Pineapple BBQ Pita Pockets

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast
1/2 c pineapple, cut into chunks
8 oz. barbecue sauce (I love Sweet Baby Ray’s Hickory & Brown Sugar or you can use a homemade sauce)
4 tbsp. red onion, chopped, raw
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
Salt/Pepper, to taste
8 whole wheat Pita Pockets
Romaine Hearts

Directions:
1. Lay out chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper. Coat generously with BBQ sauce.
2. Cook chicken in your preferred method (I love grilled chicken in this recipe, but you could also bake it at 350° for about 30 minutes)
3. Allow chicken to rest after cooking for about 10 minutes, then cube into bite-sized pieces in medium sized bowl.
4. Add pineapple, cilantro, and red onion to chicken in bowl.
5. Line each pita pocket with one Romaine leaf, then spoon 1/2 c BBQ chicken mixture into pita pocket.

Yields 8 servings, serving size 1/2 c
4 points on Weight Watchers Smart Point System for BBQ chicken mixture
*add additional points for pita pocket

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

Ham & Pineapple Pizza on Whole Wheat Crust

Ingredients:

for the pizza dough-

1 1/2 c water

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp. honey

4 c whole wheat flour

1/3 c wheat germ

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

 

to brush on the crust-

1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

toppings-

1/2 c pizza sauce

3/4 c 2% mozzarella cheese

1/3 c fresh pineapple chunks

1/2 c Canadian bacon, chopped

Directions:

1. Add ingredients for the pizza dough to bread maker. Follow manufacturer’s directions for adding ingredients. My bread maker suggests adding the ingredients in the order listed. Set bread maker for a large loaf on the dough setting.

2. When bread maker is finished, remove dough from pan. Using your hands, stretch and pull dough until it is even all the way around and about 1/4″ thickness. Place on an ungreased pizza pan. Allow to rise for 1 hour in a draft-free, warm place. (I usually just put it in my oven, turned off, with the light on.)

3. After final rise, mix together the ingredients to brush on the crust. In a small dish, combine 1 tbsp oil, Italian seasoning, and  garlic powder. Brush mixture about 2 inches around the outside edge of the pizza dough for the crust.

4. Bake in oven for 7 minutes. Remove and top with pizza sauce, cheese, ham, and pineapple.  

5. Bake at 450 for 10-12 minutes or until pizza is golden brown and dough is cooked through.  Cut into 8 pieces.

 

if cut into 8:  

Yields 8 servings, serving size 1 piece

5 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System

Baked Ravioli

This recipe was so easy and delicious, I had to share it from over at tastykitchen.com.  My daughter is such a picky eater, it’s hard to find things she’ll eat. However, she ate two helpings of this! 

Ingredients:

1 (25 oz) bag of frozen ravioli 

3½ c Prego Light Smart Traditional sauce

2 c Italian cheese blend, shredded

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Spread 1 c of pasta sauce evenly on bottom of baking dish. 

2. Arrange ½ of the ravioli in a single layer on the bottom of the dish. Top ravioli with 1 c of pasta sauce. Sprinkle 1 c of cheese over ravioli and sauce. 

3. Add another layer of ravioli on top of the cheese. Pour remaining 1½ c of pasta sauce over ravioli. Top with remaining 1 c of cheese. 

4. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 min. 

5. Remove foil. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly hot. 

 

Yields 11¼ servings, serving size 4 baked raviolis 

5 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

 

recipe from tastykitchen.com 

Stuffed Shells | Taco Style

Ingredients:

1.25 lbs extra lean ground beef

4 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese

homemade taco seasoning  

1/3 c water

12 oz. jumbo pasta shells

12 oz. jar of salsa (I used mild)

8 oz. jar of taco sauce (I used medium, and I prefer Ortega®)

1 3/4 c reduced fat, 2% Mexican cheese blend

serving suggestions:

tortilla chips

sour cream

green onion, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a baking dish (I used a 9 x 13 glass dish) with non-stick cooking spray. Pour salsa into bottom of baking dish. Spread around until bottom of dish is well coated. Set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. 

3. While you are waiting for your water to boil, brown hamburger in a skillet over medium high heat. Drain excess fat and discard. Reduce heat to low. Add taco seasoning and water to hamburger. Mix until well combined and water has absorbed. 

4. Stir cream cheese into hamburger mixture until melted and well mixed. Turn off heat and set aside to cool. 

5. Add shells to boiling water. Cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain water and allow to cool enough to handle.

6. Place cooled shells one at a time, into bottom of dish. Fill each shell with one spoonful of hamburger mixture. Repeat until all hamburger mixture has been used. 

7. Pour taco sauce over stuffed shells so that all shells are evenly coated with sauce. 

8. Cover dish with foil and place in oven to bake for 20 minutes. 

9. Remove foil. Top stuffed shells with cheese. Place back in oven, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes. 

10. Served along side tortilla chips, and garnished with sour cream and green onion. 

 

Yields 7 servings, serving size 3 stuffed shells

8 points per serving on Weight Watchers Points+ System

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

Strawberry-Banana Oat Muffins

Ingredients:

2/3 c multi-grain oatmeal

1/4 c nonfat strawberry Greek yogurt

1/4 c skim milk

1 tsp strawberry extract

3/4 c whole wheat flour

1/4 c light brown sugar, packed

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon, ground

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 large, ripe banana, mashed

2 1/2 tbsp canola oil

1 egg, beaten

1 c dried strawberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 410°. Spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. NOTE: This recipe will make 8-11 muffins. If you like large muffins, spray 8 cups. If you prefer smaller muffins, spray for 11. 

2. In a small bowl, combine oats and yogurt. Mix until oats are well covered by yogurt. Pour milk over oats. Leave soak for about 10 minutes. 

3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda. Gently mix until well combined. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, or in the bowl to your stand mixer, add banana, egg, and oil. Mix to combine.

5. Add oat & milk mixture to banana mixture. Add strawberry extract. Stir until just combined. Add in dry ingredients. Stir at low speed until just combined. Do not over mix! 

6. Fold in dried strawberries. Scoop mixture into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until tooth pick inserted into center comes out clean. 

 

Yields 8 large muffins or 11 small muffins, serving size 1 muffin

If 8 muffins are made: 4 points per serving on Weight Watchers points+ System

If 11 muffins are made: 3 points per serving on Weight Watchers points+ System

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

Pepperoni & Mozzarella Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

2 c pasta, dry

1 bottle Bolthouse Farms Cesar Parmigiano Yogurt Dresssing (found in refrigerated produce section)

1 c mini turkey pepperoni

8 oz. Mozzarella Fresca pearls (found with specialty cheeses)

1 c grape tomatoes, halved

1 tsp basil, ground

dash of salt

dash of black pepper

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, until al dente.

2. Drain pasta and transfer to mixing bowl. Allow pasta to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.

3. Add dressing, salt, pepper, basil, and pepperoni. Stir until pasta is well coated with dressing.

4. Cool in refrigerator for 1-2 hours. After cooled, mix in mozzarella and tomatoes. Stir until well coated.

 

Yields about 15 servings, serving size 1/2 c 

4 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

1.25 lbs extra lean ground beef

small onion, chopped

homemade taco seasoning 

1/8 c water

1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire 

1/2 c ketchup

1 tbsp yellow mustard

3 tbsp brown sugar

Directions:

1. Add onion to large skillet over medium heat. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. 

2. Add hamburger to onions cook over medium-high until brown. Drain and discard excess grease from skillet. 

3. Reduce heat to low. Add taco seasoning and water until well mixed. Stir in Worcestershire, ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar. Continue heating over low for an additional 5 minutes, or until evenly heated. 

4. Remove from heat. Scoop 1/3 c of sloppy joe mixture onto bun. Top with cheese, if desired.

 

Yields 9 servings, serving size 1/3 c

3 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System

 

*add additional points for bun and/or cheese

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

Sausage & Sun-dried Tomato Penne

Ingredients:

2 c (8 oz.) whole wheat Penne noodles, uncooked

13 oz. Hillshire Farms smoked turkey sausage, chopped

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (more if you like it spicy or you can leave them out all together)

3 tbsp Smart Balance Light butter

1/4 c flour

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 1/2 c fat free milk

6 sun-dried tomato halves, diced

1 c reduced fat mozzarella 

1/2 c grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. Cook Penne noodles according to package directions. Drain and discard water.

2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and garlic powder. Heat for about one minute. 

3. Gradually whisk in milk and bring to a simmer for 5-7 minutes. Continue whisking as sauce thickens. Add in dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and cook an additional one minute.

4. Reduce heat to low. Stir in mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, sausage pieces, and noodles. Continue to stir over low heat until heated through about 3-5 minutes. 

5. Transfer to serving dish.

 

Yields 9 1/4 servings, serving size 3/4 c

7 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System

 

Other point values for this dish:

1 c = 9 points

1/2 c = 4 points

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

Three Cheese Tortellini with Chicken & Pesto

Ingredients:

18 oz. three cheese tortellini (I used two 9 oz. packages)

1 can reduced fat cream of chicken soup

2 tbsp original basil pesto

2 c chicken, chopped, cooked

1/2 c fat free milk

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 c grated Parmesan 

Directions:

1. Cook tortellini according to package directions. Discard water and set aside.

2. In a large skillet, whisk together cream of chicken soup and milk until well combined. Add in garlic powder, pesto, and chicken. Bring to a simmer over medium low heat. Add cooked tortellini to sauce pan. Continue to simmer for an additional 5 minutes. 

3. Transfer to serving dish, top with Parmesan. Serve.

 

Yields 9 1/4 servings, serving size 3/4 c

7 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.

 

Jalapeno-Lime Turkey Burger

Ingredients:

1.25 lbs ground turkey (I use extra lean)

3 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp jalapeno, chopped

1/2 c multi grain oats

1/4 c pineapple juice

zest of one lime

1/2 tsp salt

homemade sun dried tomato guacamole 

Directions:

*Preheat broiler to low setting.
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, cilantro, garlic powder, jalapeno, oats, pineapple juice, lime zest, and salt. Mix all ingredients together.
4. Divide turkey mixture into six equal amounts and shape into burger patties.
5. Spray a broiler pan with non-stick spray (if you don’t have a broiler pan, a cookie sheet with a wire rack will do just fine. Just line the cookie sheet with foil so nothing burns to your pan).
6. Place patties on wire rack. Broil about 5 min on each side on top oven rack. (Grilling these burgers would also work well.)

7. Remove burgers from oven. Place on bun and top with a dollop sun dried tomato guacamole.

Yields 6 turkey burgers, serving size 1 burger
3 points on Weight Watchers Points+ System
*add additional points for hamburger bun

*add additional points for guacamole

 

I am in no way affiliated with Weight Watchers.