Red Pepper Hummus

WOW, this is my first posting in 2010! Sorry that I have been slackin’. So I recently discovered that I really like hummus; when I was younger I was afraid to try it because it looked weird. {ha ha, I am so glad I grew out of that stage}

I adapted this recipe from the Weight Watchers from Pantry to Plate book. At first the recipe was a little bland, so I added some more cayenne to give it a kick! It was a good healthy snack with a bit of kick. Here is the original recipe.

RED PEPPER HUMMUS
Points Value: 2
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: None
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1 small garlic cloves
1 (15½-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup chopped rinsed roasted red bell pepper
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon tahini
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch cayenne

Instructions:
1. With the motor running, add the garlic to a food processor through the feed tube and process until finely chopped. Add the chickpeas, roasted peppers, water, tahini, lemon juice, salt and cayenne and process, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl until smooth.

2. Transfer to a bowl; stir in more water 1 tablespoon at a time if the hummus is too thick to spread easily. (The hummus may be prepared and refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days.)

Special Notes:
Hummus is classically served with vegetable dippers or toasted pita wedges, but you can also use it to make attractive hors d’oeuvres: Put a half tablespoon of the mixture on each of 32 cucumber slices and garnish each with a parsley leaf or dill sprig; 4 pieces will have a POINTS value of 1

Recipe Source:
Weight Watchers From Pantry to Plate

Print this recipe.

The ingredients…


Before the food processor…


Final product…


I hope you enjoy the recipe; happy cooking.

3-BEAN CHILI

OK, OK…yes I am still here. Things have been crazy in my life lately so cooking is one of the last things I feel like doing. But my waistline is starting to notice that difference, so I have started cooking again. And what better way to start back up with a 3 bean chili; you could also call this the pantry chili. I dug into my pantry and gathered as much stuff as I could to make a chili and it turned out AWESOME…spicy and yummy. Here is the recipe that I used.

3-Bean Chili
Points Value: 4-5 points
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 6

Ingredients:
2 (16 oz. cans) – Red Kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 (16 oz. cans) – White Kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 (16 oz. cans) – Pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 onion- finely chopped
2 (14.5 oz cans) – Diced tomatoes with green chili’s
1 large can Crushed tomatoes
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
1 package of chili seasoning or season to taste
Hot sauce, your preferred kind and season to taste
1 teaspoon of oil

Instructions:
1. Heat oil, onions and garlic until browned.
2. Add all beans (rinsed and drained), Rotel, crushed tomatoes, chili seasoning and hot sauce.
3. Stir ingredients together and simmer for 45 minutes.

Print this recipe.

The Ingredients…


The chili simmering…


The final product…


I hope that you enjoy this recipe; happy cooking!

BLACK BEANS & RICE

Well folks its football season and football season means those warm comfort foods! HOORAY!! I found this recipe in the Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook…I am a fan of red beans and rice, but this one has a bit of a Mexican style to it; so I had to try it. It was FANTASTIC, just the right amount of kick to it! Here is the recipe that I used.

Black Beans & Rice
Points Value: 9
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 60 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
1 (16-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup basic vegetable stock
4 teaspoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
½ cup water
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 cups cooked white rice

Instructions:
1. In a medium nonstick saucepan, heat the oil. Sauté the bell pepper, onion and garlic until very soft, about 15 minutes. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, stock, sherry, thyme, bay leaf, oregano, pepper sauce, and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. If the mixture becomes too thick, add hot water to thin to desired consistency.

2. Stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper; discard the bay leaf. Serve over rice.

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The ingredients…


My new toy, Pampered Chef chopper. I LOVE it!


Chopped green peppers…


Sautéing the garlic, onions and peppers…


The final product…


Recipe Source:
Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

I hope that you enjoy this recipe; happy cooking!

PASTA WITH BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER & LEMON

I tend to have a smaller appetite in the summer time and I am always a fan of pasta. As I was flipping through my Weight Watchers Pantry to Plate cookbook, I found this recipe. It was very tasty, preserved well for leftovers and it was filling. Very easy to make as well!

Here is the recipe that I used.
Pasta with Broccoli, Cauliflower, and Lemon
Points Value: 4
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
1 (1-pound) bag frozen broccoli and cauliflower mix
6 oz whole-wheat rotini or fusilli pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the broccoli and cauliflower and cook 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Add the pasta to the pot and cook according to package directions. Drain, reserving ¾ cup of the cooking water.

2. Wipe out the pot and place over medium heat. Add the oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until the garlic is golden, 2-3 minutes. Add the broccoli and cauliflower and cook, breaking up the vegetables with the side of a spoon, until hot, about 2 minutes.

3. Add the zest, lemon juice, salt, pasta, and reserved cooking water. Cook, stirring, until the pasta is heated through, about 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cheese. 1 1/2 cups is one serving.

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The ingredients…


The broccoli & cauliflower boiling…


The broccoli & cauliflower sautéing…


Final product…


Recipe Source:
Weight Watchers From Pantry to Plate

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Happy cooking!

GRILLED VEGETABLES

Grilling vegetables on the grill is one of the best things about summer time. I am a huge fan of veggies and it’s been quite a chore to get my husband to eat them…so I combined a few of my favorite recipes to come up with this flavorful mix of grilled veggies.

Grilled Vegetables
Points Value: 1
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 – 15 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4


Ingredients:
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
1 Orange Bell Pepper
1 Yellow Squash
2 Zucchinis
3 tablespoons of Light Olive Oil
1 tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar
1 teaspoon of Minced Garlic
½ teaspoon of Oregano
Salt
Pepper

Instructions:
1. Slice up vegetables and place them into a mixing bowl.
2. Mix the oil, vinegar, garlic and oregano in a small bowl. Combine the marinade with the vegetables and toss to coat. Salt and Pepper the vegetables to taste.
3. Salt and Pepper the vegetables to taste
4. Place the vegetables in the microwave for 3 to 5 minutes to pre-cook.
5. Place the vegetables into either aluminum foil or grilling basket, and place onto grill.
6. Cook the vegetables until tender, tossing them frequently.

Ingredients…


Tossed and coated…



Ready for the grill…



Final Product…


CLICK HERE for a printable version of the Grilled Vegetable Recipe.

FLANK STEAK STIR-FRY WITH ASPARAGUS & RED PEPPERS

I found this recipe online at Simply Recipes and it sounded yummy! I had some fresh asparagus that I needed to use and I thought this was the perfect recipe to try out. However, I did modify the original recipe just a touch to make it a bit more Weight Watchers friendly. I opted for light olive oil, low-sodium soy sauce and brown rice. Which brought the point value down to six; FANTASTIC! Below is the recipe that I used.

Flank Steak Stir-Fry with Asparagus & Red Peppers
Points Value: 6
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: Approximately 35 minutes
Level of Difficulty: Medium
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Light Olive oil
1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed, cut on the diagonal into 1 1/2 inch lengths (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 lb of flank steak, sliced in half lengthwise (along the grain) and then cut into thin strips, 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide (put the steak in the freezer for 15 minutes before slicing to make it easier to slice)
1 red bell pepper, seeded, de-ribbed, and cut into thin strips 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide
2 teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved into 3 Tablespoons of water

All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce
3 Tbsp Low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp finely chopped, peeled, fresh ginger
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, including green tops, chopped
1/2 tsp chili oil

Instructions:
1. While you are chopping the ingredients in preparation, bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Parboil the asparagus pieces for 2 minutes, drain, rinse in cold water, drain, and set aside. If you are planning to serve this dish with rice, in a separate pan, prepare 2 cups of brown rice, following the instructions on the rice package.

2. Prepare the All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce by combining the ingredients in a small dish, and set aside.

3. Stir-fry the asparagus in a wok (or a thick-bottomed pan with at least 2" sides that can take high heat) in 1 Tbsp of oil, on high heat, for about 2 minutes until lightly browned. Remove asparagus from pan and set aside.

4. Add another 1 Tbsp of oil to the pan and stir fry the beef strips, in 2 batches, for 2-3 minutes until browned but still pink inside. Return the first batch of beef to the pan and add the bell pepper. Stir and toss over high heat until just beginning to wilt, 1-2 minutes.

5. Quickly stir the cornstarch liquid and add it to the pan along with the stir fry sauce. Cook until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Return the asparagus to the pan, toss to evenly coat and serve with steamed brown rice (unless you are going low-carb, in which case, leave out the rice).

Recipe Source:
Modified from the Simply Recipes Website

Ingredients…


The beef cooking…


The final touches…


Final product…


This recipe was very good. I was unable to find chili oil, so I decided to use roasted bell pepper oil…which seemed to be a good substitute. A good filling meal!

CLICK HERE for a printable version of the Flank Steak Stir Fry Recipe.

EASY TURKEY PANINI

On the weekends my husband and I enjoy these Turkey Panini’s. They are low in fat and oh so easy to make! Of course, you can put as little or as much on your sandwich as you desire. Here are the ingredients that I used for my Panini…

EASY TURKEY PANINI
POINTS Value: 7
Preparation Time: 2 minutes
Cooking Time: 2-3 minutes (depends on the Panini press that you use)
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 1

Ingredients:
2 slices of Oroweat Double Fiber Bread
1 oz of Deli Pepper Turkey Breast
1 slice of Sargentos Pepper Jack cheese
1 handful of baby spinach
Land O’ Lakes light butter spread
Deli sliced banana peppers
Yellow mustard

Instructions:
1. Heat up Panini press. While the press is heating, butter one side of each piece of bread.
2. Place the cheese, turkey, spinach, banana peppers and mustard on the sandwich.
3. Place the entire sandwich on the Panini press with the buttered side out. Let it cook.

Ingredients…


Before the Panini press…


On the press…


Final product…


Like I said…very simple but very good. On my husband’s sandwich I will but mayonnaise and no peppers, but he is getting a bit more adventurous. I highly recommend the Oroweat bread; it is 1 point per slice…so those of you that are bread lovers you don’t have to sacrifice to get a large sandwich.