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Honey Roasted Carrots with Balsamic

May 22, 2013 Kristen 1 Comment 3 PointsPlus Recipes, All Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetable Recipes, Vegetarian

This weekend I woke up obscenely early on Sunday morning. Literally at 6 a.m. my eyes popped open. I then laid in bed unsuccessfully willing myself to fall back asleep and finally gave in 15 minutes later and decided to go for a run. By the time I got back it was only 7:15. So so very early for Sunday.

(On a sidenote, this is confirming a growing fear that I am indeed growing up. You know what I mean. Waking up without an alarm at six on weekends is one of those things that only happens to grown ups. Eeek.)

So I showered and headed to the farmer’s market after turning my morning freakout to excitement about finally making it to the farmer’s market before all the good produce was snapped up. But – shock, gasp – they weren’t even open yet. What!!! Aren’t farmers supposed to be early risers? So I had to go get coffee, walk around a bit, and when I finally came back I was at least rewarded with some fabulous spring produce including a bunch of rainbow carrots that I used for this simple and delicious recipe.

Weight Watchers Honey Roasted Carrots with Balsamic
Points: 4 weight watchers points plus
Servings: 3 servings
Serving Size: 1/4 recipe
Nutritional Info: 88 calories, 3.5g of fat, 14.7g of carbohydrates, 1.8g of fiber, .7g of protein

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Honey Chiptole Grilled Chicken

May 21, 2013 Kristen 4 Comments 6 PointsPlus Recipes, All Recipes, Chicken, Gluten-free, Grill, Main Course

Can someone please let me in on the secret of successful indoor grilling with a grill pan? Literally each and every time I try my apartment fills with smoke, the smoke alarm begins to scream, and my clothes smell like a campfire for weeks. This can’t happen to everyone and it honestly is the scene in my kitchen each and every time I whip out the grill plan. There must be a secret. Please let me in on it.

In other news, I would completely suffer through this to eat this chicken again. The sauce comes together in just a few minutes in the food processor. The chicken is grilled with just a touch of salt and pepper. Then everything is combined for a delish sweet, spicy, and quick dinner. Perfect for summer barbecues and the sauce is versatile enough to work with virtually any protein.

Weight Watchers Honey Chiptole Grilled Chicken
Points: 6 weight watchers points plus
Servings: 4 servings
Serving Size: 5 oz.
Nutritional Info: 225.9 calories, 5g of fat, 23.5g of carbohydrates, 4.4g of fiber, 31.3g of protein

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Moo Shu Beef Stirfry

May 20, 2013 Kristen 0 Comments 6 PointsPlus Recipes, All Recipes, Asian Recipes, Beef Recipes, Gluten-free, Low Carb, Main Course

My original plan was to start today’s post with a little history/etymology about moo shu but then quickly realized that I may be the only one wondering why it is called moo shu, so I will let you off the hook. Curious? Read here.

So instead I will share some of the stranger things I found while reading up on this traditional Chinese take-out dish. First, mooshu (one word) can also refer to “any of the couch dwelling computer gamers from Georgia.” Just plain weird. It can also refer to a popular comedy show in Boston and Philly called the “Moo Shu Jew” show where people watch Jewish stand up comedians and eat Chinese food. Sounds fun. And finally, it is sometimes short for a misguided indie movie about two Chinese travelers. May just have to rent it.

Food wise? Moo shu is a dish typically made with pork but also sometimes made with beef, shrimp, tofu, or chicken. There are lots of variations and debate about how it is made. The version I am sharing uses Hoisin, a Chinese barbecue sauce, paired with some ginger, garlic, and Asian chilie paste and quickly stir-fried with beef and cabbage. Dinner in under 15 minutes.

Weight Watchers Moo Shu Beef Stirfry
Points: 6 weight watchers points plus
Servings: 4 servings
Serving Size: 1.25 cups
Nutritional Info: 245.9 calories, 6.8g of fat, 16.7g of carbohydrates, 4.4g of fiber, 29.1g of protein

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Slow Cooker Sunday: Chicken Barbacoa

May 18, 2013 Kristen 0 Comments 5 PointsPlus Recipes, All Recipes, Chicken, Crock Pot, Gluten-free, Low Carb, Main Course, Mexican, Recipes, Snacks and Appetizers

Sometimes plans don’t always go as planned.

This past week was full of that for me. No matter how hard I tried there just didn’t seem to be enough minutes in the day. So when my plan to make one of my favorite dishes, Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa, fell apart, I needed a quick substitute that I could make with things I had on hand and throw together in just a couple of minutes. Seeing some frozen chicken breasts and a can of chipotle peppers in adobo, I decided to try out a quick version of barbacoa with chicken. I relied on the smoky chipotles to add the depth of flavor you usually get from the dried chiles along with some simple spices. The result is an incredibly simple and delicious dish.

Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Chicken Barbacoa
Points: 5 weight watchers points plus
Servings: 6 servings
Serving Size: 3/4 cup (6 oz.)
Nutritional Info: 209.8 calories, 5.7g of fat, 4.3g of carbohydrates, .5g of fiber, 34.1g of protein

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Friday Five: 100 Calorie Snacks

May 17, 2013 Kristen 0 Comments Snacks and Appetizers, Top Five Lists

Lately I have been snacking like a person obsessed. Literally. Usually I spend time procrastinating by dreaming about meals and new recipes, but lately all I can think about is snacks. Maybe its because I have started running longer distances and am just finding myself hungry more often, maybe its the challenge of creating something fun and interesting that doesn’t break the calorie bank, who knows? However here are some of my current favorite 100 calorie snacks.

What are your favorites?

1. Zucchini Pepperoni Pizzas
At just 57 calories per pizza, these are one of my absolute favorite low calorie snacks. I usually like to roast some zucchini and portabella mushrooms at the beginning of the week and then quickly assemble them during the week for a quick, low calorie snack. They also make a great lunch, just up the portion size.

2. Quiche Cupcakes
If you have been reading the blog for awhile you are probably sick of hearing about these Quiche Cupcakes, but they are truly a favorite and something I have on hand almost every day for quick snacking. At just 40 calories per cupcake, you can have two and still stay under 100 calories. They are also incredibly versatile and you can pretty much mix in any flavors you like.

3. Carrot Chips with Skinny Ranch
Raw baby carrots and ranch is a pretty classic snack combo for anyone dieting, but why not elevate it by roasting some carrot chips and making your own, healthy skinny ranch at home. Oven roasted carrots get crispy and delicious and dipped in a ranch made with fresh herbs and Greek yogurt keeps your snack healthy and free of the chemicals and preservatives found in most packaged light ranch dressings. Best of all, the whole snack comes in at just 88 calories.

4. Peanut Butter Pretzel Rice Crispie Treats
At just 93 calories for a pretty large square, these treats may quickly become a favorite new snack. They have a great combo of salty and sweet and make a great snack alongside coffee or tea. I usually have one as an afternoon pick me up or sometimes as dessert. When I have some calories to spare, my favorite way to eat them is crumbled over low fat ice cream. Yum.

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