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Grilled Chicken with Mint and Pine Nut Gremolata

6 points

Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 4 teaspoons gremolata)

Gremolata:
1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Chicken:
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. To prepare gremolata, place mint, pine nuts, rind, and garlic in a mini chopper; process just until combined. Add 4 teaspoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt; process to combine. Set aside.

2. To prepare chicken, heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush 2 teaspoons olive oil evenly over chicken; sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Serve gremolata with chicken.

CALORIES 236 ; FAT 11.3g (sat 1.6g,mono 6.1g,poly 2.6g); CHOLESTEROL 74mg; CALCIUM 35mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2.3g; SODIUM 438mg; PROTEIN 30.4g; FIBER 0.8g; IRON 1.6mg

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Five-Spice Tilapia with Citrus Ponzu Sauce+

5 points

Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 1 fillet and 1 tablespoon sauce)

2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon bottled ground fresh ginger (such as Spice World)
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
2 teaspoons canola oil

Combine green onions, juices, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and ginger in a small bowl.

Combine five-spice powder, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle both sides of fish evenly with spice mixture.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from skillet, and serve with sauce.

CALORIES 217 (27% from fat); FAT 6.6g (sat 1.8g,mono 1.9g,poly 2.3g); IRON 1mg; CHOLESTEROL 125mg; CALCIUM 8mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.1g; SODIUM 332mg; PROTEIN 37g; FIBER 0.2g

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Crab and Broccoli Chowder+

4 pts

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

·    1 1/2  cups  small broccoli florets (about 1 small head)
·    Cooking spray
·    1  cup  chopped onion
·    2  cups  cubed peeled red potato (about 3/4 pound)
·    1/2  cup  dry white wine
·    1  tablespoon  Worcestershire sauce
·    1/2  teaspoon  dried rubbed sage
·    1/4  teaspoon  salt
·    1/4  teaspoon  ground nutmeg
·    1/4  teaspoon  pepper
·    Dash of hot sauce
·    3  (10 1/2-ounce) cans low-salt chicken broth
·    5  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
·    2 1/2  cups  2% reduced-fat milk
·    1/2  cup  (2 ounces) shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
·    3/4  pound  lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
·    2  tablespoons  lemon juice
·    1  tablespoon  sherry

Steam broccoli, covered, 2 minutes or until tender.

Place a Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium heat until hot. Add onion; sauté 4 minutes. Add potato and next 8 ingredients (potato through broth); bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes or until tender.

Place 3 cups potato mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Add puree back to potato mixture in pan; stir well.

Place flour in a bowl. Gradually add milk; stir with a whisk until blended. Add to potato mixture. Cook over medium heat until thick (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. Stir in cheese. Add broccoli, crabmeat, lemon juice, and sherry; cook until thoroughly heated.

  • Calories: 208
  • Fat: 5.5g
  • Fiber: 2.3g
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Pumpkin Dip

2 points

3/4 cup (6 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
24 apple slices

Place first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add syrup and cinnamon, and beat until smooth. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Serve with apple.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 2 tablespoons dip and 2 apple slices)

  • Calories: 107
  • Fat: 3.2
  • Fiber: 1.4
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Send a Message Fortune Cookies

These cookies are ideal for bake sales trying to promote a cause; customize the fortune to suit the occasion. Bake three cookies at a time so they’ll be soft enough to shape. Tuck your message into the cookie while shaping. If the cookies become too brittle, return them to the oven for a few seconds to soften.

1/2  cup bread flour (about 2 1/3 ounces)
1/2  cup sugar
1  teaspoon vanilla extract
2  large egg whites

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and remaining ingredients in a food processor; process until blended. Scrape batter into a bowl using a rubber spatula; cover and chill 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Cover 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Draw 3 (3-inch) circles on paper. Turn paper over; secure with masking tape. Spoon 1 teaspoon batter into center of each of the 3 drawn circles; spread evenly to fill circle. Bake one sheet at 400° for 5 minutes or until the cookies are brown just around the edges. Remove from the oven. Working quickly, loosen edges of cookies with a spatula, and turn over.

Lay the handle of a wooden spoon and a prepared fortune along the center of 1 cookie. Fold cookie over so the edges meet over the spoon handle; press edges together. Remove spoon. Gently pull the ends of the cookie down over the rim of a small bowl (or jar); hold for a few seconds or until set. Repeat procedure with remaining cookies.

Repeat procedure until all of the batter is used. Cool cookies completely; store in an airtight container.

Yield: 18 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie)

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Thai Steak Salad+

5 points

Yield:  6 servings

Dressing:
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons chile paste with garlic

Steak:
Cooking spray
1 (1 1/2-pound) flank steak, trimmed
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper

Salad:
3 cups trimmed watercress (about 2 bunches)
1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup julienne-cut carrot
2 tablespoons finely chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

To prepare dressing, combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl; stir well with a whisk.

To prepare steak, heat a large nonstick skillet or grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Rub both sides of steak with pepper. Add steak to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; place on a cutting board. Cover loosely with foil; let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices. Place steak in a bowl. Drizzle with half of dressing, and toss well.

To prepare salad, combine watercress and next 5 ingredients (watercress through carrot) in a large bowl. Drizzle with remaining dressing, and toss well. Divide salad evenly among 6 plates; arrange steak evenly over salad. Sprinkle each serving with 1 teaspoon peanuts.

CALORIES 230 (40% from fat); FAT 10.3g (sat 4g,mono 4.2g,poly 0.9g); IRON 3.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 57mg; CALCIUM 68mg; CARBOHYDRATE 9.5g; SODIUM 327mg; PROTEIN 25.1g; FIBER 2g

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Korean Beef Barbecue

5 points

Yield:  4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces)

1 pound top sirloin steak, trimmed
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
Cooking spray

Wrap beef in plastic wrap; freeze 1 hour or until firm. Remove plastic wrap; cut beef diagonally across grain into 1/16-inch-thick slices.

Combine beef, sugar, and next 5 ingredients (sugar through garlic) in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Place a wire grilling basket on grill rack. Remove beef from bag; discard marinade. Place beef on grilling basket coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning frequently.

CALORIES 208 (33% from fat); FAT 7.6g (sat 2.7g,mono 3.2g,poly 0.7g); IRON 3.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 76mg; CALCIUM 19mg; CARBOHYDRATE 6.4g; SODIUM 457mg; PROTEIN 26.1g; FIBER 0.2g

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Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Goat Cheese, Caramelized Spring Onions & Thyme+

6 points

Stuff the chicken and refrigerate up to one day ahead. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before cooking. Serve with polenta and Broccolini.

Yield:  6 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 2 teaspoons sauce)

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/3 cups thinly sliced spring onions (about 1 pound)
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon fat-free milk
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to pan; cook 12 minutes, stirring frequently. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and cook 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Cool slightly. Combine onion mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cheese, parsley, milk, and thyme in a small bowl, stirring with a fork.

2. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket; stuff 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; sauté 5 minutes; turn chicken over. Cover, reduce heat, and cook 10 minutes or until chicken is done.

Remove chicken from pan; let stand 10 minutes. Add wine to pan; bring to a boil, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook until reduced by half (about 2 minutes). Add broth, and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 9 minutes). Serve with chicken.

CALORIES 274 ; FAT 9.5g (sat 4.3g,mono 3.2g,poly 1.2g); CHOLESTEROL 105mg; CALCIUM 123mg; CARBOHYDRATE 6.6g; SODIUM 530mg; PROTEIN 39.3g; FIBER 2.2g; IRON 2.8mg

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White Bean and Turkey Chili+

5 points

I like mine spicier, so will add a chopped jalapeno, cleaning out most, but not all of the seeds (the source of the heat)

1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cups diced yellow onion (about 2 medium)
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 (15.8-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
3 cups chopped cooked turkey
1/2 cup diced seeded plum tomato (about 1)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 lime wedges (optional)

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 10 minutes or until tender and golden. Add chili powder, garlic, and cumin; sauté for 2 minutes. Add oregano and beans; cook for 30 seconds. Add broth; bring to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes.

Place 2 cups of bean mixture in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Return pureed mixture to pan. Add turkey, and cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat. Add diced tomato, chopped cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper, stirring well. Garnish with lime wedges, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

  • Calories: 286 (19% from fat)
  • Fat: 6g
  • Fiber: 5.5g
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Potato Cheese Dumplings with Sour Cream Chive Dip+

3 points

2 spray(s) cooking spray
1 medium potato(es), baking, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 medium garlic clove(s)
2 oz low-fat cheddar or colby cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
2 tbsp fat-free sour cream
24 item(s) wonton wrapper(s), round (about 6 oz total)
1/4 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
1 tbsp chives, fresh, minced

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Combine potato and garlic in a medium saucepan. Cover with water and set pan over high heat. Bring to a boil and boil until potato is fork-tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and transfer potato and garlic to a large bowl; add cheese and 2 tablespoons of sour cream. Mash mixture together with a fork until lumpy.

Place wonton wrappers on a flat surface. Drop potato mixture by tablespoonfuls onto center of each wrapper. Moisten edges of wrapper with wet fingers, fold over one side to make a half circle and press sides together to seal. Transfer filled wrappers to prepared baking sheet and coat surface with cooking spray.

Bake until wontons are golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine remaining 1/4 cup of sour cream and chives. Mix well and serve with potato dumplings.

Yields 4 wontons and 1 tablespoon of dip per serving.