Simple Tomato Sauce Chicken Over Spinach Leaves

As most of you already know, I'm on a processed free kick. The more reading I'm doing the more I've come to realize how many chemicals we eat every day and it is pretty scary. But cooking homemade from scratch cooking doesn't always have to be time intensive! I'm also trying to eat more veggies and less carbs and a lot of times carbs are what takes the longest in a meal to cook. This dinner took only 15 minutes to assemble. The tomatoes cooked in the oven on low heat for 2 hours, but you could do them quicker if needed by broiling instead of slow roasting.
-Amanda

Simple Tomato Sauce Chicken Over Spinach Leaves

2 large chicken breasts
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb roma tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
1 yellow onion
2-3 cups spinach leaves
fresh grated parmesan to sprinkle on top

To make roasted tomato sauce, slice roma tomatoes in half. Place on a cookie sheet along with the onion that has been quartered and the garlic cloves, still in their paper. Drizzle olive oil on top and coat vegetables well. Roast at 275 for 2-3 hours (turning once) until nice and caramelized. Puree in a food processor (removing the skin from the garlic.)

Pound chicken breast out so it is even, season with salt and pepper. Pre-heat your indoor grill skillet to very hot. Cook chicken about 4 minutes on each side. Let rest before slicing.

Assemble: place spinach leaves on plate, top with chicken and tomato sauce. Sprinkle on a bit of parmesan cheese and enjoy! I served with another side of veggies to be carb free, but this would of course be great with pasta!

Tomato Chicken Stew

I figured tonight was a good night to cook chicken. Mostly because I bought a bunch of chicken at the store the other day and haven't had any creative inspiration on cooking it. Since I'm trying to eat smaller portions of meat, I've been really into one pot meals. This way a scarce amount of meat doesn't seem as noticeable if you can fill up on veggies. I've never made anything quite like this but it was really tasty. I'll definitely be making it again.

Tomato Chicken Stew

10 oz chicken breast
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic
2 carrots
2 stalks of celery
1 bell pepper (I used red)
1 can of green beans
1 large baking potato or two smaller ones
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 can of diced tomatoes or tomato sauce
about 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth
2 tbsp flour

Dice onion and garlic. Pour oil in very large skillet or pot on low heat and add the onion and garlic. Chop carrots, bell pepper and celery and add to the onions. Cut potato into moons and add that to the skillet. Cook for a few minutes on medium heat to get the potatoes started cooking. Add seasonings: oregano, thyme, turmeric, salt and pepper. Cut chicken into small squares. Add to the skillet. Add a can of tomato sauce or diced tomatoes. (I didn't have tomato sauce but I didn't really want chunks of tomato, so I pureed it in my blender.) Drain the green beans and add them to the skillet too. In a small bowl mix 1/2 cup of chicken broth and the flour whisking with a fork until there are no lumps. Pour into the skillet and stir. Add more chicken broth depending on how thick you want it. Bring to a simmer and cook covered for about 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Do not boil or the chicken will get tough.

weight watchers: Serves 4 at 4 pts per serving.
-Amanda

Turkey Chili Mac

This is another one of those dinners that I was just going through my pantry/fridge and came up with. There are lots of versions of this, my Mother-in-law makes something similar she calls Chili Soup because hers is thinner and this is thick. Since I made it while the girls were napping and my kitchen was clean, I took pictures of the steps. I'd like to do that more often, but I usually don't have the time or I forget. And don't let the long list of ingredients worry you, at the end of the recipe I put some easy substitutions! Oh and this passed the toddler test, although after they ate about half of it they decided it was too spicy. (But they kept eating more!)

Turkey Chili Mac

10 oz ground turkey meat
1 can of pinto beans
1 can of fire roasted tomatoes (or stewed)
1 can of tomato sauce
1 carrot
1 stalk of celery
1 small onion
3 cloves of garlic
banana pepper or can of green chilies
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup parsley
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 cup beef stock
2 cups dried pasta


This is most of the ingredients. I decided not to put in two cans of tomatoes, instead I used some beef stock for more liquid. I also added some vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to "brighten" the flavor at the end.


Chop your onion, garlic & peppers pretty small (especially if you are hiding them for toddlers)


Put them in a big skillet and saute.


While they are sauteing chop your celery and carrot and add to the skillet.


Add your turkey meat.


This is a nifty tool I bought from Pampered Chef. It helps break up meat and it works really well. Lean meats can sometimes be harder to break up than higher fat meat. Also, I never drain my meat, because I cook with such lean meat there is usually no fat to drain. If you sub a higher fat beef or even a higher fat turkey meat you may have to drain before you add seasonings.


Once the meat is broken up a bit, add the seasonings. I like to add them before the meat is fully browned. I think this flavors the meat more. Once it is brown, it doesn't take in the seasoning as much (in my opinion.) Stir the seasoning in to mix with the meat and veggies.


Add your liquids: the tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans and beef stock. I added the Worcestershire sauce and vinegar later because it needed the acidic element added. I didn't drain or rinse the beans because the liquid that they are packed in is high in starch (leached from the beans) and will help thicken the chili. Add your raw noodles, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes or until the noodles are tender.
Serves 6 (Weight Watchers 4pts per serving)

substitutions: you can sub beef for the turkey. If you don't have tomato sauce use either some tomato paste and extra beef stock or water. OR use a squirt or two of ketchup. You can skip the parsley, I just had it on hand. You can probably play around with the seasonings but I'd stick with the chili season or perhaps substitute a taco seasoning (it'll taste a bit different of course!) The main idea is cook with what you have and don't feel like you have to follow the recipe exactly!
-Amanda

Chicken and Bean Taco Salad

A quick and easy go-to meal. I have a couple different taco salads here at The Frickin Chicken, and this was another tasty one.... not mention high in fiber and decent in Weight Watchers Points.

Chicken and Bean Taco Salad

6 oz chicken breast
3 oz shredded cheese
1/2 onion, finely diced
1 small red bell pepper small dice
2 cloves garlic
1 can of black beans
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp lime juice
salt and pepper
chopped lettuce
2 tortillas per person

In a cast iron (or other favorite skillet) saute the onions, garlic and bell pepper until the edges start to turn brown. Add the chicken. When the chicken is almost cooked through, add the beans and all of the seasonings. Build your taco how ever you like. I put a tortilla down on the plate, piled it high with lettuce and then my chicken taco mixture. I put 2 oz cheese on top and melted it in the microwave for a few seconds. My second tortilla I cut into triangles and served on the side. This serves 3 Weight Watchers portions for 8 pts each.
-Amanda

Spinach, Potato & Egg Casserole

I found this recipe in a grocery store pamphlet and it sounded good. It's been sitting on my desk for weeks waiting to be tried. I almost threw it out a few times, but then I'd stop because I really did want to try it. It was good, but it seemed to be missing something. I think if it had a crust and was more of a quiche instead of a casserole it would have tasted better, but then again it would have had more calories. Oh, and I used Egg Beaters instead of real eggs, so that probably had alot to do with it. It would be a good dish to serve a crowd for a brunch though.

Spinach, Potato and Egg Casserole

1 medium potato
10 oz bag frozen spinach
8-10 button mushrooms
6 eggs (or 1 1/2 cups egg beaters)
2 egg whites
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
3 tbsp flour
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350º.
Chop onion and potato into small dice. Mince garlic. Slice mushrooms. Saute the onion, potato, garlic and mushrooms in a skillet with the tablespoon of olive oil until potato is cooked through (about 15 minutes.)

Defrost and drain spinach.

In a large bowl, whip eggs, egg whites, flour, sour cream and cheeses. Add spinach and sauted vegetables. Pour into a 9x13 inch baking pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake for 40 minutes. Serves 4 large portions at Weight Watchers 6 pts each, or 8 portions for 3 points each.
-Amanda

Bar-B-Q Chicken, Baked Potato, Roasted Broccoli

This dinner is as easy as you can possibly get. It's a prep in 10 minutes or less cooks in 15 minutes dinner. And yet, it's healthy and filling. There's only 4 ingredients plus cooking spray.

Bar-B-Q Chicken, Baked Potato, Roasted Broccoli
Coat chicken breasts with your favorite bar-b-q sauce. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray. Place chicken on one end of a cookie sheet (I used stone wear from Pampered Chef, but whatever you have will be fine.) Prick potatoes with a fork and microwave for about 4 minutes to par-cook them. Place them on the cookie sheet. Spread fresh broccoli on the other end of the cookie sheet in one layer. Sprinkle with salt and pepper or if you have it, a garlic & herb type seasoning. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Do not put food in until your oven is fully pre-heated. Then bake for 15 minutes. If your chicken breasts are cut thin enough, this should be plenty of time.

The potatoes finish baking, the broccoli gets crisp and delicious and the chicken is super juicy and tender. Enjoy!

Weight Watchers:
1 pt per ounce of chicken
1 pt per 2 tbsp of barb-q sauce
2 pts per potato (adding points for cheese, butter and the like)
-Amanda

Salmon with Orange-Rosemary Cream Sauce

Sometimes dinner comes together by an inspiration from what is in the refridgerator. Tonight's dinner was one of those. I had a couple of ingredients I wanted to use up before they turned and I think I came up with a pretty tasty dinner. I used Salmon, but I was originally going to do this with a chicken breast, I'm sure it would taste good too. Oh and my daughter Izzie ate her entire salmon fillet!

Salmon with Orange-Rosemary Cream Sauce

2, 4oz Salmon Fillets
salt & pepper

Sauce:
1/2 cup fat free half and half
zest of one orange
juice of one orange
3-4 fresh rosemary sprigs
salt and pepper
1 small clove garlic mashed

To make sauce: In a small pot, pour the half and half. Add the crushed garlic clove and the zest of the orange. Then squeeze in the orange juice. Season with salt and pepper and place the whole rosemary sprigs in the pot. Simmer on medium-low for about 20 minutes stirring frequently until the half and half reduces down and thickens up.

While sauce is reducing: Season salmon fillets and grill, I used an indoor grill pan and cooked the fillets about 4 minutes per side, but it depends on the thickness of your fillet. They are done when they flake apart easily with a fork. Pull rosemary& garlic clove out of the sauce and strain if desired. Drizzle over fish and serve. Serves 2.

Sides: Grilled asparagus with sauce drizzled over them & roasted potatoes.

Weight Watchers: 9 points for entire plate
-Amanda

Indian Vegetable Bhaji

Last time I went to the grocery store, I bought a Tandoori Seasoning packet for chicken. Sometimes I like pre-packaged seasoning packets (as long as they are all spices and not just preservatives and salt.) It is an excellent way to try a new flavor profile without investing in a bunch of spices that you don't use on a regular basis. For the Tandoori Chicken, I mixed the spice packet with yogurt, lemon juice and minced onion. I marinated the chicken for an hour or so and then broiled in the oven. I think real tandoori chicken is cooked in a special clay pot, but this was yummy. Looking for a side dish and not wanting to rely on the standby rice, I came across this dish on allrecipes.com and realized I had all of the ingredients (sort of)! This vegetable side dish is very delicious and will definately be repeated in the future!

Indian Vegetable Bhaji

4 large potatoes, finely chopped <- I didn't have any potatoes in my house so I used sliced canned potatoes, these are good to keep on hand for when you are in a pinch!
1 cup cauliflower florets <- I had to use frozen, can't wait to try this out with fresh!
1 carrot, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh green peas <- Again with the frozen, but probably will keep this ingredient frozen.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped <- I used half a large onion, which was plenty for me!
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon black mustard seed <- I didn't have black, but I did have yellow, so I used that.
2 whole bay leaves
4 green chile peppers, chopped <- Growing in the garden, so I used super fresh!
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root <- I keep ginger root in the freezer and use a grater to grate off some whenever I need it.
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
cilantro leaves for garnish (optional) <- I did not use any
Directions:

1. Place the potatoes, cauliflower florets, carrot, and peas into a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on High until the vegetables are very hot and starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Remove the plastic wrap, and drain the vegetables in a colander.
2. Place the vegetable oil in a large skillet, and heat over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion until it turns golden, about 10 minutes, and stir in the cumin seed, black mustard seed, and bay leaves. Cook and stir until the seeds begin to sputter, about 30 seconds, and then add the green chiles, garlic, and ginger. Cook and stir until the garlic begins to brown, about 1 minute.
3. Stir in the ground cumin, curry powder, and chili powder, and then add the partially cooked potatoes, cauliflower, carrot, and peas. Cook and stir until the vegetables are tender and coated with spices, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves.

Weight Watchers: I figured it to be about 3 pts per serving, using the canned potatoes.
-Amanda

Shrimp Po'boys

From Wikipedia, A po' boy (also po-boy, po boy, or poor boy) is a traditional submarine sandwich from Louisiana. It almost always consists of meat or seafood, usually fried, served on baguette-like Louisiana French bread. I love po'boys. This isn't truly authentic because usually the seafood is fried, but here I am on Weight Watchers, so I "grilled" my shrimp in a lime-cajun seasoning in a cast iron skillet. It was still finger lickin' good!

Shrimp Po'Boys
Homemade coleslaw (see recipe below)
8 oz shrimp (about 7-8 pieces per person)
cajun seasoning (such as this)
lime juice
2 french baguettes

Coleslaw
1 cup shredded cabbage
half of a carrot grated
2 tbsp mayo
1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper

Oven Fries
1 large potato
cooking spray
salt
cajun seasoning

To make the coleslaw, julienne (cut into very thin strips) the cabbage, place in a bowl. Grate half of a carrot and add to the cabbage. Add mayo, apple cider vinegar and salt and pepper. Stir to mix evenly and let set in the refrigerator for a few hours. It can be eaten immediately but if you let it sit, the cabbage breaks down more.

To make the shrimp po'boys marinade shrimp in the lime juice, cajun seasoning, salt and pepper. Let sit for a few minutes. Cut baguettes lengthwise in half, leaving a hinge. Toast in toaster oven or under a broiler. Preheat a cast iron skillet (if you don't have cast iron, you need at least one of these in your house, otherwise you your favorite skillet.) Place the shrimp around the skillet and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side. Assemble sandwich by placing coleslaw and then the shrimp.

To make oven fries, peel and cut a large potato into french fry strips. Spray with cooking oil and season with salt, pepper and cajun seasoning. Place in one layer on a cookie sheet. A pizza stone or other stoneware works amazing for this too. If you have a convection oven (my toaster oven has this setting) this seems to get the fries crispier. Otherwise pre-heat oven to 425-450 degrees and cook for about 20 minutes flipping in the middle.

This meal serves 2 but can easily be doubled. Weight Watchers: 9 points for entire meal.
-Amanda

Another Homemade Hamburger Helper

Hamburger Helper is probably a copyrighted term, but I don't know how else to describe ground beef/gravy dishes. They are so simple to make from scratch and making it homemade there is no preservatives. I would never consider this a company dish, but for a family dish it is filling and cheap. This version is extremely weight watchers friendly because it only has 1/2 lb of beef for four servings (you can add more beef if you aren't on a diet.) It's also very healthy with the vegetables, and fiber that it has in it! Oh, and for those that are curious, I'm still in denial that I'm doing weight watchers and I still don't want to talk about it. By the way, this is a huge portion for 4pts, you are filling up on fiber and vegetables but it feels like you are eating a big beefy dish. Substituting rice will increase points.

Beef & Barley

1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 large zucchini
Lots of button mushrooms. I used the big container, I don't know what size that is, forgot to look at the package! (If someone knows, let me know and I'll update the recipe)
1/2 onion
2-3 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary or 2 tsp dried
1 tsp dried oregano
salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 cups of beef broth/stock
1 cup pearl barley

In a small pot put the 1 cup of barley with one cup of water and one cup of beef broth. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 45 minutes.

In a large skillet, saute the onion and garlic. Add ground beef. Break up into small pieces. Since there isn't much meat in the dish, having it in small bits ensures you get a little bit of meat in each bite. Add rosemary, oregano, salt and pepper. Add diced mushrooms and cubed zucchini. Continue cooking on med-hi to hi until mushrooms start to brown. Add Worcestershire sauce. Sprinkle the cornstarch over the meat and mushroom mixture. Stir until the cornstarch dissolves into the dish. Add about 2 cups of beef broth and bring to a boil. If it thickens too much, add more water (or broth) if it is too loose, keep boiling until it reduces and thickens a bit. Add barley when it is finished. Serves 4.

Weight Watchers: 4 pts per serving
Wheat roll on the side was an additional 1 point.
-Amanda

Beef Stuffed Cabbage

Most of the time when I go to the grocery store I just put ingredients in my cart that speak to me in the moment. I rarely have a PLAN. I always admire the women who have a menu plan and know exactly what they are going to buy when they go to the store. I guess it's good that I am good at creating dishes from the ingredients on hand. So tonight when I was trying to decide what to make for dinner, I remembered I had a head of cabbage and some ground beef in the fridge. Which lead to...

Beef Stuffed Cabbage

8 cabbage leaves (savoy would be better, but I just had regular cabbage)
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup of wheat germ (hidden nutrition!)
1 carrot, grated
1/2 onion finely chopped
2-3 cloves of finely chopped garlic
1 egg white
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cans of diced tomatoes
salt and pepper

Place cabbage in a large bowl, add some water to the bottom and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 2 minutes to soften the cabbage leaves, making them pliable and easier to roll.

In a large bowl combine beef, rice, water, wheat germ, carrot, onion, garlic, egg white and seasoning. Mix well.

Spoon 1/4 cup of beef mixture into each cabbage leaf, rolling like you would an eggroll.

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and brown the cabbage leaves. Add water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about an hour. Turn cabbage rolls so that they cook evenly. Check and add water if it reduces to far. 2 rolls per serving, serves 4.

Weight Watchers Points: 6 per serving.
-Amanda

Easy Peezy Cheezy Beany Burritos

These easy cheese and bean burritos are for one of those nights when you want something quick and easy for dinner. It also only requires one small pot so it won't get the kitchen messy.

Easy Peezy Cheezy Beany Burritos

1 can of fat-free refried beans
1 cup of shredded reduced fat cheese
1/2 can of fire roasted tomatoes, drained, reserving 1-2 tbsp of liquid
1/4 onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
8 small flour or corn tortillas
salt

Spray a small pot with cooking spray, add the onions and garlic and cook on medium until they are softened and starting to caramelize (turn brown.) Add can of beans, the tomatoes with 1-2 tbsp of liquid, and spices. Stir. Add cheese and stir until melted and mixed in. Serve on flour or corn tortillas. Serves 4.

Weight Watchers:
Tortillas- 1 pt per tortilla
cheese- 2 pts per serving
beans- 1 pt per serving
-Amanda

Chicken Broccoli with Lemon Garlic Sauce

Not much to say about this meal except that I was looking for another filling/low point dinner to make. I wish I had a real lemon, but I used what I had in the fridge which was bottled lemon juice. If I had a real lemon, I would definitely have used the zest to bring out the lemon flavor. Still, even using the bottled lemon juice, this was a good dinner.

Chicken Broccoli with Lemon Garlic Sauce

2 tsp olive oil
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into thin slices
4-5 garlic cloves
1 tsp ground thyme
3 cups broccoli florets
1 cup diced mushrooms
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
4-5 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp splenda
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
2 cups cooked brown rice

Season chicken with salt and thyme. In a large skillet heat olive oil. Add chicken. Cook on high until chicken is almost cooked through and then remove it from skillet. Add broccoli, mushrooms and garlic. Mix chicken broth, cornstarch, lemon juice, soy sauce and splenda in a small bowl. Pour over broccoli and mushrooms. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until broccoli is tender. Add back chicken, toss in sauce and gently cook until chicken is all the way done, but not overcooked.

Weight Watchers:
Points: 5 per serving
Serves: 4
-Amanda

Spanish Chicken and Rice

John and I have joined Weight Watchers again. I'm in denial. Yes, I've agreed to the plan, and I will cook and eat and do it, but in a robot/automatic-I've-done-this-so-many-times-I-know-the- points - of- everything- by-heart, mode right now. Perhaps after I've lost 10 or so pounds I'll muster up some enthusiasm. In the meantime I don't want words of encouragement or support. That would counteract my denial. If you are a friend or family member of mine, know that I know you support me, end of story. That's the last I'll talk about that for a while. This is a Spanish Chicken and Rice recipe pulled straight from weight watchers website. I'll give it 4 stars. It was filling for the amount of points, it was easy and it tasted pretty good, although calling it Spanish requires a bit of imagination.

Spanish Chicken and Rice

1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 anonion (it called for 2 whole, but 1/2 was plenty even for someone who likes onions)
1 lb uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 cups of water (next time I'll do chicken broth)
1 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes
5.5oz of rice
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/8 tsp chili powser
1/2 medium red pepper
1/2 medium green pepper (I didn't have the red, so I used 1 green*)
1/2 cup chopped celery
2/3 cup frozen green peas

Spray a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray, brown garlic, onions and chicken.

Add water, tomatoes, rice, turmeric, chili powder, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Do not bring to a boil or you chicken will be dry. Just a gentle simmer.

Add peppers and celery and simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add peas and simmer until rice is tender, adjusting liquid if necessary.

*I also chopped up a zucchini because I had one on hand and my bell pepper was puny and I omitted a lot of the onion.)

Weight Watchers:
Points Value: 6 pts
Serves 4
-Amanda

Spring Asparagus & Lemon Fettuccine

This dish was fantastic! I was browsing Weight Watchers website looking for some inspiration when I stumbled upon this asparagus recipe. John and I decided it was very delicious! Even my twins ate everything on their plate and asked for more. Izzie liked the asparagus more than Maddie, but both ate some of it. I gave them tips since that part is the most tender. The most exciting thing about this recipe is the endless possibilities. For instance, tonight I added some chicken leftover from a roasted chicken I made last night.

Spring Asparagus & Lemon Fettuccine

2 tsp butter

2 tsp olive oil

1 pound(s) asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 tsp table salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 large egg(s)

1 cup(s) fat-free half-and-half

1 tsp cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water

1/4 cup(s) parsley, fresh, chopped

2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp lemon zest

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

• Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and keep hot.
  
• Meanwhile, place butter and oil in a large skillet; melt over medium heat. Add asparagus, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus begins to brown, about 6 minutes; remove from skillet and set aside.
  
  
• In a small bowl, whisk together egg and half and half; add to skillet used to cook asparagus. Place skillet over medium heat; add cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove skillet from heat. Add pasta, asparagus and remaining ingredients to skillet; stir to combine and serve immediately. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving. 7 points per serving.
  

-Amanda

Healthy Chicken Florentine

A few nights ago, I was going through my freezer and I came across a box of spinach. Chicken Florentine immediately popped into my head. I've never made it before and I'm not sure I've even eaten it before. I looked up a few recipes online and they all had heavy cream or tons of cheese. So, I created this, a healthy and very tasty version of chicken florentine. And surprisingly enough, this got high marks from my twin toddlers.

Healthy Chicken Florentine

4 oz small noodles of your choice (I used wheat to make it even healthier!)
8 oz chicken breast, cut in small pieces
1 package frozen spinach
1 small onion
1 large clove of garlic
2 cups of chicken stock
3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp cream cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions.
Chop onion. Saute on low heat until translucent. While onion is cooking, defrost spinach in microwave. It took my microwave 7 minutes. Drain very thoroughly by putting the spinach in a strainer and pushing it with your spoon to remove all the excess water. Set spinach aside. Mince garlic. In a small sauce pan put garlic, flour and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk until flour dissolve. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

Add chicken to the onions and stir until almost cooked through. Add drained spinach. Sauce should be thick by now, add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Drain pasta, add to chicken. Pour sauce over chicken and stir. Serves 2.

Weight Watchers (per serving):
chicken: 1pt per oz
pasta: 3pts for 2 oz
sauce: 1pt
-Amanda

Amanda's Easy Jambalaya

My easy Jambalaya. This is probably as authentic as Rolex bought from a New York street corner. But then again, what makes authentic cuisine? Good food, is good food and easy good food sometimes is even better. A real jambalaya might take all day to make. This took about 15 minutes to throw together. This recipe serves 2.

Amanda's Easy Jambalaya

1/2 cup raw rice, prepared per package directions
6 oz shrimp, cut in half
5 oz andouille sausage (I used a low-fat turkey sausage)
1/4 package frozen okra
1 small onion diced
1 small green bell pepper
3 cloves garlic
1 small can tomato paste
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp Tony Chachere's Cajun seasoning (or other Cajun seasoning blend)
1 tbsp fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)

Dice onion, bell pepper and garlic and sautè in skillet until translucent. Add sausage and cook until it starts to caramelize. In a small bowl whisk flour and chicken broth. Add tomato paste to skillet and cook it for a minute having chicken broth ready to pour in the skillet. When tomato paste has cooked through, add the broth before it burns. Add frozen okra and shrimp. Season with Cajun seasoning and oregano, salt and pepper. Serves over rice. Serves 2.

Weight Watchers (per serving)
3oz shrimp- 1 pt
2.5 oz sausage - 2.5 pts
tomato paste -1 pt
rice- 3 pts
flour- 0.5 pts
-Amanda

Apricot Glazed Chicken Kabobs

These turned out delicious! Even my 16 month toddlers gobbled up the chicken and mushrooms. Since they don't have any back teeth they couldn't eat the bell pepper or onion.

Apricot Glazed Chicken Kabobs

8 oz chicken breast, cubed
1 small bell pepper
1/2 small onion
12 small mushrooms
Glaze
2 tbsp apricot preserves
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
1/4 c chicken broth

Cube chicken into 1" pieces. Cut bell pepper into small squares. Quarter onion. Clean 12 mushrooms. In a small bowl mix the ingredients for the glaze. Layer vegetables and meat on skewers. With a pastry brush, brush glaze onto kabobs. Marinate 1 hr, brushing glaze and rotating kabobs every 15 minutes. Grill on outdoor grill for 15 minutes or broil in oven. Serves 2.

Weight Watchers:
Chicken 1 pt per oz.
1 pt for glaze

Weight Watchers Mexican Casserole

I honestly don't remember where I picked up this recipe for Weight Watchers Mexcian Casserole. I think it might have been on one of those cards you get when you attend meetings. I'm not sure, I just know that I've made it several times, it's always a big hit and it is only 5 pts for a serving. Somewhere along the line I added a can of tomatoes to the dish because it was too dry. Well tonight I forgot to *drain the tomatoes and it became too wet. Oh well, it still tasted good, but instead of eating it with a fork, a spoon was needed!

Weight Watchers Mexican Casserole

1.5 lb bag pre-cooked chicken, faijta style strips
2 15.5oz cans of black beans, drained
3 cups of fat free sour cream
2 cups low fat mexican cheese
2 4oz cans of diced chilies (not drained)
1 can fire roasted tomatoes (*drained!)
1 tbsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
12 small corn tortillas cut in thick strips

This is SUCH an easy dinner. I call it "dump" style. Defrost chicken. Add to a big bowl. Open all cans, drain as needed and pour in the bowl. Add seasonings, including salt and pepper if desired. Add almost all the cheese, reserving some for the top. Mix chicken and all ingredients very well. Layer 1/3 of tortillas in the bottom of a casserole dish. Layer 1/2 of chicken mixture. Layer 1/3 of tortillas, and the rest of the chicken mixture. Top with the last of the tortillas and sprinkle with set aside cheese. Bake at 350º for about 30 minutes. Serves 12.

Weight Watchers:
5 pts for 1/12 of casserole
-Amanda

Chicken Cheddar Hoagies

Fast and Easy was what I needed for tonight. This fit the bill with the plus side of being super yummy! I got this from a Weight Watchers Stir It Up! Super Skillet Cookbook. I made the recipe to serve 2 instead of four and figured out my own points.

Chicken Cheddar Hoagies

8 oz chicken, diced
1 small onion, sliced
1/2 green bell pepper chopped
1/2 roasted red bell pepper from jar, chopped
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp thyme
2 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
2 small individual french loafs

In a cast iron skillet (or other heavy skillet) sautè onions and bell peppers. Remove from skillet. Add chicken, salt & pepper, thyme and worcestershire sauce. When chicken is almost cooked through, add back veggies and cook the chicken through. Spoon half onto each loaf that is cut down the middle. Add 2oz cheese to each sandwich. Broil in oven until cheese is melted.

Weight Watchers (per serving):
4oz chicken: 4 pts
1 oz cheese: 2 pts
small french loaf: 3 pts
-Amanda

Updated 3/14/11- I no longer believe in the low fat/ high fiber lifestyle. But this recipe will still be a great meal. I'll saute the veggies and chicken in bacon grease or coconut oil and add a bunch more raw-milk cheddar cheese on top. Ideally I'd serve on a sprouted grain bread to make this a Weston A. Price approved meal!