Diane's Menu April 12 - April 18

Diane's Menu April 12 - April 18

Sunday - Easter Dinner at my Sister's - Roast Lamb, lots of veggies
Monday - Paganucci Stuffed Peppers, Grilled Tilapia
Tuesday - Slow Cooked Tuscan Beef Stew **
Wednesday - Slow Cooker Fajitas **
Thursday - Pineapple Shrimp Rice Bake **
Friday - Grilled Chicken, Brown and Wild Rice Pilaf, veggie of some kind
Saturday - Dinner out

** Recipes below
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Pineapple Shrimp Rice Bake

SERVINGS: 8
CATEGORY: Main Dish
TIME:
Prep: 30 min. Bake: 15 min.

Ingredients:

2 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked long grain rice (I am using brown rice)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, julienned
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1-1/2 pounds cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1-1/2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
3/4 cup pineapple tidbits, drained (I am using fresh pineapple)

Directions: In a large saucepan, bring broth to a boil. Stir in rice. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the garlic, onion and green pepper in oil until tender. Stir in soy sauce and ginger. Add shrimp, ham and pineapple. Stir in rice. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Stir before serving.

Yield: 8 servings.
Nutrition Facts One serving:(1 cup)Calories: 273, Fat:7 g, Saturated Fat:1 g, Cholesterol:143 mg, Sodium:774 mg,Carbohydrate:25 g, Fiber:1g,Protein:25 g




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Slow Cooked Tuscan Beef Stew

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) tomato soup
1 can (10 1/2 oz.) beef broth
1/2 cup dry red wine OR water
2 lb. beef for stew, cut into 1" pieces
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced Italian-style tomatoes
3 large carrots , cut into 1" pieces
1 tsp. Italian seasoning, crushed
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 cans (about 16 oz. each) white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained

MIX soup, broth, wine, beef, tomatoes, carrots, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in 3 1/2-qt. slow cooker.COVER and cook on LOW 8 to 9 hr. or until done.


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Slow Cooker Fajitas

1 to 1½ lbs. boneless beef round steak, or chicken breast cut in strips
½ lg. red bell pepper, cut in strips
½ lg. green bell pepper, cut in strips
1 lg. onion, cut into thin slices
1 pkg. dry fajita mix (1 oz.)
¼ c. water
6 lg. flour tortillas (I will be using lettuce wraps for mine)
2 sm. tomatoes, chopped
1 avocado, peeled, thinly sliced
½ c. dairy sour cream (We will have fat free sour cream, if we have it at all)

In slow-cooker, combine beef (or chicken or combination of both), peppers, onion, fajita mix and water. Cover and cook on LOW 5 to 6 hours or until meat is tender. Warm tortilla in microwave according to pkg. directions. With spoon, lift meat mixture out of pot. Place about 3/4 cup mixture along center of each tortilla. Top with chopped tomato, sour cream and avocado. Fold both sides over filling.

Makes 6 servings.

Diane's Menu April 4 - 11, 2009
Sunday - Grilled Tilapia, Sauteed Spinach, Baked Potato
Monday - Chicken Athena
Tuesday - Pasta, Salad
Wednesday - Crockpot Southwestern Chicken
Thursday - Hamburger, Red Cabbage Slaw
Friday - Dinner out with friendsSaturday - Dinner out


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Chicken Athena

Healthy Cooking (100% Simply Filling)

Greek flavors abound in this tasty and tender chicken dish that's cooked in the slow cooker. Olives, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar combine with chicken for a special treat tonight. Radelle Knappenberger - Oviedo, Florida

SERVINGS: 6
CATEGORY: Lower Fat
METHOD: Slow Cooker
TIME: Prep: 15 min.
Cook: 4 hours

Ingredients:

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
2 medium onions, chopped
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil), chopped
1/3 cup pitted Greek olives, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Place chicken in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Add the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until a meat thermometer reads 170°. Yield: 6 servings.


Nutrition FactsOne serving:1 chicken breast halfCalories: 237, Fat:6 gSaturated Fat:1 g, Cholesterol:94 mg, Sodium:467mg, Carbohydrate:8 g, Fiber:1 g, Protein:36 gDiabetic Exchange:5 very lean meat, 1 vegetable, 1 fat.


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Crockpot Southwestern Chicken (with Fat Free Cheese, 100% Simply Filling)

2-16 oz. cans of sweet corn, drained
1-16 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-16 oz. jar of salsa (mild-hot, your preference)
3 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup low fat or fat free shredded cheddar cheese


Combine corn, black beans and 1/2 cup of salsa in the slow cooker. Place chicken breasts on top. Pour remaining salsa over the chicken. Cover and cook 7-8 hours on low or 3-4 hours on high.Sprinkle with cheese to serve.

Makes 6 nice size portions.

New Start to a New Me

I have been doing Weight Watchers online since July 2008. As of last Thursday, 3/26 I had lost almost 50 pounds. It sounds like a good amount, but I have been almost stalled since November. It was partly my own doing, as I was fudging some counts and stretching the extra points I get weekly. However, it was also a function of the way my personal metabolism works. I am not a nutritionist and I don't claim to understand the science totally, but my body doesn't like carbohydrates. I don't mean all carbohydrates, but the "white ones". This includes sugar, four, white rice and potatoes.

Last Thursday I switched to Weight Watchers Simply Filling method of tracking food. My body has already reacted positively and I am rejoicing at already being down 3.4 pounds. I am so excited and it is self-motivating to see such fast results.

Since I love to cook and experiment, it has also given be an opportunity to be extremely creative to get some of my favorite tastes in my diet without using the "no-no" foods. This Friday we are meeting friends for pizza. I could use some of my extra weekly points for some pizza, but I prefer to save the points for my wine/beer while out for Rock 'n Roll on the weekends. So, I have been trying to figure out how to not only say "no" to the pizza, but be satisfied with what I am eating instead.

Here is what I have come up with:

Pizza Casserole with Spaghetti Squash

1 Spaghetti Squash - cooked and shredded
1 large can crushed tomatoes
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
green peppers, diced
leeks, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon dried oregano
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fat free mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup fat free Parmesan cheese, grated
4 teaspoons olive oil


Preheat broiler or oven to 450°

Saute leeks, green peppers and garlic in 4 teaspoons of olive oil over low heat. When veggies are soft add oregano and stir to coat. When you can smell the oregano add the can of tomatoes and mix well.

Remove from the heat and add the spaghetti squash threads and half the cheeses to the pot. Pour into a shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses.

Place pan under broiler or in VERY hot oven. It is done when the cheeses are melted and gooey.

Because of the oil it has to be eaten on 2 separate days or by 2 people. The other option is to count the extra oil in towards the weekly points. (2.5)

If you lower the oils to 2 teaspoons you could eat the entire thing if that's what it takes to make you feel satisfied.

If you substitute whole wheat pasta for the spaghetti squash it is still a filling food, but you would have to count it as the "once a day" item.

Another option is to add 1/2 cup of the Morningstar breakfast starter "sausage bits" to get that flavor that many people love on pizza.

If this is eaten by folks counting points it is 4 servings and 4 points as written originally per serving. If you use whole wheat pasta instead it is still 4 servings, add another 2 points per serving and if you add the Morningstar breakfast starter sausage bits you would add another 1 point per serving.

I will be experimenting quite often and hopefully I will remember to post my results.

Diane's Menu March 29 - April 4 2009

Diane's Menu March 29 - April 4 2009

Sunday - Roast Pork, Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli
Monday - Shrimp Kabobs, Brown Rice
Tuesday - Whole Wheat Pasta with Marinara Sauce, Salad
Wednesday - Grilled Chicken Cutlets, Curried Quinoa and Asparagus Pilaf in Rice Cooker
Thursday - Hamburgers, Red Cabbage Slaw
Friday - Onion Crusted Tilapia, Snow Peas, Baked Potato
Saturday - probably steak dinner out