This was one of my favorite dishes to eat while in France. I finally made my own the other day… the super easy, filling and healthy way.

Time: 30 minutes, Servings: 2-3, Points per serving: 4

Ingredients:

• 4-5 small red potatoes (boiled until fork tender)
• handful fresh green beans (steamed, 4-5 minutes)
• 2-3 cups romain lettuce
• 2-3 eggs (hard boiled , yolks removed)
• ripe tomatoes, I like just about any tomato as long as it is good. Use as many as you like. I think this salad is good with a lot of tomatoes
• 3-4  kalamata olives (chopped very small)
• very thinly sliced red onion (handful)
• one large package tuna fish packed in water

Prep Your Ingredients:

Boil your potatoes and steam your beans while you prep all of the other ingredients. Also wash your lettuce well. The key to this salad is keeping your ingredients dry. It can get watery with the steamed beans and boiled potatoes etc.. so make sure you dry things off  as you add them to the salad bowl.

Make the Dressing:

• juice from one lemon
• 1 T. olive oil
• squirt of dijon mustard
• salt and pepper

(I make this to taste - I like mine to be more acidic than anything else, so I use lots of lemon, less oil)

Toss everything together, and enjoy. I add a bit more salt and pepper, as I think a little extra really helps pull this dish together.

This recipe came from a Weight Watchers Favorites cookbook. I have never really cooked a pork roast before. It was easy, relatively quick and super yummy. We actually polished off the leftovers tonight.

Time: 40 minutes, Points: 5

Preheat oven to 450

Make a rub for the pork:

• 2 t. smoked paprika
• 1 t. thyme
• 3/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper

Coat pork with rub (1 lb of trimmed pork loin), and place in cooking spray coated high roasting pan for 30 - 40 minutes for medium.

Meanwhile, in saute pan:  for 1 minute over 1-2 t. olive oil, cook 1 chopped garlic clove and 2 diced shallots. After 1 minute (when these are slightly browned), add 3 1″ sliced plums, and 3,  1′” sliced peaches. Cook for about 5 minutes or until they start to soften.

I sliced my pork into 8 slices with an electric knife. One serving is 2 slices and  about 1 C of the fruit topping.

I also steamed fresh green beans - which I cooked in a steamer for about 5-8 minutes.  I ate mine with salt, pepper and a balsamic, olive oil, fresh chopped garlic dressing. Tracey ate hers with just fresh ground salt and pepper. Both are good, but I thought the balsamic that spread across my plate onto the fruit and pork was delicious.

I used to make BLT’s all the time. I used really good bread coated in olive oil, I added avocado,turkey bacon and runny egg…mmm they were so good, but they are a thing I no longer eat. I though they were healthy - but they really weren’t. Anyhow, I was craving one, and was thinking about how I could make a new healthier version. I was totally successful! It was great - so I’m sharing.

Servings: 1, Time: 10 minutes, Points: 3.5

Ingredients:

• Weight Watchers English Muffin
• 1 slice Morning Star Farms Turkey bacon
• Green leaf lettuce
• 1 thick slice of ripe tomato
• 1/2 T. fat free mayo
• 1 egg

Toast English muffin. Heat 1 slice of bacon in the microwave. Slice tomato and grind sea salt and pepper over tomato - let sit to bring out flavor. Cook egg in cooking spray. I cook my egg until it is no longer runny and remove the yolk (just about all of it). Hit english muffin with mayo on both side s of sandwich. Layer with egg, tomato, lettuce, bacon  cut into halves.

Next time I’m going to throw a slice or tow of avocado in too. Sooo good.

K, so this dish is pretty simple. Great flavor, and so so so much healthier than the thing we used to order fro Outback - when we “thought” we were making healthy choices. Lets face it - the only healthy choice is when you decide to stay in and cook for yourself. That is the only way to actually KNOW what you are putting in your mouth.

Alright, I’m done ranting.

Here is the finished product:

Ingredients/Preparation:

Cook - 1 C whole wheat couscous (prepared as directed minus the oil, or butter - you dont need it)

Make glaze for chicken - I made a BBQ/mustard  glaze that I saw in the most recent cooking light:

• 2 T brown sugar (I opted for less sugar when I made mine)
• 2 t. garlic powder
• 2 t. chili powder
• 1 t. smoked paprika
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 C. ketchup
• 1 T. red wine vinegar
• 1 T. dijon mustard

Grill - (with drizzle of olive oil and salt/pepper):

• sliced bell peppers - I like to use a variety, red, yellow, green etc…
• sliced sweet onion, or red onion
• sliced portobello mushrooms
• sliced fresh pineapple
• chicken breast

Toss all together and drizzle balsamic glaze , or balsamic vinegar (just a little).

So much better than Outback!!

Zucchini Fritters, with spicy Asian dipping sauce

Last night I made my summer rolls as seen is this previous blog post: Skinny CEO Summer Rolls recipe

Anyhow, I decided to make some zucchini fritters to go along with them.  I’ve made these before but did not make the sauce. This recipe is adopted from Ginas Weight Watchers blog: Zucchini pancakes

So, I followed Gina’s recipe except I only made half, and limited the egg yolk to only about half an egg yolk.

I made a spicy Asian dipping sauce that was quite good.  I didn’t want to use straight Hoisin Sauce since it is pretty sweet and full of calories, so I broke it down by adding a bunch of lime juice and a little Chili oil. It was super delicious and the Fritters went so well with the Summer Rolls!

Ingredients:

• Hoisin sauce
• juice from 1 lime
• hot chili oil

Servings: 2, Time: 15 minutes, Points: 3

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C rinsed canned black beans
• 1/2  bell pepper, diced
• 1/4  red onion, diced
• 2 slices reduced fat Oscar Mayer ham, diced
• 3/4 C egg beaters
• 1/2 oz. cheddar or Parrano cheese, diced into really really small chunks
• 2 small La Tortilla Factory  tortillas
• fresh salsa
• salt/pepper
• hot sauce (optional)
• sliced avocado (optional)

In pan, saute beans, peppers, onions and ham until peppers and onions are soft. If you like your beans on the softer side, add them in midway.

In second pan coated in cooking spray, cook egg beaters until done. Scrambled style.

Heat tortillas in either microwave or I prefer to broil in the oven for a few.

Split bean pepper mixture over tortillas, split egg beaters,  add, half the cheese, and roll.

Top with fresh salsa, hot sauce, and avocado on the side.

Just came across this in my drafts folder. Anyhow, from what I remember of this dinner - it was pretty good. I added balsamic glaze and arugula on top of what is pictured. I think steak, farmers chevre, red peppers and parmesan.

I

Oh my, these flavors all went so well together! This was a delicious lunch today!! Of course it was inspired by a quick trip to our local farmers market where we picked up beets, green tomatoes, and some hot pepper jam.

Beet Salad

Ingredients:

• 3 medium beets
• 1 T gorgonzola cheese crumbles
• 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
• 1 can chick peas (garbanzo beans)
• olive oil
• red wine vinegar
• salt/pepper

Slice beets, place on cooking sheet and roast in over set to 375 for about 20 minutes (until tender). Drain and rinse chick peas.

In medium bowl combine chick peas, pistachios, and cooled chopped beets, toss in gorgonzola cheese, and drizzle with red wine vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper.

This dish is so simple, and absolutely delicious.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 3 medium Green Tomatoes
• Panko bread crumbs
• flour
• 2 egg whites
• salt/pepper

Slice tomatoes and place in salted water let soak - this helps reduce any bitterness the tomatoes may have. I only soaked mine for about 20 minutes.

Pat dry and dunk in egg whites, next dip into bowl of combined panko, flour, salt and pepper.

Place on cooking sheet (hit with cooking spray first), bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees flipping once midway.

I ate mine with hot pepper jam. They may need a bit more salt and pepper also.

Beet Greens

Dont toss your greens when you chop them off your beets. Wash them, chop them and saute them in fresh garlic and olive oil. I cooked mine on med - low heat. Toss with a little salt and pepper and serve. Mmmmm.

I’ve been thinking about this dish for some time - really had no idea how/what exactly I was going to do for this recipe. It is inspired by a dish from a restaurant that ate a while back and loved. I certainly made a healthy version here. I am pretty sure I enjoyed mine better though - less guilty eating and a little more flavorful. So, I did not measure everything below - this is a guess since I was making it up as I cooked. Just keep tasting while you cook to make sure you like the flavors. I was really liking the lime and spice mixed with the curry. The restaurants version was more curry flavor and more butter/olive oil and saucier - surprise, surprise!

Ingredients:

• 1 C French green lentils
• 1/4 C  sweet onion - diced
• 1/2  large eggplant - diced
• 1 zuccini - diced
• 1 yellow squash - diced
• 1 red bell pepper - diced
• 1/2 green bell pepper - diced
• 2 T curry powder
• 1/4 t. garam masala (optional)
• 1/4 t. ground cumin
• 1/3 C Greek yogurt , or nonfat plain yogurt
• 1/3 C light coconut milk
• juice from 1 lime
• Sriracha sauce - to taste
• red pepper flakes - to taste
• salt/pepper
• olive oil

Cook lentils :

• place in pan
• cover with water and bring to a boil
• reduce to a simmer, add diced onions and cover for about 20 minutes

Cook vegetables:

• add olive oil to saute pan, bring to med/med-hi
• add all remaining vegetables
• add spices, coconut milk, yogurt,  lime juice, sriracha, etc… and stir well
• let this cook and continue to taste and add spice
• let cook down for about 20 minutes (stirring occasionally)
• toss in lentil/onion mixture once lentils have cooked thoroughly (drain off any excess water)
• mix well, reduce heat and cook covered for another 5-10 minutes (stirring occasionally)

Servings: 4, Time: 45 minutes, Points: 4

There is just no excuse for not cooking up delicious healthy meals - even when you are on vacation. This was a lunch we ate (I never actually photographed the final plate. But you get the idea.)

Sweet potato fries:

I think I’ve posted this recipe before - but just in case.

Slice sweet potatoes, place on cooking sheet, hit with a little cooking spray, salt/pepper, and paprika and even cayenne pepper. Bake at 450 for 20-30 minutes, tossing a few times.

Pineapple tossed in honey, on the grill:

Black bean burgers and portobello burgers on the grill: