Slow Cooker Cranberry-Barbecue Chicken

Ingredients:

3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast

18 oz. bottle of Barbecue sauce or homemade sauce (I prefer Sweet Baby Ray’s if store bought)

1 can cranberry sauce

4 c baby carrots

1 c dried cranberries (optional)

Pairing suggestion:

Rosemary thyme red potatoes

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together cranberry sauce and barbecue sauce until well combined.

2. Place chicken breasts at the bottom of your slow cooker. Pour cranberry-barbecue sauce over the top of it. Add carrots and cranberries on top (I mix it all around so the carrots are well coated with sauce, too. We wouldn’t want to leave anyone out of the sauce party).

3. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours, cook times vary depending on your slow cooker. 

4. Serve as chicken breasts or you can shred the chicken and serve over rice. 

 

Yields about 14 servings, serving size 1/2 c (if shredded) or 1 (4 oz.) chicken breast

8 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

Rosemary Thyme Red Potatoes

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs steamable red potatoes

1/2 tsp Thyme

1/4 tsp Rosemary

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp Smart Balance Light butter

Directions:

1. Steam potatoes according to package directions in microwave. 

2. In a large bowl with lid, combine thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and butter. Set aside.

3. Carefully remove potato package from microwave and open to allow the steam to escape. Cut each potato into eights and place in prepared bowl with seasonings.

4. Place lid on bowl and shake potatoes around until well coated with seasonings and butter is melted.

5. Divide potatoes into four equal portions. Serve.

 

Yields 4 servings

3 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

Going Apes Cookies

A perfect combination of peanut butter, banana, and chocolate

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c multi grain oats (or your favorite gluten-free oats)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp Smart Balance Light butter

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 c crunchy peanut butter

3 large, ripe bananas, mashed

3/4 c semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips (or Enjoy Life dairy free chocolate chips)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with Silpat baking mats. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl combine oats, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until well combined. Set bowl aside.

3. In a large mixing bowl, or in the bowl of your stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine mashed bananas and peanut butter until smooth. 

4. Add butter, honey, and vanilla to banana mixture. Stir until combined.

5. Gradually add oat mixture to banana mixture. Stirring to combine after each addition of dry ingredients. Combine until well incorporated.

6. Fold in chocolate chips.

7. Drop scoops, about a tablespoonful, of mixture onto prepared baking pans. Bake for 13-15 minutes (mine were perfect at exactly 15 minutes).

8. Allow to set on the pan after baking for about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

 

Yields 25 cookies, serving size 1 cookie

3 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

*Click here to make these gluten & milk free

Ingredients:

1 can pure pumpkin

1 Spice Cake box mix, dry

(optional) 2/3 c chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a regular-size muffin pan with paper liners (18 total). 

2. Pour dry cake mix into a large bowl. Add pumpkin. Stir until just combined and all cake mixture is incorporated. 

3. Fold in chocolate chips, if desired.

4. Scoop muffin mix into prepared pan (I used my medium cookie scoop). 

5. Bake muffins for 20 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack. Muffins come out of the paper liners easier if they are cooled completely.

 

Yields 18 muffins, serving size 1 muffin

3 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System (without chocolate chips)

4 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System (with chocolate chips)

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

Baked Apple Pancake

Ingredients:

1 medium Fuji apple, peeled, chopped

4 tbsp brown sugar, divided

1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground

3/4 c egg beaters

1 c skim milk

2 tbsp molasses

3/4 c all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp ginger, ground

1/4 tsp nutmeg

pinch of salt

(optional) powdered sugar, for dusting

(optional) homemade cinnamon-molasses syrup, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a glass pie dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Add apple chunks to a small bowl. Stir in cinnamon and 2 tbsp brown sugar until apples are well coated.

3. Spread apples into bottom of prepared pie plate in a single layer. Bake for 5 minutes. 

4. While apples bake, prepare batter. Whisk together remaining 2 tbsp of brown sugar, Egg Beaters, milk, molasses, flour, salt, nutmeg, and ground ginger. Whisk until smooth and no lumps remain.

5. Carefully remove apples from oven and pour batter over apples. Return pie plate to oven.

6. Bake for 25 minutes until it puffs and is golden brown. 

7. Slide pancake out of pie plate and onto cutting board. Cut into 8 wedges. Serve with Cinnamon-molasses syrup and dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

 

Yields 8 servings, serving size 1 piece

3 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

 

Recipe modified from www.simplebites.net

Cinnamon-Molasses Syrup

Ingredients:

1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c molasses
6 tbsp water
1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground
1 tbsp Smart Balance Light butter

Directions:

1. Whisk together brown sugar, molasses, water, and cinnamon in a small sauce pan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly until all ingredients are well incorporated.
3. Remove from heat and whisk in butter. Allow to cool slightly

4. Transfer to a container for serving or storing. Store any remaining syrup in air-tight container in refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Yields 1 cup, serving size 2 tbsp

 

Find this recipe and other great homemade syrup recipes from Aimée over at www.simplebites.net

Banana Oatmeal Bread

pictured with optional chocolate chips and walnuts

Ingredients:

1/2 c Smart Balance Light butter

1 c sugar

1/2 c Egg Beaters

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 c flour

1 c multi grain oatmeal

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground

1/4 c fat free milk

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

(optional) 2/3 c walnuts

(optional) 2/3 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a large loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir until well combined. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Add eggs and vanilla to butter/sugar mixture. Mix well. 

5. Add about 1/2 of the dry ingredients to sugar mixture. Stir until just combined. 

6. Add 2 tbsp of milk and 1/2 of the mashed bananas. Stir until just combined.

7. Add remaining dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.

8. Add remaining 2 tbsp of milk and the other half of the mashed bananas. Stir until just combined (do no over mix).

9. Fold in walnuts and/or chocolate chips, if desired. Pour into prepared loaf pan. 

10. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

 

Yields 1 loaf, serving size 1 slice 

Weight Watchers Points+:

if cut into 10-12 slices, 5 points per slice

if cut into 13-16 slices, 4 points per slice

if cut into 16-18 slices, 3 points per slice

*add additional points for optional add-ins

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

 

Recipe modified from www.allrecipes.com

Multi Grain Honey Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c water, at room temperature

2 tbsp Smart Balance Light, at room temperature

1 1/2 tbsp Honey

2 1/4 c Organic bread flour

1 c Organic whole wheat flour

3/4 c Multi grain oatmeal (I use Quaker multi grain oats)

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp Active dry yeast for bread machines

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to bread machine according to your bread machine recommendations. Mine has me add them in the order listed above. 

2. Set your bread machine to a large loaf on the normal dough setting. (You could go ahead and cook your bread in your bread machine and skip the rest of the steps; I prefer to cook mine in the oven. Totally up to you)
3. At the end of the dough cycle, remove dough and knead two or three times to release the air. Shape bread into a loaf and place in a bread pan that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
4. Cover dough with a towel and place in a warm place for a final rise (I put it in the oven with just the light turned on. It’s a draft free place and the light keeps it just warm enough for a rise period). Let it rise until it’s at least double in size…about an hour or so.
5. After the final rise period, preheat your oven to 350°.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Cool bread in pan for about 5 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack for at least an hour before slicing.

 

Yields 1 large loaf, serving size 2 pieces of bread

4 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System

(2 pts/slice)

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

 

Bean & Rice Chicken Enchliadas

Ingredients:

1 c brown rice, dry

1 c water

6 large tortillas (I use low carb/high fiber La Tortilla Factory)
1 can fat free refried beans
1 can corn, drained
2 cup cooked chicken breast, chopped
1 cup  reduced fat Mexican style blend shredded cheese
2 cans enchilada sauce

(optional) sour cream, for topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Pour about 1/2 c of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the dish and tilt until equally distributed. Set aside.

2. Bring 1 water to boil over medium-high heat. Add rice when it reaches a full boil. Reduced heat to medium. Cover and let cook for 5 minutes. Leave lid on, remove from heat and allow to sit covered for an additional 7 minutes. 

3. While rice is cooking, lay 6 large tortillas out on counter top. Add the following ingredients equally to each tortilla:

-spread about 2 tbsp of refried beans on each tortilla 

-spoon about 2 tbsp of corn on top of refried beans

-spoon about 2-3 tbsp of rice on top of corn

-add chopped chicken on top of rice

-sprinkle each with about 1 tbsp shredded cheese

4. Roll up each tortilla (I do not fold the ends in) and place seam side down in prepared baking dish.

5. Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over stuffed tortillas. Top with remaining cheese.

6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and cheese on top is melted.

7. Remove from oven. Place full or half of an enchilada on plate. Top with sour cream, if desired.

 

Yields 6 or 12 servings

1 full enchilada 10 points 

1/2 enchilada 5 points

*Add additional points if topping with sour cream

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.