add shrimp; stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until shrimp are opaque Drizzle with lemon juice. Sprinkle with cilantro.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 195 cal., 9 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 172 mg chol., 171 mg socium, 5 g carbo., 0 g fiber, 24 g protein.

I love to serve this with another recipe I am posting--Southwestern Grain Medley. We all love these recipes (except Annie on the shrimp!). Enjoy!

Loving your class Mendy! Thanks a bunch!

Southwestern Grain Medley

Start to Finish: 30 minutes Makes: 4 servings

1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup cooked brown or wild rice
1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped, seeded cucumber
2 TBSP. thinly sliced green onion
2 TBSP. lime juice
1 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh jalapeno or serrano chile pepper
1 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh cilantro
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Thaw corn, if frozen. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and 1 tsp. oil. Cook and stir about 5 minutes or until browned and toasted. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the quinoa, rice, black beans, bell peppers, cucumber, green onion, lime juice, the 1 TBSP. oil, jalapeno, and cilantro. Mix well; season to taste with kosher salt and black pepper.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 174 cal., 6 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 154 mg sodium, 28 g carbo., 4 g fiber, 6 g protein.

**Note: Look for quinoa at a health food store or in the grains or organic section of a large supermarket. To cook quinoa, in a small saucepan add 1/3 cup quinoa to 2/3 cup boiling water. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed.

Recipe - Apple Berry Salsa

Apple Berry Salsa
2/3 cup = 49 calories / 0.2g fat / 1.6g fiber

Ingredients:
2 medium Granny smith
1.5 cups of Strawberries, diced
2 Kiwi, peeled and diced
1 tsp orange zest
2 Tbsp orange juice
2 Tbsp of packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp of fruit preserves (I use sugar free strawberry)

Directions:
Peel, core and coarsely chop apple slices.
Dice strawberries and kiwi and place fruit in small bowl.
Add orange zest, juice, brown sugar and jelly to fruit mixture; mix gently.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

(I pair this with homemade cinnamon chips and it's a great side dish. I've also used it as a topping over angel food cake.)

Recipe - Chicken with Broccoli Rabe and Apple

I have chicken out and wanted to make something a little different for dinner tonight - I remembered a good recipe that I made earlier in the spring when I was trying to expand my veggie horizon beyond green beans, carrots and peas. :)

Chicken with Broccoli Rabe and Apple
(WW Turnaround Program Cookbook)
Serves 4
1 1/3 cup serving = 237 cal / 7g fat / 4g fiber / 456 mg sodium / 27g protein

Ingredients:
2 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb chicken tenders
1 bunch broccoli rabe, cleaned and chopped
1 McIntosh apple, diced
2 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
8 pitted brine-cured kalamata olives, chopped

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a nonstick Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until golden (7-10 minutes.)

2. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned (3 minutes.)

3. Add the broccoli and the water that clings to it, the apple, bouillon granules, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil.

4. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through and the broccoli is tender (8 minutes.)

5. Stir in the olives and serve at once.

(Neither Chris nor myself like olives, so I omitted that portion of the recipe.)

The recipe calls for broccoli rabe, but I just had florets. It seems to substitute just fine. I did add a few tablespoons of water to give the granules a little more liquid to dissolve into.

Enjoy!

Banana Cranberry Bars

These bars have a lot of substance to them and are quite filling.

Banana Cranberry Bars
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 spray cooking spray
1 Tbsp light butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar, unpacked
1 cup uncooked oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp orange zest
2/3 cup orange juice
3 Tbsp dried cranberries
1 large banana, chopped


Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Coat an 8" x 8" pan with cooking spray.
- Put butter, brown sugar and banana in a food processor and process until smooth.
- Add oats, flour, baking powder, and pulse until blended.
- Add zest, orange juice, and cranberries and pulse until a smooth batter forms with bits of cranberry throughout.
- Spread batter in baking pan and smooth top. Bake until firm and golden brown, about 35 to 40 minutes.
- Cool completely before cutting into 8 squares.

Taken from weightwatchers.com recipe exchange (2 points per bar.)
Info from Calorie Count recipe analyzer: 124 calories, 2.4g fat, 13mg sodium, 1.9g fiber, 2.5g protein.

Baked Turkey Chimichanga

My niece's birthday was this week and she picked the Alamo for a lunch destination because of their chimis. Of course, they are deep fried and coated in cheesy goodness, so I passed on ordering one. But my WW leader had passed out this recipe a few weeks ago and I gave it a try last night.

Baked Turkey Chimichanga
Serves 12

1 pound ground turkey
16 oz fat free refried beans
16 oz salsa
4 oz chopped green chili peppers
1 tsp chili powder
3 Tbsp chopped green onion
1 cup shredded reduced fat Monterey Jack cheese
12 8" fat free flour tortillas
1/2 cup fat free sour cream

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Coat large skilled and baking dish with cooking spray.
- Brown turkey in skillet and drain well. Stir in beans, 8 oz. salsa, chili peppers, spices and onions.
- Spoon 1/2 cup of mixture onto tortilla, fold in sides and roll.
- Put chimichangas into baking dish. Bake uncovered until crisp and brown, about 20 minutes.
- Serve with cheese, additional salsa and sour cream.

I plugged it into the recipe analyzer at Calorie Count and it came out with the following:
1 chimichanga = 250 calories, 8.1g fat, 534mg sodium, 6.8g fiber, 18.3g protein

We only used about 1/3 of the meat mixture, so we saved it and are going to use it for nachos while watching the race today.

Pork Kebabs with Mango Salsa

Mangos were on sale at HyVee, so this recipe got dropped into the weekly meal plan. I serve it with a small side of brown rice (not included in the calorie info.)

Pork Kebabs with Mango Salsa
Makes 4 Servings
1 skewer with 3/4 c salsa: 263 cal, 6g fat, 7g fiber, 400mg sodium

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 mango, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp honey
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 tsp salt
3/4 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed of all visible fat, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 Tbsp white-wine vinegar
1 Tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp olive oil

Directions:
- To make the salsa, combine the beans, mango, bell pepper, onion, cilantro and jalapeno in a medium bowl. Whisk together the lime juice, honey, mustard and salt in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the bean mixture. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

- Spray the broiler rack with nonstick spray. Preheat the broiler.

- Toss the port, vinegar, oregano, chili powder, cumin and oil in a medium bowl until well coated. Thread the pork onto 4 (8-inch) metal skewers. Broil 4 inches from the heat, turning often, until the meat is tender and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Serve with the salsa.

Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan Cheese

One of my biggest struggles is getting veggies in. I could eat fruit all day, but the prospect of a salad makes me lose my appetite. I'm trying new veggie sides for the next few weeks to try and add some variety to the meal plan. I made this last night and my husband was shocked when I dished a second serving onto my plate.

Ingredients:

6 cups cauliflower florets, fresh or thawed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

- Preheat oven to 450.
- In a large bowl, combine cauliflower, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to combine.
- Transfer cauliflower to a large baking sheet and spread into a single layer.
- Roast until cauliflower is golden brown, tossing occasionally (approximately 15 minutes.)
- Remove from oven, transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with cheese. Toss to mix.



Serves 6. Taken from Weight Watchers website (1 point per serving.) They don't give any caloric info, so I plugged it into the recipe analyzer at Calorie Count. 1 cup = 63 calories, 3.5g fat, 288 mg sodium, 2.5g fiber, 3.6g protein.

Recipe - Szechuan Chicken with Peanuts

Chinese food is a big trigger for me, so I was thrilled to find this recipe in the Weight Watchers Take Home Tonight cookbook.

Szechuan Chicken with Peanuts
Serves 4
1 cup = 302 calories, 11g fat, 3g fiber, 293 mg sodium

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
3 Tbsp hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp chili-garlic sauce
1 Tbsp canola oil
1 Tbsp minced, peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced on a diagonal
1/4 c unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

Directions:
1. Combine the chicken, 1 Tbsp of the hoisin sauce, and 1 Tbsp of the cornstarch in a medium bowl. Toss well to coat and set aside.

2. Combine the remaining 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, broth, vinegar, sugar and chili-garlic sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Heat a nonstick wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Swirl in the oil, then add the chicken. Stir-fry until almost cooked through, 2-3 minutes.

4. Add the ginger and garlic. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds.

5. Add the bell pepper, carrots and peanuts. Stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.

6. Add the hoisin sauce mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens, and the chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute.

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I have kind of wimpy taste buds, so I use the chili-garlic paste somewhat sparingly. This reheats very well (unlike some other Chinese recipes that I've made where the sauce goes a bit off when refrigerated.)