Cinco de Mayo Casserole

Just around the corner is a great day for a little festive celebration, Mexican style! Why not celebrate with a great WW Friendly recipe?

Invite friends to share this great dish. Add a "virgin" margarita or splurge and have the real thing and make it a great fun night!

Of course you have to "shake your maracas" and get some extra activity points! Cinco de Mayo is the perfect day to do it!

Cinco de Mayo Picante Chicken Enchiladas (3)

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
1 jar (16 ounces) Pace® Picante Sauce
1/2 cup fat free sour cream
2 teaspoons chili powder
12 oz. cubed cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, fat free
6 medium wheat tortillas (8-inch), warmed
1 green onion, thinly sliced (about 2 tablespoons)

Stir 3/4 cup picante sauce, sour cream and chili powder in a medium bowl.

Stir the picante sauce mixture, chicken and cheese in a large bowl.

Spoon 1/3 cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up the tortillas and place seam-side up in a lightly greased 11 x 8-inch shallow baking dish. Pour the remaining picante sauce over the filled tortillas. Cover the baking dish.

Bake at 350°F. for 40 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with the onion.

*Original Recipe from Pace Picante®/Campbell's® Kitchen - reworked by Bev P. to become Weight Watcher® friendly!

It's Picnic Time! Can you handle it?

SURE YOU CAN!

Picnic's... ahhhh, the glorious days of gathering with friends and family to share outdoor fun and, of course, that great picnic food. But going to a picnic while trying to lose weight can be a horrible event. All that mayonnaise layden food, greasy grilled burgers, those fatty, cheesy casseroles. HOW could you ever manage?

Well here's a few recipes to help you stay the course, along with some ideas for food you can take for yourself!

We enjoyed some wonderful, "Weight Watcher®" friendly macaroni salad at this weekend's picnic. Of course, double batches are often needed if you're cooking for a crowd but that's the glory of this recipe...it can be doubled or tripled without any real problems! Here's the version I made with some tips/changes you could use to create your own personal flavor!

Macaroni Salad (2)

4 1/2 cup(s) cooked macaroni, kept warm

3/4 cup(s) fat-free mayonnaise

1/4 cup(s) fat-free sour cream

3 tbsp sweet pickle relish

1 medium sweet red pepper(s), diced

1 medium green pepper(s), diced

1/4 cup(s) sweet onion(s), minced
1/8 tsp. onion powder

1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste

1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

Instructions

While macaroni is still warm, place in a large bowl. Add mayonnaise, sour cream and relish; toss to coat. Add peppers, and onion; toss to combine. Season to taste with onion powder, salt and pepper.

Chill for at least 1 hour.

1/2 cup per serving (2).

*Note:
The original recipe called for 1 medium carrot(s), diced also, which I myself omitted. If you like carrots in your macaroni salad, by all means use it!

You can basically stick with the 4 1/2 Cups cooked macaroni to 3/4 Cup Fat Free Mayo/Salad Dressing and 1/4 Cup Fat Free Sour Cream as the base for your salad. Add to that your "normal" ingredients to give your salad your own taste. As long as you use "free" items, such as veggies and/or spices. Adding a single hard boiled egg does not change the food (value) at all and can add a little extra something to the dish.

What to take for the grill:

If you find that they're going to be cooking up burgers and dogs why not take along your own "Light" hot dog (2) or 4 oz. burger made from 99% fat free ground turkey (1) or 95% fat free beef (4)? Nobody will have a clue and it will help keep you on program! Better yet, if you're not hankering for beef, you could always add a skinless, boneless chicken breast for an easy count (3). Marinate the chicken breast ahead of time in fat free Italian dressing for a no extra food values added!

Don't forget to bring your own light bun!

NO! Not CASSEROLES!

Yes, you can create "friendly" versions of casseroles to share with everyone and keep it so you know how to count your servings too!

Here's one of my favorites to take when you're asked to "bring a dish"!

Un-Stuffed Cabbage Roll Casserole(6)

Yield: 6 Servings

1.5 Pound Extra Lean Ground Beef

2 Medium Onions, chopped

6 Cloves Garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Salt

1/2 teaspoon Pepper

16 oz. Tomato Sauce

1 Cup Water

1/2 Cup Uncooked Long Grain Rice(white)

1 (16 oz.) Bag Classic Coleslaw Mix

Preheat oven to 350F. Brown beef until no longer pink. Drain grease off, if necessary. Add the onions, garlic, salt, pepper, tomato sauce, water, & uncooked rice. Bring to a simmer and cook until the rice is partially cooked (about 10-15 minutes). Spray a 9X13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Layer half of the coleslaw mix into the bottom, then spread half of the meat mixture on top of that. Repeat layers. Do not stir. Cover tightly with a piece of foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours or until the cabbage is tender.

Dessert Table

Dessert's going to be a problem? Then bake up some awesome (3) brownies! Or take along a box of WW dessert's/bars that will help kill your sweet's needs!

Cutting up some fresh fruit or even stopping along the way to pick up a pre-cut container of fresh fruit from your local grocer can help you contain your desire to eat sweets that aren't good for you! Taking your own fruit will satisfy your "crunch" and "sweet" cravings.

Black Bean Brownies (3)

1 Pkg. (9x13 pan size) REGULAR Fudge Brownie Mix
1 Can (about 19 oz.) black beans with their juice

Blend black beans and their juice in a blender until complete smooth. Add to 1 box of brownie mix (not reduced fat, but regular) and stir until brownie mix is moistened completely. Bake in preheated oven according to brownie mix package directions.

Cut into 24 even pieces. (3 ea.)

*Note: Food Points will vary according to type of brownie mix you use.

*Note: While I know it sounds like a strange mixture, you have NO clue you've used black beans as your moistening agent for the brownies! I swear to you, they do not give off a taste at all in this recipe!

TIPS

• Spend time playing outdoor games instead of standing by the picnic tables nibbling
  
  
• Play horseshoes, volleyball, etc. to keep active and not think about eating
  
  
• Come to the picnic after you have already eaten one meal (lunch or breakfast) and not starving, it will help you control your hunger!
  
  
• Go for a walk with friends/family after your dinner/lunch!
  
  
• Take a seat farthest away from the main table that has food on it. This will keep you from leaning over or jumping up and reaching over to eat, mindlessly.
  
  
• Enjoy conversation with your family and friends. Keeping busy and talking will help you avoid filling your mouth!
  
  
• Offer to hold the newest "baby" at the picnic while "mom" eats. You'll have your hands too full to grab unhealthy foods!

As with most of "dieting" and changing lifestyles when it comes to eating, the key is planning ahead. Don't go hungry, don't ignore signs that you're getting hungry while there. Doing this will only make you grab the nearest, quickest and probably least healthy option!

Most of all, ENJOY your summer outings! Make the best of your time outdoors by keeping busy, enjoying conversation and friendship and most of all... THE SUNSHINE!

Staying In Control

It's often a heavy feat to "stay in control" around food, especially food that tend to be your "trigger" foods. I don't have a lot of days when I could eat a side of cow by myself but when those days come, WATCH OUT!


I feel so out of control and it's never "the same" each time. Some days I could eat anything sweet, other days anything "meaty", other days simply anything! It's not always the same reason I'm feeling out of control either. There are hormonal issues (aka "that time of the month"), there are stress issues (rarely the same each time), and there are "un-preparedness" issues (where I simply go without eating so long that I then finally let loose and grab it all).

There's no 100% effective way to deal with each of these issues and their end result of losing control of your eating habits. If there was, none of us would worry about them! But there are ways we can help ourselves gain control back. Here are a few tricks I've learned can help often, not always.

1. Try to always be prepared with your eating plans all mapped out

Always knowing ahead of time what you're going to eat saves you from grabbing the first thing in your face. Keeping snacks on hand, taking "2 pt" snacks in your purse or car in case of hunger can help alleviate a sudden rush to grab food and just stuff it in your mouth and can help tide you over until you can get to something nutritionally sound and a much better choice.

Knowing what the point values of foods are at a local restaurant before you go there saves you from eyeing all the other stuff available and making a faltering choice in the moment of passion too! Use your Weight Watcher's® Dining Out book or my favorite, http://www.dwlz.com (Dotties Weight Loss Zone) to look up points BEFORE going to the restaurant. I have truly found that planning ahead has saved me numerous times!

2. Try to make sure you eat at regular intervals

Allowing yourself to get overly hungry almost always ends in tragedy. Eat at regular intervals, never putting off eating until you can't stand it any more and cave in to a bad choice. Remember, on Weight Watchers® NOTHING is off limits, it's just not a "good" choice. This means YOU are in control! Again, keeping snacks always handy (in the car, in your purse, on the counter top) can help keep you from putting off eating until you're completely starving.

3. Find an alternative food product for what you're craving

Many times when we're craving a high fat item in particular, we can find a lower
fat version of the product to suffice our desire. This is often true of chocolate and sweet products. Some great alternatives to high fat, high calorie sweet treats are low calorie, low fat alternatives such as a Weight Watcher Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffin, Special K Bliss Bars, VitaMuffin Tops, Unsweetened Applesauce flavored with a sugar alternative, Sugar Free popsicles or fudgsicles, The Laughing Cow Ice Cream snacks. Alternative to high fat, salty/crunchy snacks could be Lays Light Potato Chips, Baked Tortilla Chips (make them ahead and when you're feeling the need for a crunch you can add your own topping to attack that craving), Special K Crackers (these come in various flavors and kill the crunch crave immediately).

4. Drink Some Water or Flavored Drinks (calorie/sugar free)

I often can cure a "sweets" craving by simply drinking a huge glass of Crystal Light® or Diet Iced Tea. No points, zero calories, zero sugar and zero guilt in place of grabbing something that isn't really going to help me in the end is a wonderful alternative! The end result is not only killing that craving but filling me up so I don't even feel hungry any more. Of course this only works sometimes. If you truly are hungry then you need to grab a glass and drink it while preparing something tasty and low point to snack on! Some guilt free drinks: Crystal Light® (or other brand name sugar free drink mix), Diet Iced Tea, Diet Iced Coffee (use sugar free flavorings & sugar substitutes), Caffeine Free Diet Soda (not a favorite of mine as it tends to bloat but it can serve a purpose when done in moderation), Water (the good ol' fashioned alternative), Weight Watcher® Smoothie (1) (made with water/ice)

Crystal Light® now has a banana/strawberry flavor with fiber! So it not only helps kill that sweet need but fills you up! It's my absolute favorite flavor! I find mine at WalMart for $1.97 a box!

5. Find "other options" to eating

Finding other options to giving in to your eating can often help alleviate your impulse eating. Some great ideas to try "INSTEAD OF EATING" are:

Read - reading a book, magazine, newspaper can often take your mind off of the desire to eat when you have no points left or are really not hungry

Walk - take a walk, removing you from the place that you are can often create a new atmosphere that doesn't make you crave food

Call a Friend - it's pretty hard to talk on the phone, laugh and discuss issues with your mouth full! Talking with a friend can help ease the stress at hand that could be causing the desire to eat also

Exercise - Even if you don't belong to a gym you can generally find an inexpensive DVD that promotes exercise or Yoga. Many local cable and satellite dish companies offer these type of programs 24/7 on specific channels. Stop what you're doing and exercise! Not only will this add points IF you simply cannot continue to say "no" to putting something in your mouth but it can help alleviate the desire all together!

Go To Bed - It's a proven fact that people who get less sleep tend to be heavier. Perhaps when you're all out of points and it's close enough to bed time you could benefit 2-fold from climbing into bed and snoozing! This keeps you from putting the food in your mouth AND makes you catch up on some often needed sleep deprivation.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!! WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER!!!!

Comfort Food that Rocks!

These are by far my absolute favorite "comfort food" to make and have around!
I make them regularly and they freeze well. I put 2 in a bag for an instant serving sized, quick bite that easily microwaves!

My favorite way to use them? Sandwich a "Diner Meatloaf Muffin" inside the Arnold's Sandwich Thins for a wonderful, mouthwatering "Meatloaf Sandwich (4)". It's also a great way to hide some veggies if you have trouble getting the kids to eat them!

Diner Meat Loaf "Muffins"

1/2 cup chopped carrot *I put my carrot, onion, oregano, pepper, garlic in a blender
1 cup finely chopped onion *
1/2 chopped green or red sweet pepper*
1 teaspoon dried oregano *
2 garlic cloves, minced (or jar minced garlic 1/4 tsp) *
1 cup ketchup, divided
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, extra lean (95% lean) (raw)
1 cup finely crushed fat-free saltine crackers (about 20) *I use Special K Roasted Herb crackers instead (more flavor, less salt & less calories)
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.
Put onion, chopped carrot, dried oregano, and minced garlic in blender, blend until finely chopped, even slightly "mushy" - hides well in meatloaves, adds great flavor and gives moisture.

Combine onion mixture with meat, and add all remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl.

Spoon the meat mixture into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Top each with 2 teaspoons ketchup. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°F. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 2 "muffins")

CALORIES 276 (28% from fat); FAT 8.6g (sat 3g,mono 4g,poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 28.7g; CHOLESTEROL 131mg; CALCIUM 48mg; SODIUM 759mg; FIBER 1.8g; IRON 3.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 21.7g

Original recipe from: Cooking Light, MARCH 2006
*Updated by Bev P. aka "hockeygal4ever"

A Cinco de Mayo Favorite for Brunch or Dinner!

I've always been known as "The Casserole Queen". I tend to be able to create something from almost nothing in a matter of minutes and bake it in a one pot dish that will rock your socks off! This is quite easy when using less than healthy ingredients and not being worried about "points" or "calories" or "fat" and such.



Now that I'm following the Weight Watcher plan I tend to make a lot less of my yummy, gooey, cheesy, easy casseroles and I must confess, I myself tend to miss them once in a while. This inspired me to take a quite un-healthy recipe and tweak it to make it my own, healthy version! I had been making it for years with full fat cheeses, 3 different kinds, regular sour cream & double the tortillas. The changes, while huge in nutritional values, were barely noticeable and I cannot imagine going back to the full fat, high calorie version!



So I share with you.......

Chili Cheese Comfort Casserole (4)

(approximate nutritional values, without substitutions * 218 Calories/8g Fat/3g Fiber)

Serves 12

Ingredients


6 corn tortillas*
4 large eggs
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder (*optional, adjust for heat, can be left out if you prefer non-spicy version)
6 large egg whites
2 16-ounce containers low-fat cottage cheese
1 1/4 cups fat free shredded cheddar cheese 1 1/4 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
(making this small sacrifice of combining a fat free and regular cheese is barely noticeable and gives the cheese enough fat to remain "creamy")
4 4-ounce cans chopped mild green chile's
1 cup fat free sour cream
1 cup low fat salsa




Preheat oven to 350°F


Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Toast up your tortillas by either placing them one at a time directly on a burner (gas or electric) set at medium heat or tossing on a counter top style grill (my favorite way) Toast, turning frequently with tongs, until golden, 30 to 60 seconds.


Cut tortillas into 1-inch-wide strips.


*Note: the lowest value/healthiest tortillas I can find are the La Tortilla brand and I use these to lower the entire value of the recipe, but again the values given are for standard corn tortillas, nothing special. The "corn" tortillas work best as they stay firm. Flour tortillas tend to get soggy and chewy, not as good, but can be used.


Whisk all of the eggs in a large bowl until smooth and slightly foamy in texture.


Slowly, add flour, baking powder, chili powder & salt; whisking until smooth.


Add cottage cheese, Cheddar cheese, chile's and tortilla strips to egg mixture, stirring with spatula.


Pour into the prepared 9x13 baking dish.

Bake the casserole until set in the center and golden on top, 45 to 55 minutes.
Let cool for 10 minutes to set up, making it easier to cut into squares and serve.


Cut into 12 even squares.


Serve with salsa & dollop of fat free sour cream on top!



This is what's going to be rockin' our table this year as we celebrate Cinco de Mayo! A few maracas, a nice margarita for dessert and some authentic Mexican music playing from the I-Pod!

Now THAT's eating right!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Fiber One Pancake Mix is one of my favorite staples in the cupboard. This is one of many ways I prepare them. It makes a wonderful breakfast item but we often enjoy them for dinner or even "snacks". I love to make extra batches and keep them in the fridge or freezer for later use. A quick fix when microwaved!

Pumpkin Pancakes (2)

3 Pancakes per serving


2 Cups Fiber One Pancake Mix
1 1/2 Cups water
1/2 Can pumpkin pie filling
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients together. Use a scant measuring cup of 1/4 cup (not too full) and drop onto hot pan.

These are a wonderful "snack" even, enjoy mine with a few cooked apples, cinnamon & splenda rolled up inside, nuked for about 30 seconds. Absolutely DIVINE!

Easter Ham... low point style & a FEAST to accompany it!

One of my absolute favorite hams is a turkey ham. While many cringe at the thought of another meat being "passed off" as something else, I swear to you that you cannot tell the difference in the turkey ham, other than the lack of fat and saltiness!

Turkey ham is very point friendly. A serving size of 2 oz. is 60 calories/0g fat/0g fiber! That's not only very low point, but low enough to double a portion if you want! After all it IS a holiday!

I bake my ham (turkey ham) in the crock pot with a can of diet coke on top and 1/4 cup of brown sugar. This year I'm going to lower the brown sugar to a few Tablespoons, instead of 1/4 cup. I, personally, won't add "points" for any of these ingredients as they're not that high in quantity or points value alone to really make a huge difference. Of course, you do as you feel most comfortable.

I purchase my turkey hams at Aldi's. One ham (which is small but, remember, has NO fat on it and no bone) on average is about $4! I purchased 2 of them for Easter dinner, for a total of just under $8. My kids actually prefer the turkey ham and complain when I use standard pork hams for our ham dinners, saying it's "fatty" or "salty" or "just weird".

So this Easter make your Easter dinner more point friendly by using turkey ham in place of standard pork hams, loaded with fat and salt!

Also, concentrate on tons of side dishes that are point friendly and filling. If 2/3 of your plate are veggies, it leaves less space for calorie layden meats & sides.

On our table this year we will have carrots with maple & cinnamon sprinkles. I've mentioned the Maple & Cinnamon sprinkles many times in my blogs and purchase them at a restaurant supply store called GFS (Gordon Food Service). Check your grocery stores for similar items, in the spice aisle. I'll spray a few sprays of ICBINB on the carrots for taste with few calories added.

Mashed potatoes, made with fat free (skim) milk of course and foregoing the butter or margarine... no sense adding it when you can put "flavor" in with herbs & spices. I'll add the typical salt & pepper for this time, because of the (definitely OFF plan) gravy that goes with it. I'll make sure though, that the gravy is very limited... just enough to give some flavor.

I purchased reduced fat crescent rolls. With NI of 90 Cal./4.5g fat/0g fiber, they're friendlier than the "standard" versions but definitely something you only want one of!

Green beans with onions, garlic, salt & pepper will make another plain but complimentary side dish to help fill our plate 2/3 full with veggie choices.

Of course no Easter meal at our house would be complete without candied yams. This year I'll be making fresh yams, microwaved, with a spray of ICBINB and some maple cinnamon sprinkles. I may melt a couple mini marshmallows on top as a treat!

Finish off your dinner plate with 2-4 oz. of ham and you have a huge meal with fairly low "points" used!

To finish off the dinner itself I'm creating mini-cheesecakes with sugar free cheesecake pudding, created with fat free milk. The "crusts" will be the "Hungry Girl" version of crust using Fiber One cereal. Use the "crust" for the pumpkin pie on the clickable link above. Simply place the crusts in a mini muffin pan, bake and then cool. Once cooled, fill with the sugar free, fat free cheesecake pudding made according to package. Quick and easy and just sweet enough to cleanse the pallette with a cool, refreshing treat!