My mom just made this for lunches this week and I had a little for snack it was really good. We only used about half of the pepper. We don't like a whole lot of spice so it was a little spicy like just enough to have a little kick. But if you like spice go ahead and use the full amount.




Mushroom Barley Salad
light meals
POINTS® Value: 2
Servings: 6

Preparation Time: 15 min
Cooking Time: 20 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Course: light meals


Ingredients
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp table salt
1 tsp olive oil
2 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 tsp lemon zest, finely grated (zested)
15 1/2 oz canned yellow corn
1/2 pound mushroom(s), white, sliced
4 medium scallion(s), sliced
2 cup water
1/2 cup uncooked barley
2 cup cherry tomato(es), halved
Instructions

In a medium pan, bring barley and water to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook until tender, about 20 minutes; drain and rinse.
Combine barley with remaining ingredients. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

I made these last night and I think these are just as good as the ones in a restaurant!!

Lettuce Wraps

2 Tbs Canola Oil
4 Chicken cutlets, cut in cubes
3 Garlic Cloves, diced
2 Tsp Ginger
1/2 Red Pepper, diced
1 sm. can Water Chestnuts, diced
1 Shallot, diced (or you can use green onion)
3 Tbs Hoisin Sauce
Boston Lettuce Leaves

1. Saute veggies in oil.
2.Add chicken and cook through.

I serve it with a WW Peanut Dipping Sauce

3 Tbs Peanut Butter
2 Tbs sugar
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 Tbs Light Soy
1 Tbs Water
1 1/4 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbs cilantro(optonal)

1. Combine peanut butter, garlic, and sugar until smooth.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until combined.
ENJOY

A great smoothie that is SO filling:

1 cup of Light soy milk (I like Silk only)

1 cup of Fat free plain or vanilla yogurt. (get the BIG tub)

A handful of frozen fruits! (different berries are best, strawberries are delicious, blueberries reduce bellyfat!)

One banana, if you want.

A helping of benefiber (you can add all sorts of vitamins and supplements!


Blend well in a blender. No need to add ice! It’s perfect and it makes a HUGE smoothie that is made of all good ingredients! A great guilt free end of the day drink, and the way to start mornings!

I made this soup and even my hubby likes it.

2 1/4 cups flour (1024)
or, 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup cocoa powder for chocolate base (910+48)
2 tsp baking powder (10)
dash of salt

Mix above ingredients together (dry).

egg substitute, for 3 eggs (135)
3/4 cup sugar (581)

Whisk together egg substitute and sugar until smooth (wet).

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until it forms a soft ball of dough. Dust a work surface with a little flour. Divide into 2 or 3 balls and shape into long logs, about 1/2 to 3/4" high. The original recipe calls for a single log 12 inches long and 4 inches wide. Once it's out of the oven you are supposed to slice them 1/4" thin. I have never been able to get the slices that thin, so I usually make 2 or three logs about 15" long and about 2" wide. Today I did three, and managed to slice each into just over 20 pieces. So you can see I can only slice them about 3/4" wide. If you can slice them thinner, then the original recipe would work.

Bake in preheated 350F oven for 30 mins (do not shorten the time for smaller logs). They should be firm to the touch when taking out. Cool on a wire rack for 15-30 mins.

Using a serated knife, slice the loaves diagonally into 1/4" slices (if you can, hooray). Place the slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for an additional 12 to 14 mins. Remove from over and cool completely a second time on a wire rack.

Since I slice mine thicker the 12-14 mins leaves them slightly soft in the middle. In fact, I haven't quite figured out how much longer they need to go in. Today I did another 8 mins at 325, but they were almost cool by that time. It sounds complicated, but once you know how long you need it's really quite simple. The worst that can happen is that they soften on standing. If they don't soften they should keep for more than a month in an airtight tin (I use canning jars). If they soften you can either eat them as is, or simply put them into a 325F oven for 5-10 minutes to crisp up. I gave calorie counts for each ingredient so you can change it around as you wish. Also, the cherry calories come from one I found online that has a small amount of sugar and oil (which my home-dried ones don't have, but are more likely what you would use if you buy them).

Note: There is probably another tablespoon or two of flour used to dust the work surface (or if dough is really really sticky), but 2 Tbsp flour adds 57 calories to the batch. For mine that made 60 I didn't bother adding it in, but it is not reflected in the totals below.

Everything else are changes to original bases (dry & wet).

Chocolate Cherry Almond (use flour/cocoa in dry)
Add to dry - 1/4 tsp cinnamon (2), 1 cup unblanched whole almonds (815), 1 cup dried cherries (415)
Add to wet - 1 tsp vanilla extract (12)

Calories (for 48) - 61 cals, 2g fat, 10g carbs, 1g fiber, 2g protein
Calories (batch) - 2932 cals, 86g fat, 491g carbs, 34g fiber, 75g protein

Cinnamon (use flour only in dry)
Add to dry - 2 tsp cinnamon (12)
Add to wet - 2 tsp vanilla (24)

Calories (for 48) - 37 cals, 0g fat, 8g carbs, 1g protein
Calories (batch) - 1775 cals, 10g fat, 369g carbs, 10g fiber, 44g protein

Lemon Ginger (use flour only in dry)
Add to dry - 1 tsp lemon zest (1), 1/4 cup finely chopped crystallized ginger (1oz - 104)
Add to wet - 1 tbsp lemon juice (4)

Calories (for 48) - 39 cals, 0g fat, 8g carbs, 1g protein
Calories (batch) - 1857 cals, 10g fat, 396g carbs, 9g fiber, 44g protein

Orange Chicken

4 Great Value Frozen skinless boneless Chicken breasts
1 med orange
4 TBS Smucker's Sugar Free Orange Marmalade

spray baking pan with Pam, place chicken breasts in pan. Slice orange into thin slices, squeeze juice over top of chicken breasts. Spread one TBS of marmalade over each breast, place sliced orange ontop of marmalade. Cover with tinfoil, Bake at 350 for 50 mins. Drizzle juice in pan over top of chicken. (I used cauliflower plain and drizzled that too!)

Orange Chicken Per Serving Cals 168 Fat 6g Cholest 65mg Sodium 430mg Carbs 5g Sugars 3g Fiber 1g Protein 25g

This is a great "soup" of puree consistancy with a great nutty flavor!

Vegetable Puree
POINTS: 4
INSTRUCTIONS

1 small bit of fresh basil
1 cup onion(s)
2 cup cooked broccoli
2 cup cooked cauliflower
2 large potato, red or white
2 cup Cashew pieces, raw
3 cube vegetable bouillon cubes



Steam potato and onion until tender. Add broccoli and cauliflower and basil with vegetable boullion. Steam until all are tender (keep liquid). Puree cashews with a small amount of water into a paste in blender or food processor. Set aside. Puree the veg mixture. Add to cashew base. Salt and pepper to taste. Freezes well! Makes 12 x 1 cup servings. (WW serving = 1 cup = 4 pts)

Another variation is with spinach/kale/thyme instead of broc/caul/basil

Edit:
Nutrition info for 1 cup:
252 cal
Fat 17g (0 trans)
Cholesterol 0
Sodium 20mg
Carb 26g
Fiber 4g
Protein 9g

For some reason I'm in a crockpot mood. It's sometimes a little tricky making a dinner for just two people, but this one can be halved quite nicely. I did that the other night, leaving half the beans and green chilis in the fridge until tonight. The original recipe called for 4-oz of cream cheese, which I cut out, and since I didn't have jalapenos (1-2 in orig) I used a homemade canned hot sauce (which is pretty much jalapenos, a few other hot peppers, vinegar and horseradish).

1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, minced (hot sauce used - 1 tbsp)
1 tbsp cumin seed
1 tbsp dried oregano leaves
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
1 can, 19-oz white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups vegetable stock (used chicken)
3 cups cauliflower flowrets (pre-cook for 4 mins - oops, I didn't do this)
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
2 cups monteray jack cheese, shredded (I used a bagged cheese blend, only 4-oz)
4oz cream cheese, cut into 1/2 inch cubes, optional
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped mild green chilies, optional
finely chopped green onions, optional
finely chopped cilantro, optional

In skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until softened. Add garlic, jalapeno peppers, and seasonings. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer mixture to slow cooker stoneware. Add beans and stock and stir to combine.

Cover and cook on Low (8-10 hours) or on High (4 to 5 hours), until hot and bubbling.

Stir in cauliflower, green pepper, monteray jack cheese, and cream cheese and chilis, if using. Cover and cook on High for 25 to 20 minutes, until green peppers are softened and cauliflower is heated through. Ladle into bowls and garnish as desired.

(If you prefer a thicker chili, mash some or all of the beans before adding.)

Okay, as typing it up I realised why my cauliflower needs closer to 45 mins to cook. But it's quite good cooked in the crockpot. Information (based on 4 servings) with only the chilis added for the optional ingredients, based on 4-oz of cheese (6 is probably closer to 2 cups).

Calories: 360 (23 g protein, 15g fat, 39g carbs)

When I put the cauliflower in I also put in smoked sausages as well (for more protein!), just kind of pushing them down into the chili.

Canned beans would be easier. As I had dried beans I used the quick soak method (boil 3 mins, sit for an hour, boil until cooked). Once the beans are ready, mix everything in the crockpot. Calorie info is per serving. I made 2 servings, but it could easily make 4 or 6 if needed.

1oz dried beans (96)
7oz boneless chicken thighs (258)
1/2 cup salsa (35)
1/2 can corn, drained (85)
1/2 Tbsp chili powder (12)

Cook on low for 6 hours. Sprinkle the cheese over the top, and turn to high for about 15 mins to melt.

1oz cheese blend (104)

Total for that is 590 cals.

I broke it down by ingredient so you could change it to taste. I suspect most people wouldn't use 7oz of chicken as a portion, but I'm always looking to increase my protein intake. This is a meal on it's own. The second time I made it I left the beans out and had some broccoli with it. I think the original recipe called for chicken breasts, but they don't always do well in the crockpot. The chicken thighs are higher in calories and fat though. The same portion of chicken breast would be 193 cals, with less fat.

This is the recipe I use for canning salsa. It's not a good fresh salsa recipe. It works best if opened (and refrigerated) the day before serving. I jar them into pint sealers (~20oz jars). The size of the diced tomatoes, onion, and pepper will determine how chunky the salsa is. As they are cooked very little, it's important to dice them fairly fine. The calorie counts are approximate (from notes about the yield) but should be close. There's a note on the recipe that I believe means that 1/2 heaping bushel of plum tomatoes made just a little over 6 batches.

Base

6 cups charred tomato puree (see below)
1-1/2 cups white vinegar
1 Tbsp salt
4 Tbsp chopped garlic
4 Tbsp hot sauce
2 Tbsp dried parsley (or cilantro)

Char the tomatoes (roma/plum type) over either a hot barbecue or under the broiler. Barbecue is much better, trust me. The outside should be brown, with black patches, the inside soft. Put charred tomatoes in a blender and puree until smooth. Once you have 6 cups, put into a large pot with the vinegar, salt, garlic, hot sauce, and parsley. Bring to boil and boil until reduced to approximately 3 cups. It's probably easier to measure, but what you're looking for is when the mixture plops.

By the way - DO NOT TASTE THIS MIXTURE - really. It's vile at this point. No matter that I tell people not to taste it, they will try. Really, it's not worth it.

3 cups tomatoes, peeled and diced

Add the diced tomatoes to the above mixture and bring to a boil. Turn off the sauce and taste it now for seasonings. You may need to add a little salt and perhaps more hot sauce at this point. I use a homemade hot sauce, so you may want to use less in the above stage and adjust it up at this point. If the salsa does not have a slightly smoky taste, you can add a tsp of liquid smoke. This usually means that the tomatoes weren't charred enough in the first stage.

2 cups finely chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped pepper

Add the onion and pepper last. It is important not to cook them if you're going to can the mixture. Pour into sterilized jars, add a dash of alum if desired and cover with boiled two-part lids. Process in boiling water batch for 5 mins, no more.

Yield: Approx. 3-1/2 pints

I usually make double lots which will get me 7 pint jars.

Calories (per cup): 112 (4g protein, 1g fat, 27g carbs, 5g fiber)

Calories (per Tbsp): 7 (2g carbs, all others showing 0)

The ground meat came in grams, but roughly 450g = 1lb.

1350 g lean ground turkey (3lbs)
450 g lean ground pork (1 lb)
2 eggs (extra large used)
3 Tb chili powder
1 Tb cumin seeds
1 Tb chopped garlic
1/2 cup salsa (homemade one used)

Mix all ingredients and divide into servings (it was just over 5oz of mix). Press into 1-cup custard cups and bake covered in 350F oven for 45 mins. You could likely put 1/2 servings into muffin tins (adjust cooking time down) and have each serving be two mini loaves. Let cool completely. Tip mixture into baggie for freezing. I thaw these overnight, put 2Tb salsa on top and reheat in the microwave.

Makes 14 servings.

Calories (each, without extra salsa) - 211 (27g protein, 11g fat, 3g carbs, 1g fiber)

Note: the homemade salsa is an estimated calorie item, based on the recipe from the last time made and canned. 1/2 cup is 63 cals (3g protein, 0g fat, 15g carbs, 3g fiber)

Possible adjustments: This was meant to be a lunch item. It could be changed up slightly for a dinner dish. I'd like add some chopped onion and maybe even a can of drained corn kernels with some oatmeal flakes as a binder.

Anne,
I make very similar meatloaf, in fact, I made it just this weekend. I use ground turkey, a bit of ground pork. I add: at least 2 big garlic cloves (crushed), one egg, one minced onion (sauteed), salt, pepper, one finely grated carrot and one finely grated parsley root (large). You can also add grated celery root.
A lot of dried marjoram (rubbed between palms so it's like fine dust).
This week, I also added a package of firm tofu (unmarinated). It turned out great, so I think I will be always adding tofu from now on (I am just starting to learn using tofu).

Okay, I had to buy the zucchini. Having committed to a party I wanted to find an easy to make (and easy to freeze) yet lower in fat and calories. So the original would be 181 calories for a 2"x2" piece. The version below is 106, and would be under 100 calories if you skip the chocolate chip frosting. I had the woman across the street test it out (with her husband and the grandkids I think) and the result was nobody could tell there was only 1Tb of butter/oil mixed in the entire cake. Other two neighbours opinions to follow later.


1/2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/2 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup (less 1 Tb) unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1/4 cup sour milk (or milk with 1/2 Tb vinegar)
1/2 tsp vanilla
5/8 cup sugar
1 cup grated zucchini with peel

Melt butter and mix with oil to make 1Tb. Put into measuring cup and make up difference with unsweetened applesauce (to 1 cup). Mix with rest of above ingredients in bowl.

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Sift dry ingredients together and stir into wet ingredients. Do not over mix. Spread into greased (non-stick spray) 8x8 or 9x9 pan and bake in preheated 350F oven for 30 - 35 mins until inserted wooden pick comes out clean. Turn oven off.

Sprinkle 1/4 cup chocolate chips over the cake and return to the oven for about one minute. Spread the melted chips over the surface.

Notes: The 1/4 cup of chocolate chips is a very thin layer. You could probably double that (which would be in line with the original recipe). I also suspect that you could easily cut the sugar to 1/2 cup (5/8 is harder to measure and I don't think it would make a big difference).

Calories (entire cake): 1653 (32g protein, 40g fat, 313g carbs, 14g fiber)

so... 1/12 - 141 cals, 1/16 - 106 cals

Picture of the cake if you're interested.

This is from the USA.com website. It's low-fat recipes. I did the classic and it turned out really yummy!


Great Granola
One formula, eight yummy variations
Tired of spending $6.95 for a 10-ounce package of gourmet granola? Then don't. Here's an easy master formula. Follow one of the eight variations, or use one to inspire your own cereal blueprint.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT OATS: For the best results, reach for old-fashioned (not quick) oats, which will bake into crisp, golden granola. Cereal made with quick oats clusters better, but the texture is powdery, not crisp, and it tastes of raw starch.

CREATE CLUSTERS: To help the cereal cluster, add a smidgen of water. In combination with the oil and liquid sweetener, the water mixes with the wheat germ to create a delicious mortar. Squeeze the cereal with your hands before baking to seal the bond and form small clumps.

USE BOTH LIQUID AND DRY SWEETENERS: I prefer straight maple syrup, but try honey or a combination of honey and maple syrup, or maple syrup and molasses. Mix the brown sugar with the dry ingredients; it will sit on the cereal's surface to add color and flavor. You can reduce the sweetener slightly (omit the brown sugar), but you may need to increase the baking time to achieve the best color. If serving the granola with milk or over plain yogurt, remember that it needs to be sweet enough to carry the dairy, as well. And don't forget salt: Just a pinch brings out the cereal's flavors.

BAKE AT A LOW TEMPERATURE: That helps the cereal to crisp up and brown thoroughly and evenly. Add the dried fruit partway through baking so it dries out just enough to keep the cereal from turning soggy.

You can double the recipe, but bake the granola in two pans. You also may need to increase cooking time. The key is to cook the granola until it is an impressive golden brown.

Pam Anderson is the author of four cookbooks, including her latest, "Perfect Recipes for Having People Over" (Houghton Mifflin, $35).

Master Granola Recipe Makes 1 quart

Adjust oven rack to middle position, and heat oven to 275 degrees. Coat a 9-by-13-inch metal pan with cooking spray, then set aside. Mix oats, wheat germ, brown sugar, salt and Extra Ingredients --except dried fruit -- in a bowl. Bring syrup, oil, water and any Flavoring indicated below to a simmer in a saucepan over low heat. Drizzle over oat mixture, and stir to combine. Pour mixture onto prepared pan. Working a handful at a time, squeeze cereal to form small clumps. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir in dried fruit. Continue to bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes longer. Let cool. (Granola can be stored in an airtight tin for up to two weeks.) For nutrition information on each granola variation, go to usaweekend.com.

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 Tbs. dark brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup Extra Ingredients (see complete list below)
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 Tbs. flavorless oil, such as vegetable or canola
1 Tb. water
Flavoring (see below)

1. Classic Granola
Extra Ingredients: 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, 1/3 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/3 cup dark or golden raisins
Flavoring: 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
You can replace the 1/4 cup of maple syrup with 2 Tbs. each of maple syrup and molasses.

2. Crunchy Granola
Extra Ingredients: 1/4 cup slivered almonds, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, 2 Tbs. sesame seeds, 6 Tbs. currants
Flavoring: none

3. Granola with Tropical Flavoring
Add the coconut along with the cashews and banana chips.
Extra Ingredients: 1/4 cup chopped roasted unsalted cashews, 1/4 cup chopped banana chips, 1/4 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/4 cup chopped dried pineapple
Flavoring: 1/2 tsp. ground ginger

4. Granola with Cherries and Almonds
Extra Ingredients: 1/3 cup sliced almonds, 1/3 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/3 cup dried cherries
Flavoring: 3/4 tsp. almond extract

5. Trail Mix Granola
Extra Ingredients: 1/4 cup chopped roasted unsalted peanuts, 1/4 cup sweetened flake coconut, 1/4 cup dark or golden raisins, 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips*
Flavoring: none
*Stir chips into the granola only after it has completely cooled.

6. Orange-Berry Granola with Pecans
Extra Ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped pecans,1/4 cup dried cranberries, 1/4 cup dried blueberries
Flavoring: 1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest

7. Pear Granola with Hazelnuts and Vanilla
Extra Ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, 1/4 cup chopped dried cherries, 1/4 cup chopped dried pears
Flavoring: 1 tsp. vanilla extract

8. Orange-Flavored Granola with Pistachios, Mangos and Dates
Extra Ingredients: 1/2 cup chopped roasted pistachios, 1/4 cup chopped dates, 1/4 cup chopped dried mangos
Flavoring: 1/2 tsp. finely grated orange zest and 1/4 tsp. allspice

Nutritional information for granola and variations. Based on 1/2 cup servings.

Classic Granola: 256 calories, 6g protein, 34.9g carbohydrates, 11.4g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 3.9g fiber, 85mg sodium.

Crunchy Granola: 255 calories, 7.3g protein, 30.2g carbohydrates, 12.7g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 4.6g fiber, 77mg sodium.

Tropical Granola: 257 calories, 5.8g protein, 35.3g carbohydrates, 11.3g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 3.8g fiber, 84mg sodium.

Granola with Cherries & Almonds: 258 calories, 6.6g protein, 34.2g carbohydrates, 11.1g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 4.4g fiber, 85mg sodium.

Trail Mix Granola: 270 calories, 6.5g protein, 37.3g carbohydrates, 12g fat , 0mg cholesterol, 4.1g fiber, 229mg sodium.

Orange-Berry Granola with Pecans: 264 calories, 5.7g protein, 34.3g carbohydrates, 12.5g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 4.4g fiber, 78mg sodium.

Pear Granola with Hazelnuts & Vanilla: 272 calories, 6,5g protein, 35.9g carbohydrates, 12.3g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 4.7g fiber, 78mg sodium.

Orange-Flavored Granola with Pistachios, Mangoes & Dates: 259 calories, 6.7g protein, 36.1g carbohydrates, 10.9g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 4.4g fiber, 80mg sodium.

OATMEAL CARROT BARS

1/2 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. non fat plain yogurt or unsweetened applesauce
3 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. grated carrots
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 c. oatmeal
1/4 c. wheat germ
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. raisins

In a small bowl, cream together applesauce, sugar, egg whites, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add carrots and mix well. In another bowl, thoroughly stir together flour, baking powder, oatmeal, wheat germ and cinnamon. Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, fold in raisins. Pour mixture into a vegetable oil sprayed 9 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into bars.
Yield: 24 bars. Calories per serving 59.