This is the day I make freezer jam for the first time ever!

My mother-in-law gave us mango...a LOT of mango! Like, 17 mangos. And they are ALL ripe, like, yesterday!

So we ate some. And we saved some to eat in salads or just on their own later. 

And we froze some. 

And we dehydrated some.

And I made my first-ever freezer jam...all mango-y goodness.

And I still have a few more mangos to cut up! Tomorrow. :) Good thing we LOVE our mango around here. :)

On that note, does anyone have a tried-and-true mango salsa recipe?

Salmon Penne

Paul and I were blessed to score a gift card to one of the more upscale restaurants in town, a little French place called Bistro 501. I've been there a few times before, and I love trying new dishes out. Well, this time I ordered a dish that wasn't bad, but it was the first time I've eaten out and thought, "I could do this, and better!" So I give you my own copycat-but-slightly-improved salmon penne. It's not too expensive, but not super cheap either. It's not the fastest recipe, but it's not too long or hard either. This is a great go-to recipe when you want a date night cook-in, to impress the in-laws, or just are craving something fresh but still very filling thanks to the pasta. Paul agreed that this was awesome and better than Bistro's...and he's not one of those husbands that says things like that all the time to be nice, so consider that my first testimonial! :)

You will need:

1 box penne and water to boil :)

1 bunch asparagus, ends cut and cut into penne-sized pieces

6 tbsp butter

1 lemon, halved

4 small salmon filets, boneless skinless and thawed if frozen (I think it's a pound or so)

8 Tbsp sundried tomato pesto--bought a small jar at Walmart in the spaghetti sauce aisle, worth every penny!

4 Tbsp butter

4 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1/4 tsp. minced garlic

2 c. Milk

LOADs of dill!!! Loads. As much as you like. :)

1. First, get the water boiling in a large pot for the penne.

2. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a medium sauce pan and then add your asparagus. Stir just to cover with butter, then squeeze half a lemon into the bowl. Stir occasionally as you sauté the asparagus, about 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, lay out the salmon on a greased cookie sheet and squeeze the other lemon half over the filets. Sprinkle with about 1/4 tsp dill and a bit of pepper. Broil for 5 minutes.

4. By this time your asparagus should be done. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl for later. Rinse out sauce pan and get it ready for your white sauce! Melt 4 Tbsp butter on low-medium heat.

5. While that's melting, take out salmon and flip. Spread 2 Tbsp sundries tomato pesto on each filet, or just until top is covered. Return to broil for 5 minutes more--remove from oven when timer goes off and set aside!

6. Add penne to boiling water and cook according to instructions.

7. To melted butter in sauce pan, add 4 Tbsp flour, 1/2 tsp salt, garlic powder, and dill. Lots of dill. I probably started with 2-3Tbsp and then added some more at the end! Whisk together and cook for 1 minute or so.

8. Add in 2 c. milk and whisk. At first the bits won't seem like they're mixing, but when it's close to boiling you will notice it blend smoothly and start to thicken. Stir constantly, and boil for about 30 seconds or just until it starts to thicken. 

9. Add sauce to noodles and stir. Add any extra dill, if desired.

10. Stir in asparagus. Flake salmon into large chunks and then stir into noodle mix.

Makes at least 8 servings...more if you're not pigs like us...and takes about 45 minutes from start to finish. 

Enjoy! Serve up with a homemade baguette and some fresh fruit and baked Brie for a true French experience! :)

Some little food things.

I've learned that broiling fish is my favorite/easiest way to cook fish and still like it.  I like it grilled, but not if they're thin fillets on an indoor/kitchen grill--they fall apart too easily.  Broiling is simpler and less messy.  Just rub in a LITTLE oil, add seasonings, and broil for about 5 minutes on both sides (10, and farther away from broiler, if frozen), and when it's flaking with a fork it's done.  I've really learned to love fish in the last couple of months.

I have also been experimenting with boiling eggs, which is funny since we don't eat eggs much (allergies, and all that).  But sometimes it's nice to know these things.  Here are some tips:
1. If you bring the water and eggs to a boil, then TURN OFF THE HEAT and let it all steam for about 10 minutes, the egg yolk doesn't turn all green and weird.  It's actually a lovely egg.
2.  If you poke a small hole in the large end of the egg with a thumbtack before boiling (which isn't as easy as it sounds, but it was okay), the shell comes off much more easily.
3. With egg dying, the easiest way to still be pretty is to use food coloring with just the tiniest bit of vinegar in a coffee mug.  (Really DO use a mug, I did a few in other similar bowls but they reacted weirdly and I have no idea why, but they ate through the egg shells a little bit.  :)  Anywho, to make an ombre egg in each color, just put a lot of food coloring with the water, leave it for 10 minutes, then fill the mug up a little more with a little more water, leave it for 10 MORE minutes, etc.  After 30 to 40 minutes, rinse the eggs in cold water and let dry on paper towels.  Lovely.  :)

Lastly, chimichurri sauce.  This herbal magical wonder is DELICIOUS on grilled meats of all kinds--I love it most of all on steaks, but we've done chicken and pork and enjoyed them just as much.  We've also played with the parsley-cilantro ratios and enjoyed a slightly more cilantro-ey version a little better.  But experiment!  This is a South American condiment and you can use it a LOT, as a bread dip (mix with a little more oil) or just on meats like us.  :)

CHIMICHURRI SAUCE:
1 c. fresh parsley
1/2 c. fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 oz water
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 pepper

Blend on high, pulsing, until a smooth but thick sauce is formed. 

The picture above has chicken covered with chimichurri sauce, served with tri-colored peppers.  Delicious!

Grilled Salmon with Avocado-lime "salsa" (WW 10+ Points)

This was delicious in every way--summery, a little spicy, but true to the natural tastes of the food and the avocado really cut the bite out of it all.  Definitely going to be making this one again.  And fried plantains!  I ate SO MANY of them.  They aren't included in the point count, sadly, but they are well-worth a little frying up as a side.  But eat them fresh...they don't reheat well.  AT ALL.  Lesson learned.

INGREDIENTS
1 pound uncooked salmon fillets
2 Tbsp. olive oil

RUB:
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. black pepper

DRESSING:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 avocado
1 small red onion, sliced thin
2 small jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced (can use any small peppers)
4 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1/4 c. cilantro, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix spices together; rub oil on salmon and rub mix in; refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat grill.
3. Combine avocado, onion, peppers, cilantro, lime juice, oil, and salt, and chill until ready to use.
4. Grill salmon to desired doneness.
5. Top with salsa.  Serve with rice, plantains, etc.

Crockpot Ham and Beans (WW 6+ Points)

Served with honey-drizzled cornbread, ham and beans are cheap dining at its finest.  It doesn't look like much, especially in this picture of leftovers a few days later, but the taste more than makes up for it.  I think it's the cloves.  :)  I really enjoyed my first EVER attempt at using dry beans.  I'll definitely be doing this one again.  :)

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. dry white beans (I used pinto from our food storage), soaked overnight, rinsed, and drained
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley
1 lb. cooked, smoked lean ham, chopped into bite-sized pieces
6 c. water, or broth (I used a combination, 3 c. broth and 3 c. water)

Just put all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 8 hours!  Serves at LEAST 8, although I think it was more like 10 or 12...so the point count might actually be even lower.  So eat an extra piece of cornbread, guilt-free.  :)

Mango Chicken Spinach Salad (WW 6+ Points)

It was the vinaigrette that really made this salad special--mango, curry, and other yummy things that I never would have paired on my own!

The salad base is just spinach, grilled chicken, and mango.  Cook the chicken in a little broth on the stove, covered, until cooked through.  Allow to cool before cutting; this will give you some nice, juicy chicken.  The dressing is the following all mixed up together--pour over the salad and toss to coat.  Serves 4, with about 2 cups per serving.  Enjoy!

Mango-Curry Vinaigrette
1/3 c. mango nectar (I didn't know what this was, but I happened to have some mango-ey orange juice so I used that, and it turned out just fine. :)
2 tsp. honey mustard (again, I didn't have that, but I did have dijon, so I used it and it still worked out fine)
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1 Tbsp White wine vinegar
1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. salt

Weight Watchers...Weeks...um...a lot of them up until now. :)

I've been slacking in my posting, sorry.  Things really are VERY busy and when I DO have the time to blog I'm just not in the mood at all.  Mostly I'm in the mood to curl into a ball, watch a movie, and fall asleep, pretending the rest of the world doesn't exist.  But we just finished a day of delicious thunderstorms and that always has me in the mood to write.  And since I'm probably not going to get to housework much this week (it's been a stressful, eventful 3 days as it is), and I have no motivation to go write a novel at the moment, blogging is happening.

Get excited. 

:)

Anywho, I was bad for much of March, and I've been revisiting recipes or eating more basic, non-recipe type foods lately, so I don't have many recipes to share.  But I'll share a few that I DO have and hope you enjoy them.  I AM still losing weight--as of Friday I have lost 17 pounds!--but I still have very far to go until I reach my goals, no REAL motivation to stop eating any chocolate I can get my hands on, and until the weather cooperates I am not moving as much as I really ought to.  So hopefully this summer will be even better!  But let's focus on the positive.  GOOD FOOD!

Mango Chicken Spinach Salad--with homemade Mango-Curry Vinaigrette!

My own chicken noodle soup--nothing fancy but soups seem to fill me up for less points with all that water and veggies!

Ham and Beans (GREAT with cornbread!)

Amazing grilled salmon with avocado-lime dressing and fried plantains!

I mostly have perfected the method of broiling fish to the right consistency...

 

...and boiling/dying eggs...

 

...and smothering grilled meats with chimichurri sauce!

Recipes and other tips to come!

I laughed at myself today a little.  It was the first day I actually could tell I'd lost any weight at all.  I haven't gone down a pants or bra size and really I felt the same as always (just hungrier a little sometimes, especially when I'm stressed), so even though I know my scale isn't lying to spare my feelings it's been a little confusing and frustrating sometimes feeling like things aren't REALLY changing.  Well, today I wore my "fat pants," the ones I bought just a *little* too big already because there are days when bloating or self-image issues take over and I need a pair of professional pants that fit loosely and still look good.  And they were sliding down all over the place!  So funny and rewarding to have to keep hiking them up all day long.  Guess I'll either have to go to GoodWill again soon or invest in some tailoring!

Also, I have discovered another unexpected tidbit about myself through this Weight Watchers experience: I am a SHOE PERSON!  I had no idea.  I have always had about four pairs of shoes--one tennis shoe, one slightly more professional but still comfy shoe, one dressy shoe, and a pair of flip flops.   I don't accessorize and I don't invest in anything beyond the cheapest, blandest pair ('cause it has to go with EVERYTHING).  Well, ALL my shoes wound up getting holes or broken soles within two weeks of each other (darn you, WalMart!) and I decided to go to a real store and buy real, grown-up, not-on-a-$15-budget shoes.  And it has been magical.  I had no idea that a pair of red flats, a golden buckle, or a light pink studded wonder could make me feel so different.  I like it.  A lot. So now it's a motivator for me.  I get a new pair of shoes ($50 or less) for every 10 pounds I lose.  Which means I have three more pounds to go 'til I get to go shopping again!  And I still will have 50 more pounds to lose before I reach my goal so that's 5 more fancy pairs of shoes comin' my way in the next year or so (I hope!).

Do whatever it takes, right?  :)

Weight Watchers, Week 3

Hello!  Another week down, and it wasn't all that bad, even with a dozen cookies from a secret buddy at work, a splurge on a Kit Kat Bar, and eating out once!  I hit my first goal, my 5% goal (passed it, actually, for a total of 12 pounds so far), and am now working towards a new 10% weight loss goal.  :)  This is just through changing my diet, not my exercising routines (yet)! 

I don't really notice or feel a difference in my own body yet, though.  I haven't lost a pants size or anything, and I feel like my gut is as big as ever...so I'm not quite sure where these points are melting away from!  And I have to admit, some days I feel super deprived and other days I feel like I'm shoving food begrudgingly in my mouth at the end of the day to use up all my points.  I'm rarely hungry anymore, and smaller meals are the norm now, but I am ALWAYS MUNCHY.  So my new goal for this week, in addition to walking with a coworker after school AND doing 1/2 hour of yoga in the mornings, is to chop up veggies and have whole fruits handy for when I'm getting the munchies, instead of wasting the points on low-calorie chocolate brownies, peanut butter, and the like.  :)  This will save those points for much-needed lean proteins, and more CARBS!  (Not that I'm not eating them now, but sometimes I don't so I can sneak in a brownie later...no bueno!)  Also, no more chopping fruits up for fruit salad--I tend to eat WAY MORE than I need to if it's in a salad form, which is eating into our budget.  So whole fruits, one at a time, will be better for our wallet AND my waistline.

Although, my hubby got a HUGE promotion at work this week so I WILL be eating out tonight...and there WILL also be Cold Stone involved.  :)  Thank goodness for those activity points I'll be racking up!

Anywho, here are some of the meals that have kept me satisfied this week, as always, with recipes to come (linked in the captions):

Easy Egg White Omelette (my new favorite breakfast!) WW 2+ Points

Raspberry-Dijon Glazed Ham (WW 5+ Points)

Grilled Cuban Chicken with Black Bean and Mango Salsa (WW 7+ Points)

Herb-Roasted Pork Tenderloin (WW 3+ Points)

Lemon Chicken & Broccoli with Penne (WW 6+ Points)

Enjoy!

Lemon Chicken & Broccoli with Penne (WW 6 Points+)

I made a double-batch of this, so that I could have enough and leftovers and Paul wouldn't starve.  This recipe, though, serves 4. I made it serve 8, which really served 3 actual servings and then Paul could eat the rest.  And he did, happily, because this lemon chicken is light and DELISH.  I also added in 1/4 c. cooked whole grain penne per serving because the sauce and everything sort of DEMANDED a delicious carb.  I highly recommend it.  That's what makes each serving 6 points instead of 4.  Just FYI.  :)

 

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
12 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into THIN slices
2 tsp. olive oil
1 1/2 c. chicken broth, fat-free and reduced sodium
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 1/2 c. uncooked broccoli florets (FRESH)
2 tsp. lemon zest
2 Tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine flour, salt, and pepper on a plate and toss chicken pieces in it 'til coated well.
2. Heat oil in large skillet or pot/wok, add chicken and cook 'til lightly browned.  Remove chicken to a plate.
3. Put 1 c. broth and garlic into pan, and bring to a boil, scraping browned bits off the bottom.
4. Once boiling, add broccoli and cook about 1 minute.
5. In small cup, stir together remaining 1/2 c. broth, 1/2 tbsp. flour and 1/4 tsp. salt; add to skillet and bring to simmer over low heat.
6. Cook until broccoli is crisp-tender and sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 minute.  Stir in chicken and lemon zest, heat through.
7. Remove from heat.  Stir in parsley and lemon juice. 

Serves 4.  1 c. per serving = 4 Points.  Add in 1/4 c. cooked penne for an additional 2 points/serving. 

Enjoy!

Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin (WW 3 Points+)

I had people asking me to make this again.  So I think it was a hit!  It's so simple, easy, and hardly any real work for ME, so I think I can oblige them!  The pork turns out SO moist, and the herbs give it a fresh feel.  Serve it up with some salad for an easy plants + protein meal!

 

INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. olive oil
2 pounds LEAN pork tenderloin, raw

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400.  Coat a shallow baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine herbs/powders/salt/pepper in a small bowl.  Rub oil all over pork, then sprinkle with herb mix.  Place in prepared pan.
3. Roast about 35 minutes, or 'til cooked through.
4. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing thinly. 

Serves 8.
1 Serving = 3 Points+

Grilled Cuban Chicken with Black Bean & Mango Salsa (WW 7+ Points)

Oh, man.  I could eat this chicken ALL DAY LONG.  Or at least the salsa.  Seriously, Paul and I are hoping to make a huge bowl of it sometime and just eat it all up with some chips.  I have no idea how many points that would be, but whatever it is, it'd be WORTH IT!  That's how delicious, soft, sweet-and-tangy this dish is! 

 

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c. orange juice (can have mix-ins...ours actually had mango fruit juice, too)
1/4 c. chopped cilantro
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 4 5-ounce pieces.  (Basically I took the two smallest breasts in the frozen bag I buy and then one medium piece and cut it in half...)
1 c. cubed mango (about 1 actual mango)
1 c. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp. red onion, chopped finely

DIRECTIONS:
1. In small bowl, mix OJ, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper.  Remove 1/2 cup and place in baggie or bowl, and add chicken (turning to coat).  Seal and marinate in fridge for at least one hour.
2. Meanwhile, to make salsa, add beans, mango, and onion to the remaining OJ mixture.  Toss well (I added a little more cilantro here), and refrigerate up to 12 hours (I just did the one, too).
3. Grill chicken until cooked through (took about 8 minutes on my indoor grill). 

1 piece of chicken and 1/2 c. salsa = 1 serving = 7 Points+.  Serves 4.

Raspberry-Dijon Glazed Ham (WW 5 Points+)

This was SO GOOD.  SO good.  And easy, which made for a great Sunday night dinner!  Also, it makes 8 servings so it's great for those of us whose spouses AREN'T on any diets and/or if you need leftovers!  Hope you like it as much as we did!

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/4 c. dijon mustard, the grainiest you can find (with seeds)
3/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
a 2-pound cooked, smoked lean ham (I actually found one at Walmart...score!)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 325. Coat a small baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Make glaze by stirring first four ingredients together well.  Save about half to serve with the ham.
3. Prepare ham for glaze by scoring 1/8"-deep criss cross marks all over the top and sides of ham.  Brush with half the glaze.
4. Bake for 1 hour, brushing with glaze every 15 minutes.  Thinly slice ham and serve with reserved glaze.

Serves 8, with about 1 Tbsp. extra glaze included per serving.  :)  Each serving = 5 Points+

YUM!  We served this with a veggie/salad mix.  And, of course, fruit salad from the weekend.  :)

Easy Egg White Omelette (WW 2 Points+)

I have found a lovely way to get in THREE OR FOUR FOOD GROUPS in the mornings without hardly even thinking about it, AND it's only 2 Points...not a bad start to the day!  Here are my easy egg white omelettes!

INGREDIENTS:

3 Egg Whites
3/4 c. frozen or fresh finely chopped veggies (for EASE in the mornings I buy the seasoning mix, which includes frozen onion, celery, and peppers, as well as a package of chopped frozen spinach...it's all pretty cheap and I hardly have to work at all for it!)
1 Tbsp. shredded cheese

1. In a small bowl, beat egg whites just until they start to change color--hardly at all, but nice and scrambly for sure.  Add in the veggies.
2. Spray a medium-sized frying pan with 1 spray of olive oil or vegetable oil.  Pour in the egg/veggie mix and, if necessary, flatten/spread out with a spatula (my frozen veggies need this sometimes, but I don't think they would if they were fresh).
3. Cook until the top loses its shine.  Sprinkle cheese on top, fold in half, and slide onto a plate.

Serve with a side of fresh fruit and enjoy!  Protein and TWO fruits/veggies servings in one meal.  (P.S. If you want carbs and to make it an even more complete breakfast, you could serve it alongside a whole grain English muffin--only 3+ Points more!)

Tuna Salad in Cucumber Cups (WW 6 Points)

Light and fruity, served in cute lil' cucumber cups, these tuna salad fingerfoods are great dinner fare or appetizers at your next party.  They saved for several days, so I was able to take them into work for a while, and everyone oooohed and aaaaahed at my mad culinary skillz.  Too bad it was a Pinterest idea, a WW recipe, and SO EASY I really didn't feel impressive at all.  But I was happily satisfied, for sure!  These are delicious.

TUNA SALAD IN CUCUMBER CUPS

INGREDIENTS:
3 cans tuna in water, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. light Miracle Whip
1 c. dried cranberries
2 small fresh apples, diced (I think I only used one)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp dried dill weed
6 small cucumbers, sliced into 1 1/2" "cups", using a melon baller to scoop out the cup part. (Almost all the way to the bottom and around the edges)
1 c. raw celery, chopped finely

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine tuna, mayo, apples, cranberries, celery, lemon juice, and dill in a medium mixing bowl.
2. Spoon tuna salad into cucumber cups, heaping over the top of the cucumber.

About 1 cup of tuna salad per serving, yields six servings (at 6 WW+ Points/piece)

I ended up with 30 cups, so 1 cup tuna salad per 5 cups (1 cucumber's length).  The amount of cucumber you use doesn't actually affect the point total at all, so just make sure you're splitting the salad itself into about 6 servings if you're watching the points.  :)

Hot Dog Dogs (WW 7 Points)

I saw this on Facebook and decided to make a slightly healthier version for my puppy-loving hubby.  :)  Lean hotdogs are actually not too terrible for you, comparatively at least.  I couldn't find a low-fat version of the flaky biscuits, but if I had it would've been even lesser points!  This was a cute, fast meal for a busy weeknight--pair it with some pepper slices or other snackable veggies, and enjoy!

HOT DOG DOGS

INGREDIENTS:
Pillsbury Flaky Layers Biscuit (refrigerator mix), 1 can (enough for 8 biscuits)
8 lean beef hot dogs
a handful of black beans, for eyes and nose

DIRECTIONS:
Using a sharp knife (I found serrated was best here), cut slits in the top sides of each biscuit (to make ear) and pull the parts slightly away from each other.  Cut a slit for the "mouth", and lay on baking sheet.  Insert hot dogs, then place one black bean for each eye and nose (24 in all).  Bake according to package directions or until golden brown.  Serve with ketchup and a side of veggies!

Breakfast Fruit Pizza with Nutella (WW 8 Points)

I may have mentioned this before, but fresh fruits and veggies are 0 points under the 360 program.  I love that, because even though I KNOW they have calories, I don't feel guilty about piling them in.  And if I'm running low on points for the day, I'll bite into a peach or an apple instead of a 2-point brownie.  Sneaky, sneaky, Weight Watchers People!  :)

Anyway, the joy of this breakfast fruit pizza is that you have the natural sweetness of fresh fruit, the chocolatey-hazelnutty goodness of Nutella, and the wholesome whole grains of a whole wheat English muffin.  There isn't much to post as far as a "recipe"--cut the muffin in half and toast (3 points), spread on a Tbsp of nutella on each side (for 5 points total), and top with fresh berries, bananas, or other fruit of choice (which adds 0 points, yay!).  Delicious way to start your morning without feeling even the teensiest bit deprived.  I love it.  :)

Boyack De-LIGHT! (WW 3 points)

I'm sure it comes as no surprise that, while dieting, all I've wanted is CHOCOLATE.  ICE CREAM.  BROWNIES.  PUDDING!  :)  Lucky for me, a few tweaks to our family's favorite dessert literally cut the calories in half.  This sweet treat is a frozen pudding-pop like dessert, made all the better with the buttery saltiness of the Ritz crackers.  Hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 gallon low fat vanilla ice cream
1 large box fat-free, sugar-free instant chocolate pudding mix
One sleeve Ritz Reduced Fat Crackers, coursely crushed

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Melt ice cream in a large mixing bowl just until soft enough to mix (with hand mixer is fine, but I like to do it by wooden spoon...it really seems to change the texture).
2. Mix in pudding mix.
3. Sprinkle half the cracker crumbs on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Spread ice cream mixture in pan and smooth with a spatula (it should be kinda tough but not impossible to do).  Sprinkle remaining crackers on top.
4. Freeze at least 2 hours, or until solid enough to cut into slices and serve.  Cut into 4x5 grid, to make 20 bars total.

1 bar = 1 serving = 3 WW+ Points

BBQ Chicken & Black Bean Pizza (WW 10 points)

BBQ Chicken Pizza is my FAVORITE KIND!  And this lighter version has all the flavors I love, with half the fat.  Even though it is only one slice per serving, that one slice is FULL of flavor and dense enough with proteins to be filling on its own.  Serve with a dressing-free salad!

BBQ CHICKEN & BLACK BEAN PIZZA

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pound cubed boneless skinless chicken breast (raw)
1/2 c. BBQ sauce
16 oz. pizza crust, pre-baked and ready to top and heat.
1 1/2 c. reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese
half a can of black beans, drained and rinsed. (7 1/2 oz)
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1 Tbsp (or more!) raw cilantro, chopped.

1. Place rack in center of oven.  Preheat to 450 degrees.
2. Spray a skillet and stir-fry chicken over medium-high heat 'til cooked through.  Toss with half of the BBQ sauce.
3. Place pizza on a baking sheet or pizza tray.  Sprinkle with 3/4 c. cheese.  Arrange chicken and black beans over the crust.  Sprinkle with onion and cilantro.  Drizzle with remaining BBQ sauce and add remaining 3/4 c. cheese.
4. Bake at 450 for about 10 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.  Cut into 6 large slices and serve immediately.

BLT Salad (WW 6 Points)

I love BACON.  Who doesn't?  And this salad is the perfect way to sneak in the real bacon flavor without eating TONS AND TONS of it.  :)  Since most of the fresh ingredients are 0 points with the 360 program, the bacon, cheese, and homemade mayo-based dressing give you the freshest version of my favorite sandwich, without all the carbs!

BLT SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
6 cups lettuce, any variety, chopped
5-6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
12 slices crisply cooked bacon (bake in the oven at 375 for about 20 minutes for a no-hassle bacon experience!)
1/2 c. shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

For Dressing:
1/4 c. light Miracle Whip
2 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1/2 tsp. fresh parsley (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/8 tsp. table salt, or to taste

1. Crumble bacon.  Meanwhile, chop up veggies and toss in a bowl.  Stir in bacon and cheese.
2. Mix all dressing ingredients until smooth.  Pour over salad and toss (can serve on side if you want).  Serve immediately.

Serves 4.  About 2 cups of salad/serving=6 WW Points.