Beef and Bulgar Stuffed Zucchini

The following recipe is from The Food Network's, Ellie Krieger. I added my notes/changes to the recipe in red. It was delicious!!

Ingredients

• 6 medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound each)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small chopped onion (about 1 cup)
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic (I used 1 1/2 tsp of minced garlic in a squeeze jar)
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef (at least 90 percent lean) (note: I used lean turkey instead)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, strained and juice reserved (about 3/4 to 1 cup juice) (note: I used stewed tomatoes instead)
• 1 cup cooked bulgur (1/3 cup uncooked)
• 3 tablespoons dried currants (or raisins)
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted in a dry skillet over a medium-high flame for 2 minutes
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves (I forgot to put this in, but it still tasted great!)
• 1/2 cup low-sodium tomato sauce (I used a fat free onion and garlic pasta sauce and used the leftovers to pour over the final product.
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (I didn't use this)
• Sprinkle of fat free, or low fat mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut each zucchini in half crosswise. Using a melon baller, carefully scoop out zucchini flesh, leaving about 1/4 inch flesh intact on all sides and leaving zucchini closed at the bottom of each half. Reserve zucchini flesh for another use, or discard. Reserve zucchini tubes.

Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until they are soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add ground beef, cumin, coriander and red pepper flakes and cook until meat is just done and no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Add bulgur, and diced tomatoes and currants and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in pine nuts and parsley. Let mixture cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Using a small spoon or clean hands, gently stuff zucchini halves with beef-mixture.

Place zucchini halves in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Combine reserved tomato juice, tomato sauce and salt and pour over zucchini. Cover tightly with foil and place in oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover and rotate zucchini. Re-cover, return dish to oven and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until zucchini is cooked through but still slightly firm. Place 2 zucchini halves on a plate and serve with tomato sauce.

I sliced each half lengthwise and poured a pit more pasta sauce on top with a sprinkle of cheese. If it's fat free, you may need to tap in microwave for 20-30 second to melt the cheese.

1 serving is 2 zucchini halves and 3 tablespoons tomato sauce.

Per Serving: Calories 200; Total Fat 7 g; (Sat Fat 1 g, Mono Fat 3 g, Poly Fat 2 g) ; Protein 13 g; Carb 23 g; Fiber 5.5 g; Cholesterol 20 mg; Sodium 270 mg

WW Points Plus Value: Only 5 pts for 2 halves!!!

Italian Cheeseburgers

This is another one that I made as I went. I did not measure, but I will give you some estimated measurements and the estimated WW Points Plus Value. Next time I make these, I will measure and update the recipe. When it comes to salt and pepper, season as you like. I prefer less salt and more pepper.

Ingredients:

Buger
1 Pound 96/4 lean beef
Dried onion flakes (I used 1 onion's worth...equivialencies are on label)
1/4 tsp Dried Oregano
1/4 tsp Dried Oregano
1/4 tsp Dried Minced Garlic (Use 1-2 cloves worth, depending on your taste)
1 Tbsp Parmesean Cheese (I may have used a bit more)
1 Egg
1/4 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
Dash of Sea Salt, or Table Salt (I prefer the coarse sea salt, because less goes further)
Dash of Pepper

Zuchinni
1 Large Zuchinni
2 tsp Olive Oil
Dash of Pepper
Dash of salt
2 tsp Parmesean Cheese

Miscellaneous
Very thinly sliced provolone cheese (you can also use low fat mozerella)
Tomato Sauce (your choice...no fat, or very low fat thick sauce)
I use the Arnold's flatbread for 3 pts. You can use any bread you want, just adjust the points.

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In bowl, mix together everything under "burger" ingredients, except for the provolone cheese. Form five patties. Set aside.

Slice zuchinni into 1/4" slices. In bowl, toss with 2 tsp olive oil, salt, pepper. Cover baking sheet with foil. Lay zucchini on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes, tossing once. Zuchinni will get nice and soft and may brown a bit.

Heat up tomato sauce in saucepan.

Grill burgers. I made them on the George Foreman grill and they cooked in no time.

When burgers are down, put burger one slice of bread, or bun. Place a piece of provolone cheese on top of the burger. Top that with a few slices of zuchinni. Add a spoon full, or two of tomato sauce. Put other size of bread/bun on top and enjoy!

WW Points Plus Value with Flatbread: Around 8

Roasted Broccoli Parm

Please note that I did not measure these ingredients. I did it by taste. The only thing I measured is the oil. I actually made this one up!!

Ingredients:

Broccoli (I would say 1 pounds, maybe a bit more) - cut into bite sized pieces
Shredded Parmesan chesse (I used about a 2 teaspoons of the regular kind, but you can use the low fat as well)
2 tsp Olive oil
Olive oil spray
Basil (optional)
Garlic powder
Lemon Juice (I used a bottle, but you can use fresh)
Salt
Pepper


Recipe:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.


In mixing bowl, combine broccoli, olive oil, (a bit of fresh basil), and a pinch of garlic, salt, and pepper. Spray mixture with olive oil spray. Mix, then spray again. Get the broccoli nice and glossy. Don't overdo the olive oil spray.


Put in oven for 9-10 minutes. Mix halfway through. Broccoli will brown nicely!


Remove from oven and put back in mixing bowl. Mix in Parmesan cheese and squirt of lemon juice to taste. Adjust those last two ingredients as desired.


Enjoy a 1 point treat!

Banana Latte Milkshake

Ingredients:

1 Small Banana
1 WW Latte Bar
1/2 Cup Milk
Dollop of Chocolate Whipped Cream

Recipe:

Stick it all in blender and blend!

WW PointsPlus Value: 3

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal

Ingredients:

1 Individual Packet of Original Oatmeal (you could also measure serving from can)
1/2 cup milk
1 Small banana or 1/2 large banana
1/2 tbsp natural peanut butter
1 packet of sweetner (I use Sweet n' Low)

Recipe:

Cut up banana and toss in blender with milk (blend until smooth)
Put oatmeal in small bowl and pour banana mixture over oatmeal (mix)
Stick in microwave for 1 minute
Stir 1/2 tbsp of peanut butter into oatmeal.
Stick back in microwave for 15-30 seconds

Enjoy!! If you like your oatmeal a bit thinner, add a drop of water, or milk to mixture. Make sure to count points if you choose to use milk.

WW PointsPlus Value: 5

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pudding

This is a new favorite of mine!!!

Ingredients:

Box of Sugar-Free Fat Free chocolate fudge (or chocolate) pudding mix

2 cups fat free milk + 3 tbsp. fat free milk

1 cup fat free Cool Whip (thawed)

3 tbsp. peanut butter (opt for the natural peanut butter where the oil sits on top..less carbs)

Directions:

In small dish, put 3 tbsp. of peanut butter. Slowly mix in 3 tbsp. of fat free milk with small whisk until well blended.

Fold in 1 cup of fat free Cool Whip until well blended (this part alone tastes amazing!) Set peanut butter mixture aside.

Follow directions on pudding box to make chocolate pudding. (Mix contents in box with 2 cups of milk...just don't let it set yet).

Once pudding is made, scoop about 1/4 cup of chocolate pudding into four separate custard dishes (ramekins should work as well). Pudding should be somewhat set at this point. Note: pudding mix typically creates 2 cups of pudding, so half of the mix will be left over at first.

Divide the peanut butter whipped topping mix into four separate portions and layer on top of chocolate pudding in each dish.

Use remaining pudding and layer another 1/4 cup on top of each peanut butter layer.

Chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes...the longer the better. Top with fat free Reddi Whip (and chocolate sprinkles if desired) and INDULGE!!!!

Makes 4 servings.

WW PointsPlus value: 4

Candyland Peppermint Pie (by Hungry Girl)

I made this recipe over the weekend for a holiday party and it was amazing!! I will be making it again for Christmas!

Ingredients:

Crust

4 Sheets (16 crackers) chocolate graham crackers

2 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown)

Filling

1/2 Cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk

1/2 Cup fat-free milk

1 small (4-serving) box of Jello-O Sugar Free Fat Free Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix

3 Cups Cool Whip Free, thawed

3 Tbsp. Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 Standard-sized peppermint candy canes, lightly crushed, divided

Directions:

Crust

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees

To make the crust, crush the graham crackers in a food processor or blender (I used a plastic back and rolling pin)

Transfer crumbs to a bowl and set aside.

Place butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted, about 15 seconds. Add to the bowl of graham cracker crumbs and mix until uniform.

Spray a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick spray. Evenly distribute crust mixture along the bottom of the pie pan, using your hands or a flat utensil to firmly press and form the crust. Press it into the edges and up along the sides of the pan. (I was only able to press far enough to get it to the edge of the bottom of the pan...you may need to add graham crackers and butter spread if you want it to go further. It still tasted great only being on the bottom.)

Bake crust in the oven until firm, 8-10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Filling

Combine condensed milk, milk, and pudding mix in a large bowl. Mix well. Fold in Cool Whip until smooth. Gently stir in chocolate chips and about 3/4 of the candy cane pieces.

Once crust has cooled completely, evenly pour filling into the pan.

Refrigerate until firm and chilled, at least 2 hours. (Overnight is best, although I only chilled it for 4 hours).

Sprinkle pie with remaining candy cane pieces. If you like, top with fat free Reddi-whip just before serving. Dig in!!

Makes 8 Servings - PointsPlus value per piece: 5