Archive | Weight Watchers RSS feed for this section

Faux Fried Catfish and Spinach Quinoa

19 Jan

I was in the mood for quinoa, so I checked to see what Weight Watchers recipes came up and found a tasty sounding one with mushrooms and spinach.  The recipe was very similar to cooking kasha where you brown garlic and onions in a pan, then toast up the quinoa, then add in liquid and let it absorb.

(Side note: Does anyone else find it annoying to rinse quinoa?  It’s so delicious, but I can’t find a good way to rinse it without it getting everywhere)

DSCF2702

Then at the finale, you top it with fresh spinach (which is always surprising how much it reduces in size!) and let it steam down and stir it in.

DSCF2704

We paired it with faux fried catfish (it’s faux fried because it’s coated in ground up Fiber One cereal and then baked… it’s a really delicious and diet friendly way to “fry” just about any white meat or fish).

DSCF2707

It made for a great meal, although the more I eat catfish, the less I like it.  I just don’t think it’s my kinda fish.

DSCF2710

My favorite part about this meal, however, was making the leftovers for lunch the next day!  I topped the quinoa and spinach with 2 poached eggs and the mushy yolky goodness was purrrrrrrfect with the nutty quinoa and spinach.  Delish!

DSCF2711

 

_______________________________
RECIPE
_______________________________

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion(s), minced
1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
1 cup(s) quinoa, rinsed
2 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, optional (we left this out)
4 cup(s) spinach, baby leaves, packed, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp table salt

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Add quinoa to skillet; cook, stirring frequently, until quinoa starts to turn golden brown, about 2 minutes.
  • Add broth, black pepper and red pepper flakes to skillet; bring to a boil. Cover skillet and reduce heat to low and simmer for 13 minutes; stir in spinach. Cover skillet and cook until spinach and quinoa are tender and liquid is absorbed, about 3 to 5 minutes; season with salt. Yields about 1/2 cup per serving.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Spaghetti Squash and Slow Cooker Pears

19 Nov

I feel like I am already at the tail end of this incredible cacophony of  support for the long neglected spaghetti squash.  I first encountered this awesome veggie about 8 years ago, and when I found out that it has ZERO Weight Watchers Points for a whole cup, I had to make it part of my weekly cooking.  I love squash to begin with, so having a squash that is easy to cook, can be paired with just about anything, and is good for me is pretty awesome.

How easy to cook?  I’ll tell ya.

The hardest part is cutting the sucker in half, lengthwise.  I always sharpen the big knife before going into it, however, it makes me yearn for an axe.  Once you have it split, you can just scoop out the yag and seeds from the middle (just keep those seeds for roasting!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I use the side of a large spoon to scrape around the opening.

DSCF2669

After that, you put it cut side down on parchment paper, a Silpat, or slightly greased cookie sheet and just roast it up at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.  A fork should easily be able to scrape out the insides.

So why do they call it spaghetti squash?

Well… what starts as a seemingly solid piece of squash winds up turning into these beautiful strands that look just like spaghetti.

DSCF2673

And you can treat it like spaghetti and pair it with a pasta sauce, cheese, veggies or any other savory topping.  You can also make a sweet version and I’ve heard brown sugar and butter on it is especially delicious.  Personally, I’m dying to try this recipe which pairs it with maple syrup and shallots.

DSCF2675

Another quick and easy, yet totally healthy recipe for a good dessert after you’ve had your spaghetti squash is putting a pear (or apple) in the slow cooker.  I just cored 2 apples and then put them in the crock pot.  Then I poured over some apple cider (until it came up about half way on the pears), a sprinkle of brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, then set it on low for about 4 hours until it was tender.

DSCF2677

Topped off with a bit of homemade schlag and it was a very yummy treat.

DSCF2678

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Weight Watchers Recipe- Rosemary-Grilled Pork Chops with Potatoes and Zucchini

13 Aug

Usually dinner is planned based upon what is in the fridge that day.  This day we had pork chops, yellow zucchini (not summer squash… I wonder what the difference is), and potatoes.  What luck that Weight Watchers has a recipe entitled “Rosemary-Grilled Pork Chops with Potatoes and Zucchini.”

Unfortunately, NYC living does not provide us with a grill, however, our apartment stove luckily provides us with a griddle top!  Usually works pretty well (besides the smoke alarm factor). 

I love mini potatoes, and when they get crispy and brown, they are my favorite.  I haven’t found any healthy way of making them as delicious as when you fry them up, but it’s a fine alternative.

It was easy to use the same top for the pork and zucchini.  The rosemary is key in this.  

The assemblage was delicious and everything went really well together.  It was incredibly easy and, though the potatoes take a pretty long time, it was quick to throw together!

It wound up being about 1.5 servings each based on the pork weight (the recipe called for 4, 4 oz portions but we had 2 6 oz. portions), so the point value was about 9 for the whole meal (would have been 6 with the 4 oz. chops).  To get a full meal this delicious for 9 points? I’m in!

_____________________________
RECIPE
_____________________________ 

Ingredients:

  • 1/8 tsp lemon zest, or to taste  (I used lemon juice only, but I think the zest would have been nice)
  • 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, juice of 1 large lemon  
  • 2 Tbsp rosemary, fresh, chopped  
  • 3 clove(s) garlic clove(s), crushed with a garlic press  
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil, extra-virgin  
  • 16 oz lean boneless pork chop, center-cut, trimmed of all visible fat, 4 (4-ounce)  
  • 1 tsp table salt  
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground  
  • 1 pound(s) Yukon Gold potato(es), or any baby potatoes, scrubbed and halved  
  • 2 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1⁄8-inch-thick slices

Directions:

  1. Combine the lemon zest, rosemary, garlic, and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle the pork with 1⁄2 teaspoon of the salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon of the pepper. Rub half of the rosemary mixture over the pork. Put the pork on a plate, then cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to several hours.
  2. Spray the grill rack with nonstick spray; prepare the grill.
  3. Toss the potatoes with the remaining rosemary mixture,1⁄4 teaspoon of remaining salt, and 1⁄8 teaspoon of remaining pepper in a medium bowl. Lightly spray the potatoes with nonstick spray, then place on the grill, cut-side down. Grill the potatoes 5 inches from the heat, turning once, until tender, 45 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl; cover with foil to keep warm.
  4. Sprinkle the zucchini with the remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon salt and 1⁄8 teaspoon pepper; lightly spray the zucchini with nonstick spray. Put the pork and zucchini on the grill. Grill the pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the pork chops registers 160°F for medium, about 4 minutes on each side. Grill the zucchini until tender, about 4 minutes on each side. Put the pork and zucchini on a platter. Drizzle the lemon juice over the zucchini. Serve with the potatoes. Yields 1 pork chop with 1⁄4 of zucchini and potatoes per serving.

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

← Older Entries