Saturday, March 24, 2007

Asparagus,New Potato and Chive Frittata

You will need:
1/2 pound uncooked new potatoes, washed and very thinly sliced (about 4 potatoes)
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
2 large egg(s)
1 cup fat-free egg substitute
1/2 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp chives, fresh, chopped
1 sprays cooking spray

Place potatoes in a steamer; steam until almost tender, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus and steam for 1 minute more; remove vegetables from steamer and set aside.
Preheat broiler.
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, egg substitute, salt, pepper and chives.
Coat a 10-inch nonstick, ovenproof skillet with cooking spray and set over medium heat. Add potatoes and asparagus and sauté for 2 minutes; reduce heat to low and stir in eggs. Cover and cook until eggs are set around edges, about 5 minutes.
Uncover and broil frittata until top is golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cut into 4 wedges and serve.
~WW Recipie

Pasta Primavera



You will need:

8 oz uncooked whole-wheat pasta, linguine (I prefer Barilla Plus)
4 tsp olive oil, divided
8 oz asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces
4 oz sugar snap peas, fresh, stem ends trimmed, large ones cut in half (about 1 1/3 cups)
1 small yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick pieces (about 1 cup)
13 3/4 oz canned artichoke hearts, without oil, drained and quartered (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium garlic clove(s), chopped
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1/4 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup basil, fresh, leaves, thinly sliced


Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add pasta and cook according to package directions.
Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add asparagus, snap peas and squash. Cook vegetables, stirring often, until vegetables are almost crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in artichoke hearts and garlic; cook and stir over low heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in tomatoes, peas, salt and pepper. Scoop out 1/3 cup of pasta cooking water and add it to skillet. Cook, tossing ingredients, until tomatoes soften slightly and vegetables are crisp-tender, about 1 minute.
Drain pasta; return pasta to pot. Add vegetable mixture, basil and remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to pot; toss to mix and coat. Serve immediately. Makes about 2 1/4 cups per serving.

~WW Recipie

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Asiago and Pasta Spinach Salad


You will need:
3 cups boiling water
4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 cups hot cooked cavatappi (about 6 ounces uncooked ridged, spiral pasta)
1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach, torn
3/4 cup grated Asiago cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Combine boiling water and sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl; let stand 30 minutes. Drain and chop.Combine tomatoes, oil, salt, pepper, and garlic in a large bowl. Add pasta and spinach; toss gently. Sprinkle with cheeses; toss gently.
NOTE: May substitute the Italian cavatappi with fusilli, penne or any other medium-sized pasta.
~Cooking Light Recipie

Very Lightened Up Sesame Chicken


You will need:

2 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp dry sherry
1 tsp ginger root, fresh, minced
1/2 tsp five-spice powder
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch strips
2 tsp peanut oil

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds and cook until lightly toasted, shaking pan frequently, about 2 to 3 minutes; transfer seeds to a dish and set aside.
Whisk water, soy sauce, maple syrup, sherry, ginger and five-spice powder together in a small bowl; set aside.
Combine flour, salt and pepper together in a dish; add chicken and turn to coat. Shake chicken pieces to remove excess flour.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add soy sauce mixture to chicken and cook until sauce thickens and is almost evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes more.
Dip chicken pieces in toasted sesame seeds and serve, drizzled with any additional soy sauce mixture. Makes about 4 strips per serving. Great with brown rice.
~WW Recipie

Sunday, March 4, 2007

Cherry Glazed Chocolate Muffins


You will need:
cooking spray
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp table salt
3/4 cup Neufchatel cheese, softened (I prefer to use light)
1 1/4 cup water, warm, divided
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp vinegar
cherries jarred in water (about 12 cherries)
1 tsp butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 cup finely chopped or cherries jarred in water (about 3 cherries)
3 tsp water, warm, or more if necessary
Preheat oven to 350ºF and coat a 12 muffin tin with cooking spray or muffin liners.
Sift together flour, cocoa, 1 cup of powdered sugar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
Using an electric mixer, cream Neufchatel cheese, about 1/2 cup of warm water and 1 teaspoon of vanilla together in a large bowl until blended.
With mixer running on slow, add flour mixture in small batches, alternating with remaining 3/4 cup of warm water, until batter is thoroughly blended; add vinegar and mix well.
Fill each muffin cup with a tablespoon of batter (you’ll have about 1/2 the batter left). Place a whole cherry in center of each muffin cup and top with remaining batter so each cup is about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool muffins for 5 minutes in tin and then remove muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
While muffins are cooling, make glaze: Combine butter, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla, 3 chopped cherries and 3 teaspoons of warm water (add another teaspoon of water if glaze is too thick). Spread each cooled muffin with a thin layer of glaze.
1 muffin per serving.
~WW recipie