Pasta Salad (9SP per serving, 2 servings)

4 oz ditalini uncooked (Cook before adding to recipe)
6 oz fat free greek yogurt
1 oz light mayo
1 can white albacore tuna in water
Chopped carrots, celery, onion to taste
Paprika, garlic, salt and pepper to taste

That's all folks!
So yummy!
Serve cold!

Tuna Pepper Boats

Easy 3 point lunch?!
YES!

1 can  albacore tuna in water, drained (1SP)
2 tbsp Kraft light mayo (2SP)
Jalapeños to taste
3-5 mini bell peppers, sliced in half, cleaned

After mixing the tuna, portion it into the pepper halves, I put a jalapeño slice on the bottom and topped them with jalapeños.

Easy as that!

I've used greek yogurt, fat free, for a mayo sub, 2 tbsp is 0SP. It is much thicker, I typically don't mind but I took the points since I was skipping the bread.

Friday Virtual Meeting via Connect

Friday Virtual Meeting

I know that to change my lifestyle it can't just be about food and exercise. It has to be about me.
Connect user: rebsmom03 posts a meeting focus every week. This is where I will keep track of my weekly responses to the prompts she posts.

Get Out of My Seat!

What I'll Do: Use the FitBreaks app!

When I'll Do It : 20 times per day

Where I'll Do It: Between my classes, or even during my classes!

How Long I'll Do It: Every day

General Tso Sauce (3SP)

General Tso Sauce

I love this sauce.

No, really, I mean it!

This sauce is the best!

This is something I have made for a while, from the best recipe blog. 

This recipe is from Seonkyoung Longest.

Here is her original recipe:

• 2 Tbs. sugar
• 1 Tbs. sambal
• 1 Tbs. soy sauce
• 3 Tbs. white vinegar
• 2 Tbs. Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
• ¼ cup chicken stock
• 1 tsp. corn starch

I have changed a few things based on what I have available in my kitchen cupboards.

My Ingredient List:

1 Tbsp sambal oelek

3 Cloves garlic (grated or minced)

2 Tbsp soy sauce

3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp Better Than Bouillon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base

2 Tbsp sugar

1⁄4 cup(s) water

Instructions:

Per Seonkyoung Longest's blog:

"Stir the sauce we made earlier and add into hot pan. Keep stirring as the sauce gets thicken as syrup and boiling, it takes about 1 to 2 minutes."

I throw in my cooked chicken or shrimp, and serve over rice!

It's so delicious!

2 servings at 3 SmartPoints each

Asian Inspired Soup (9SP)

Asian Inspired Soup

Yeah, yeah, I know that this might be not P.C., but I couldn't think of a better name!

This is an extremely simple recipe, to the point of.... I shouldn't even call this a recipe. 

Here's the deal, throw things in a pot, simmer, eat.

Okay, there is a little more to do, but it is so simple!

Ingredients List:

2 tsp Better Than Bouillon Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base

10 medium uncooked baby carrots

1⁄2 cup(s) uncooked onion(s)

1⁄2 cup(s) soy sauce

4 clove(s) garlic clove(s)

1 Tbsp ginger root

1⁄2 cup(s) jalapeño pepper(s)

1⁄2 cup(s) uncooked celery

40 item(s) cooked shrimp

4 1⁄4 oz uncooked udon noodles

3 1⁄2 cup(s) uncooked cabbage (shredded or chopped)

Instructions:

1) In a medium saucepan, combine bouillon, 2 carrots, onion, soy sauce, garlic cloves, ginger root, jalapeno, and celery. Add water. (I'll be honest, I don't know how much I added, 3 cups?)

2) Simmer for 15-30 minutes to infuse flavors.

3) Add noodles, cook for time indicated on package. Scoop out noodles and portion into 2 bowls.

4) Add shrimp to broth, poach until cooked. Split the shrimp between the 2 bowls.

5) Lastly, toss in the cabbage, once wilted split cabbage and broth between the two bowls.

TA-DA!!!

2 Servings at 9 SmartPoints each

#1 in Creamy Factor! Oh so VERSATILE!

I love creamy!
Creamy makes everything better, pasta sauce, pasta salad, sandwiches, dessert, EVERYTHING!

http://www.californiaavocado.com/avocado-variety-browser/

+

http://products.usa.fage.eu/fage-total-0-6-oz

=

#1 Creamy Factor

I saw this on Pinterest and couldn't resist trying.
What started as a pasta salad recipe, ended up as a
"PUT THIS ON EVERYTHING" recipe!

The recipe is absolutely delicious and utterly simple,
I've adapted from the original recipe here.

I used:
1 Ripe Avocado
1 1/2 Tbs Lime Juice
4 Tbs Fage 0% Plain Greek Yogurt
(SIDE NOTE: Greek yogurt is the ultimate in creaminess, use it as much as possible!)
1 Clove Garlic
A Handful of Cilantro
Salt to Taste
Optional:
I added serrano as garnish, it would be great pureed into the dressing.
Some ranch dressing powder would jazz it up too.

Toss everything in the food processor and blend.
It is as simple as that!

This makes enough for a pound of pasta,

OR
1/2 a pound of pasta

AND

A couple of chicken wraps
Wrap, chicken, radishes, and CREAMY AVOCADO LIME DRESSING

AND

A couple servings of Quinoa, Black Bean, and Chicken Salad
(Made with chilled cooked quinoa, black beans, and shredded chicken, and a dollop of dressing.)

AND

I think I can thin it down a bit and end up with a delicious dressing too.

And it is a great dip for veggies!

I will make this again and again and again!

(Weight Watchers - Points for the whole lot? 10PP for the WHOLE RECIPE!)

Pizza Night, From Thought to Table in 20 Minutes

How do you get food on the table when you are short on time?

This was not the question I had in mind when I made pizza tonight,

but it all happened so fast that I am adding pizza to my mental

"Oh, darn, I'm hungry and I only have half an hour"

list of recipes, it is also being added to the

"There is nothing in the house but ingredients and leftovers". 

I can't be the only person with these lists. 

The first list "only have half an hour to eat" is pretty common for everyone.

I have found, though, in eating healthier, I try to be sure not to have pre-made

or pre-packaged things in the house because I binge.

So, I sometimes end up at the end of my fresh groceries

a couple days before pay-day or grocery-day.

ANYTHING can become a pizza, so this is my new go-to recipe.

This pizza has a great fold-able crust, and you can make it without turning on the oven!

The griddle has been my friend lately, it hasn't left the counter since I arrived home from CT a week and a half ago.

For the crust, I used a “pinned” recipe from the blog “4youwithlove”.

The actual recipe is a dough and herb combination for focaccia bread,

I only used the dough portion.

This makes a roughly 12”-ish pizza, perfect for splitting or a larger sized personal pizza.

For the dough

½ Cup Warm Water

1 Tbs Sugar

1 Tbs Yeast

1 Cup Flour

(I eliminated oil and salt from the original recipe because I grilled with oil on the griddle-top and seasoned it with the pizza toppings.)

Always combine water and sugar, first, until sugar is completely dissolved, then add the yeast and allow to proof for a couple minutes. (This is how we make sure the yeast is alive, you should see the liquid get creamy, foamy, and tiny air bubbles on the surface.)

Add flour and knead until smooth and elastic.

Roll out the dough until you find the size, shape, and thickness you prefer.  I like mine about 1/8 inch thick, and in whatever shape I end up with.

Set your griddle to 300’-325’.

You could make these crusts ahead of time,
freeze them on a cookie sheet,
then drop them in a freezer bag.

Using 1 Tbs oil, oil your griddle-top or oil each side of the dough. Place your pizza crust on the griddle.  As it cooks you should see air pockets form in the crust and the bottom will start to brown.  Cook for about 5 minutes then flip and cook 2 minutes on the other side.  

Add your toppings to the pizza and allow to cook for an additional 3-5 more minutes until cheese is melted or toppings are heated through.  

I topped mine with a couple tablespoons of sauce, a few ounces of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and pepperoni, finished with a dash of red pepper flakes and green onions.  

Now, you can serve the pizza as is, or if you are okay with turning on the oven, I stuck mine under the broiler to finish melting the fresh mozz and to crispy-curl the pepperoni.

I love when pepperoni curls!

And check out that thin.

 but not crunchy crust!

To summarize:

Mix up dough - 5 minutes

Brown one side of crust - 5 

minutes

Brown other side of crust and 

heat toppings - 5-7 minutes

(Optional) Broil to crisp up the 

top of pizza - 1-3 minutes

Grand Total: 20 MINUTES!!!

I can't wait to  try pesto, cherry tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella,

or arugula, spiced pork, and sriracha,

or chicken, alfredo sauce, and broccoli, or....

(The crust without toppings, including the tablespoon of oil for cooking is 17 PointsPlus for the entire crust, 9 PointsPlus if it is cut into 2 servings.)