Pork with Pomegranate Pan Sauce+


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop and about 2 tablespoons sauce)


1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut pork loin chops
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup chopped shallots
3/4 cup pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl; sprinkle over pork chops.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork chops; cook 3 minutes on each side. Remove and keep warm. Add shallots to pan; cook 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Add juice, 1 tablespoon sugar, and vinegar; bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes or until slightly thick. Serve pork with sauce.

CALORIES 232 ; FAT 8.8g (sat 2.7g,mono 4.6g,poly 0.8g); CHOLESTEROL 67mg; CALCIUM 34mg; CARBOHYDRATE 13.1g; SODIUM 352mg; PROTEIN 24g; FIBER 0.3g; IRON 1.3mg

Rosemary Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Shallots

4 points

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup)

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3/4 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 2 large)
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium skillet over low heat. Add shallots to pan, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with sugar; cook 20 minutes or until shallots are golden, stirring occasionally.

2. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 8 minutes or until tender. Drain. Place potatoes in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add rosemary, salt, and pepper; beat until blended. Spoon into a bowl; top with shallots, and drizzle with remaining 2 teaspoons oil.


CALORIES 202 ; FAT 6.3g (sat 0.9g,mono 4.5g,poly 0.9g); CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 55mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.9g; SODIUM 278mg; PROTEIN 2.9g; FIBER 4.8g; IRON 1.2mg

Teriyaki Mushroom, Spinach, and Chicken Salad+

4 points

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
10 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 1 pound)
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons mirin (sweet rice wine) or 2 tablespoons water plus 1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
8 cups baby spinach (about 6 ounces)
1 3/4 cups chopped green onions

1. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cook 3 minutes or until chicken is just done, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from pan.

2. Add mushrooms, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to pan; stir-fry 6 minutes or until mushrooms brown and most of liquid evaporates. Add 1 tablespoon oil, ginger, and garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Return chicken to pan; add soy sauce, mirin, and vinegar. Cook 2 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Remove pan from heat; stir in spinach and onions.


CALORIES 205 ; FAT 8.4g (sat 1.5g,mono 3.6g,poly 2.8g); CHOLESTEROL 33mg; CALCIUM 82mg; CARBOHYDRATE 13.4g; SODIUM 629mg; PROTEIN 19.3g; FIBER 3.1g; IRON 2.9mg

Bacon, Potato and Gruyere Souffle

Cooking spray
2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
1 3/4 pounds peeled white potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 3 medium)
3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/3 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons butter
1 cup thinly sliced leek (about 1 large)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) finely grated Gruyère cheese
2 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
6 large egg whites

Preparation
Lightly coat 6 (8-ounce) soufflé dishes with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with breadcrumbs. Set aside.
Place potatoes in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until very tender; drain. Cool. Combine potatoes, buttermilk, and next 4 ingredients (through egg) in a food processor; process until smooth. Transfer potato mixture to a large bowl.

Position oven rack to lowest setting; remove middle rack. Preheat to 425°.

Melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add leek to pan; sauté 6 minutes or until tender. Add leek, cheese, and bacon to potato mixture; stir well to combine.

Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl; beat at high speed with a mixer until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat). Gently fold one-fourth of egg whites into potato mixture; gently fold in remaining egg whites. Gently spoon mixture into prepared dishes. Sharply tap dishes on counter 2 to 3 times to level. Place dishes on a baking sheet; place baking sheet on the bottom rack of a 425° oven. Immediately reduce oven temperature to 350° (do not remove soufflés from oven). Bake 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the side of soufflé comes out clean. Serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 soufflé)

Bacon, Gruyère, and Ham Strata

2  cups fat-free milk
1  cup chopped green onions
1  cup egg substitute
1  tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4  teaspoon ground red pepper
12  ounces sourdough French bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 10 cups), toasted
3/4  cup diced ham
Cooking spray
1  cup (4 ounces) shredded Gruyère cheese
4  bacon slices, cooked and crumbled (drained)

Combine milk, green onions, egg substitute, mustard, and pepper in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add bread cubes and ham; stir well to combine. Pour into a 2-quart baking pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Uncover dish, and bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon. Bake an additional 15 minutes or until bread mixture is set and cheese is bubbly.

Yield: 6 servings

Thai Shrimp and Tofu with Asparagus+

I did not find this spicy at all.  Would recommend more curry paste and/or sriracha sauce.  Flavors not very complex (to this old tongue) – consider other spices? A few nuts or using a nut oil might also help.  It is a yummy combo with mushrooms and asparagus.  Could also use fish chunks instead of shrimp.  Serving size is large – could serve 4 with this.

1/3  cup oyster sauce
1  tablespoon fish sauce
2  teaspoons sugar
1  teaspoon Thai red curry paste
1  tablespoon canola oil, divided
1  (14-ounce) package reduced-fat firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2  pound frozen peeled and de-veined medium shrimp, thawed
2  cups thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms (about 4 ounces)
1  cup pre-chopped onion
1  tablespoon bottled minced fresh ginger
1  tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1  pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 5 cups)

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl.
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add tofu. Cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned; set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in pan; add shrimp. Cook 2 minutes on each side or just until opaque; set aside. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan; add mushrooms, onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook 2 minutes or until mushrooms are tender, stirring frequently. Add asparagus; cook 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add sauce, tofu, and shrimp back to pan; cook 1 minute or until heated.

Yield: 3 servings (serving size: 2 cups)

Steak Diane

5 points

Yield:  6 servings (serving size: 1 steak and 1 1/2 tablespoons sauce)

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
6 (4-ounce) beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed (about 1 inch thick)
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper evenly over steaks. Add steaks to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add shallots, and cook 2 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add water and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spoon sauce over steaks, and sprinkle with parsley.

CALORIES 197 (40% from fat); FAT 8.7g (sat 3.3g,mono 3.3g,poly 0.3g); IRON 3.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 73mg; CALCIUM 18mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.8g; SODIUM 312mg; PROTEIN 24.2g; FIBER 0.1g

Turkey Soup Provençal+

5 points

Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 1 1/4cups)

1 pound left over turkey
1/2 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence, crushed
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, undrained
4 cups chopped fresh spinach

Cut turkey into bite-size pieces.

Add turkey, herbes de Provence, beans, broth, and tomatoes to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in spinach; simmer 5 minutes.

CALORIES 294 (12% from fat); FAT 3.8g (sat 1.5g,mono 0.8g,poly 0.4g); IRON 6.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 75mg; CALCIUM 206mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25.4g; SODIUM 890mg; PROTEIN 40g; FIBER 5.4g